Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) | Hansard source

I'd also like to rise to pay recognition to the memory of the life of Katie Allen, the former member for Higgins. I first met Katie when she was running for the state seat of Prahran. In that feisty election, she of course put up a valiant fight against the Greens and the Labor Party, having been endorsed as the Liberal candidate for the state seat—one, of course, we were hoping to pick up, but she was not successful. But in doing so, it led to other things—let's put it that way, with respect to the great people of Prahran.

She was somebody who had a long history and a lot to contribute to this nation's parliament. Well before I knew her, she was a medical researcher, a paediatrician and a university professor, and she was involved particularly with the Australian Food Allergy Foundation—with which one of my late constituents who I spoke about earlier today, Patricia Ilhan, was actively involved. She always committed herself to advancing the best interests and wellbeing of the Australian people, in her fields of medical discipline. To be blunt, her list of publications is slightly intimidating, I suspect, for every single member of this House.

Her professional success was also matched by her private success with her family. While the member for Macarthur mentioned previously that she was a teetotaller, there was a time before that, where she met her husband—and I believe the imbibing of liquids was part of the process—at the Melbourne Cup carnival. Of course, she and Malcolm lived a very happy and long life together—but, tragically, not long enough.

Her lack of success in the state seat of Prahran—backed up by, or armed though, the experience of that, as well as her professional background—led her to this place. I still remember when Kelly O'Dwyer did a public press conference announcing her retirement from parliament. I was driving the car down the Mornington Peninsula, and I immediately picked up the phone to Katie and said, 'I think this might be your chance, Katie, to be able to stand for the federal parliament.' Quick smart, she was in the race.

She ended up serving here from 2019 to 2022. That was a very challenging term for any member who was here at that time, as I was. It was essentially the COVID term. In addition to state blockages and the various restrictions that were imposed, it was a particularly odd term, but it was like it was a term made for Katie. When issues of health rose to national prominence and all of a sudden we needed medical expertise to inform the decision-making of elected representatives, she was certainly on hand to offer her opinion to the government and to then health minister Greg Hunt, who actively used her to work with different medical agencies and to guide discussions and inform decision-making. So she might have only had one term, but I can assure you it was definitely the right term for Katie to serve in the federal parliament. She made an enormous contribution in a very short period of time.

There are a lot of personal stories that I have about Katie, but really, when it came down to it, she was spirited. She certainly made her views known. No-one's trying to pretend otherwise. But she was always actively encouraging as well in the contribution that she made in this parliament to others. And for that she'll always have our eternal respect and love. Tragically, just before she passed away towards the end of 2025, I organised with my husband, my dear friend Phil and his partner Susie to be able to catch up with Katie. Unfortunately, diary commitments clashed and meant that I wasn't able to do so, so we rescheduled to catch up early in the year. Tragically, it ended up being the date of her funeral because she passed around Christmas last year. It was a devastating blow for many people because her passing came a lot faster than we and I think she as well initially expected.

Her funeral at St Paul's was beautiful. It was, of course, an incredible celebration of her full life; 59 years in, most of us would be jealous to have achieved that much. And, of course, she's since been posthumously honoured with an Officer of the Order of Australia, which is justly and appropriately awarded. To her family and particularly to her lovely husband, Malcolm, to Monty, Jemima, Arabella and Archie, we just express our most incredible condolences. Fifty-nine—too soon. But vale, Katie Allen.

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