Raff Ciccone (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

She was collaborative and knew when to pick up her moments with her witty humour. You could say Linda was very unique in her choice of eyewear. I never got to ask her where she got her glasses from, but her glasses came in all shapes and sizes and colours. They were very vibrant colours, from a traditional black frame to an eye-catching yellow, vibrant red and even electric blue. Her distinctive eyewear was a signature of her personality, and we've heard today about that.

Away from politics, she served on many boards, including that of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and the MCG Trust—yes, she had that infamous car park. I'll be honest: I'd be debating whether it was worth it for the Senate. Also, on the topic of the AFL football, it is still debatable to some whether she did actually barrack for Collingwood Football Club or not, but we'll let others judge.

On a more serious note, it was Linda's endearing quality that she never dismissed people who came from a different ideological point of view or a different background. She always found common ground. That was really her training, from university all the way through the union movement and into the Senate. She always wanted to make sure that there was common ground because, quite frankly, we can all find common ground for the betterment of our country.

She firmly believed in principles of good governance and wanting the best for the organisation that she was dealing with. I know we ended up later interacting on the Labor Party national executive as well. You could just see the value she placed in hard work, standing up for others and taking pride in the causes that she believed in. She was the longest-serving woman on the national executive of the ALP, and we can all be very proud of her notable achievements. Some would say that after 20 years you'd just hang up your boots and move on, but, no, she was a sucker for punishment. We ended up appointing her to the Interim Governance Committee following the Steve Bracks and Jenny Macklin reform. I know Ben's rolling his eyes and shaking his head, but there couldn't have been a better person for it, to be frank. We needed mentors and we needed people who were acknowledged as leaders within the movement to help the Victorian Labor Party, which was going through a pretty ugly period, to make the branch more democratic and provide greater protection from branch stacking into the future. There were five individuals that we ended up selecting, and Linda was one of them. I think that was a testament to who she was.

So I'm very proud to have had an opportunity not just to have worked with Linda but also to place on the record briefly how we remember her today. I really wanted to reach out and say, again, my condolences do go out to her family, to her friends and particularly her staff too. Having been a staffer as well, I know how tough it would be right now. Each and every one of you here today it is really great to see. I know there are others who'd be watching. Do know that—please do not ever hesitate to walk into any of our offices if you ever need to talk. We are here for you. You are part of our family, the Labor Party family. I really want to say vale to our good comrade Linda—you'll be sorely missed—and look after yourselves.