Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to make a short contribution about my friend Senator Louise Pratt. Lou, your passion for equality and inclusion has been really clear in your contribution tonight, just as it has been clear in your work for the Australian people so far, and it has been really clear in the contributions of the leader and others who have spoken here today. But I just wanted to comment on my experience of your commitment to inclusion here in this place, which has been so incredibly valuable to me.

In my time in the Senate, Lou has been one of the most inclusive and supportive people around. For all of us on this side of the chamber—and I hope across the chamber as well—she has brought a bit of joy every day to this place for many of us. She has brought a flash of colour, some vibrancy, a lot of humour and warmth, which we heard in your contribution tonight as well. And you have brought all of that to a place that, lets face it, can be a little bit cold and hard without everything that you bring, and we've all been much better for that.

Lou has been here a bit longer than me. I arrived here in 2019, and, from the day that I arrived, Lou was 100 per cent welcoming and 100 per cent supportive. It's a pretty tough place to land in. I had a lot of questions when I arrived here, as we all do, and there was never any question that was too big or too small for you, Lou, and I really appreciate that. I will always remember that.

Lou is the type of political advocate and the type of person who is always ready to reach a hand out and a hand up to bring everyone along together, and we heard that in your remarks tonight. It's really important that women support other women. Lou has always done that both in her advocacy and in her real-world practice. I know that Lou really knows, practises and demonstrates that, when women support other women, we all do better together; we do better as women in our party; we do better as women in our parliament as a whole; and we do better as women in our country.

Lou has also been the type of political leader here and in Western Australia who has chosen to use her platform not just to advance herself but to empower others and to give voice to others. I know that LGBTQIA Australians know they have a true friend and a true champion in Louise from all of the work that she described today—from reproductive help through to the hard-fought campaign for marriage equality and the incredibly important advocacy for trans Australians—that should not be required in this place and should not be required in this country today, but is required today. I particularly acknowledge the work, Lou, that you've done in supporting young trans people, who really need love and support today. You have that love and support, and you deliver it in absolute bucketloads and in boundless ways.

Lou is also just as passionate about the Labor movement and the union movement. I also acknowledge the AMWU and Steve McCartney, here today. I acknowledge Lou's long advocacy for manufacturing workers and for women workers, including vulnerable women workers, like sex workers, who you spoke about tonight. I know that everyone that you fought for really thanks you for your advocacy. To Beck and Jasper; Lou's mum, Sandra; as well as Dennis and Stephen, I hope you're all as proud of Louise as all of us here. A life lived in service of others is a life well lived. A life in service of our great Labor movement is a life well lived, and Louise has made a tremendous contribution.

I'm really proud, Lou, to have worked alongside you. I'm proud to call you a comrade and a sister in our movement. I'm proud to call you a friend. I and all of us will really miss you. We will miss all of the chats in the chamber. We will miss the laughs. We really look forward to watching your next big strides that I know you will take to empower Australians and continue your really fantastic work on behalf of all Australians. Thank you, Lou.