Perin Davey (NSW, National Party, Shadow Minister for Water) Share this | Hansard source

I rise not just for myself but to recognise, on behalf of the Nationals in this place, the friend that is Linda Reynolds. She has been a friend to all of us. I think it was Senator Cash who said Linda lives by the 'pay it forward' ethos. You do so in spades.

I am relatively new to this place, having been elected in 2019, and I consider myself one of the lucky ones, because I am a beneficiary of the women, like Linda, who have come before me. I came into this place and I had a defence minister who was a female and who had been the first female brigadier in the Army Reserve. As a former Army reservist myself, I knew of you already. So she was already on a pedestal when I walked into this place. But, Linda, we had Marise Payne, Senator Cash and my colleague Senator Bridget McKenzie, who, as a group, wrapped their arms around all of the new women who walked into this place and said: 'Your experience will not be like ours. Your experience is going to be better, and we will make this place better for women.' And you have done that. All of your colleagues at the cabinet table at that time did that, and so I am forever grateful to have had the privilege of coming in when I did, when there was that generosity of spirit, that real support of women supporting women, and I knew that people like you had my back.

That's why I will just say that it was with absolute horror that I saw what you went through. I knew that there was no way that the Linda Reynolds I knew could have been guilty of what she was being accused of. But I don't want to dwell on that, because I want to dwell on all your other achievements. You've spoken on the modern slavery legacy that you leave, and it is true. It will continue to lead to genuine change right across the globe, because I know you're not leaving it alone; you are going to continue to work in that space, and that is fantastic.

I've already mentioned the support you've given to women, the work on gender reform that you are truly committed to. It has made a difference. It has made a difference in the Army Reserve and it has made a difference in this place. You will continue to make a difference in that area.

I also want to personally thank you for joining me on the Senate Select Committee on Australia's Disaster Resilience, for showing me around and sharing your vast wealth of experience and knowledge from your personal experience as an emergency management minister and a defence minister, and your thorough understanding of the issues we were trying to investigate. Your pragmatic approach was: what is the problem we are trying to fix, and what is a genuine solution that we can present so that the report we produce doesn't end up, like so many reports that are produced in this place, on a shelf collecting dust? You have a proven track record of participating in committees and producing reports that make a difference. I believe that that report will also make a difference.

Linda, when I think of you I think of a calm, reasonable, approachable, pragmatic woman who truly lives her values. You are a role model to me. May you continue to be a role model to your colleagues in the Western Australian Liberal Party. I sincerely thank you, but I also want to thank you on behalf of my colleagues in the Nationals. Your door has always been open to us. You've always shared your knowledge. I wish you and Rob all the best in your future, because the next chapter is going to be fantastic.