Michael Ronaldson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is with great sadness that I rise this afternoon to pass on my condolences to Jeannie’s sons and to Jeannie’s friends in this place, one of whom, Senator Patterson, is sitting behind me. Friends are not necessarily easy to make in politics, because the dynamics dictate that we are all in competition with each other. One of Jeannie’s lasting legacies is that she was able to make close friends. That requires an enormous amount of work to achieve. It requires some take but it also requires an enormous amount of give. I have watched Jeannie’s close friends over the last 18 months and what I have seen has reinforced to me that Jeannie was a very special person who could maintain extraordinarily close friendships, such as the one Senator Patterson and others had with her.

Jeannie and I shared two things—things which we both understood without having to talk about in any great detail. One was the fact that we both had cancer. I am one of those lucky ones who is still here; Jeannie, unfortunately, was taken. The other thing we shared was that we had both had the role of Chief Government Whip. I have no doubt in mind that the pressure of this job in some way contributed to Jeannie’s ill health. It is only when you have been in that position that you understand the extraordinary pressure associated with it. Indeed, Jeannie has taken to her grave—as I will take to my grave—the keys to the skeleton closet. It was an extraordinary responsibility that she bore for some five years, where she knew where the skeletons were and was the only person who knew where the key to the closet was. The mark of a great whip is a whip who keeps the whereabouts of the key something that only she or he knows.

The job that Jeannie did in ensuring that she did not play favourites was important. I have absolutely no doubt that Jeannie had her favourites. It would be unusual for her not to have had her favourites. Did she ever show that in her role as whip? No. I think that is a mark of someone who takes their job incredibly seriously. You are, if you like, the receptacle for your colleagues’ problems. You are the one who knows those with matrimonial problems, financial problems or medical problems. It is a remarkable load that someone in the position Jeannie held must carry. Indeed, there have been issues in the other place over the last five or six years which again heightened the need for us all to appreciate that we must be able to talk about issues. This can be a very lonely life. In many respects, the secrets and matters that Jeannie has taken to her grave are matters that colleagues felt they could not trust anyone else with. It was a huge load that she carried.

I also want to pay tribute to Jeannie’s staff, Robyn and Bronte particularly because they are the two I know best. You cannot do the whip’s job unless you have incredibly loyal and dedicated staff. They are, in fact, your eyes and ears. The relationship you have with your staff in this position actually determines whether you do your job properly. They have to be the model of discretion. They have to be tough and caring—indeed, they are an extension of the whip. What has been said about Jeannie since her death is a fair indication that she lived her life to the fullest. I think one of the great challenges for all of us is to go to our graves knowing we lived our lives to the fullest. Did Jeannie have things left that she wanted to do? Of course she did. Did she make the most of every opportunity that was given to her? She undoubtedly did.

I think the great tragedy for her boys is that they are not going to spend the time that they should have with their mother post politics. This is an incredibly cruel occupation for relationships, particularly with children. My great sadness for the boys is not just the loss of their mother; it is the loss of the opportunity over the next five, 10, 15 or 20 years for their relationship to be nurtured and to grow, and for her to enjoy the fruits of their love and their relationships as well. To the boys, to the extended family, to Jeannie’s close friends and to Jeannie’s staff, it is an utter tragedy that she was taken. But, as I said to Robyn, we must celebrate a great life because I think if we do not celebrate that great life then we would be doing Jeannie a great disservice.