Christine Milne (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to pay tribute to Joan Child and of course extend the condolences of the Greens to her family. I think it is worth reflecting on what a trailblazer she was for women in Australian politics. When Joan Child became Speaker of the House of Representatives in February 1986, there had never been a female Speaker, a female Governor-General, nor a woman as a Governor in any state. There had never been a woman to sit on the High Court bench, no woman as the leader of a state or territory government, no female leader of a political party and, naturally following from that, never a woman as Prime Minister of Australia.

The Senate today really can praise Joan Child because she did smash the glass ceiling in Australia's institutions of government. Other women quickly followed her through that gap, in state parliaments first, then in federal politics, past the debris and in through the gap she had broken. She really did lead the way for Australian women. Within the next five years, Justice Mary Gaudron was appointed to the High Court, Rosemary Follett had become the first leader of a government in the ACT, Dame Roma Mitchell was to be Governor of South Australia and Carmen Lawrence was to be Australia's first Premier. It was an important half-decade for women in public life and Joan Child was at the vanguard.

In other firsts, Joan Child was the first Speaker in this building, the first Speaker to receive flowers upon taking the chair and the first Speaker of Australia's parliament to introduce a bill, which has become a very important act, particularly for the Senate—the Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987. She was closely involved with the bill's formation, drawing in the views and opinions of all members of the House. As a result she helped to protect the witnesses and participants of our Senate committees to ensure their statements could not be used to establish a motive or intention for acts done outside parliament to be used in judicial proceedings. The Senate, as a house of inquiry, requires members and witnesses to know without doubt that they can speak their mind without fear of retribution. So we are grateful for Joan Child's contribution to their protection.

She also oversaw the creation of the Department of Parliamentary Services, again introducing the enabling legislation which saw the presiding officers take an administrative responsibility over the day-to-day functioning of the new parliament. The Library staff, gardeners, information technology, catering and the services of the clerks, Black Rod and Serjeant-at-Arms—all the wonderful services we enjoy—were brought together under her guidance and we thank her for her commitment to the effective and independent running of the parliament.

Joan Child knew that the importance of a Speaker lay in the position's duty to the parliament, not to her political party first—a truth that has sometimes been forgotten. However, the legacy she has left to both houses of the parliament and to her country will not be forgotten.

I regard one of the characteristics of leadership in women in public life that they not only be role models for other women but that they make changes to enable and empower the women who come after them to do more and go further than they had been able to themselves. I regard Joan Child not only as one of those women who was a role model for girls and women around the country in what could be achieved in political life; she did make institutional changes that made the parliament a better institution and that empowered other women to take on roles that they may previously have thought were out of their reach or domain. I pay tribute to her as a leading Australian woman and as a trailblazer.