I rise to speak to this motion by the Prime Minister to send our love to the member for Indi, to Phil and their children and families, to Helen's staff and to the people of Indi. Much of what I say today will already have been said in this chamber, and this is testament to the woman that we're talking about. When someone is smart, generous and kind to every single person in this place every single day, we all end up with this, with stories of graciousness, and Helen is that consistent. Long before I considered running as a community Independent, Indi was the blueprint. In Indi, Cathy McGowan first showed how politics could be done differently. I read The Indi Way and I learned in theory about radical trust, community organising and putting local people at the centre of the national agenda. There must be something in the water in Indi, because in 2019 came Dr Helen Haines, the embodiment of all the grassroots democratic values and methods espoused by McGowan. Helen turned up and showed what being a community leader truly looks like.

I mentioned that she's smart. I sat here watching her over there be the 'Leader of the House whisperer', a role she played particularly well during the crossbench's attempt to receive government support for a complete ban on gambling advertising. During the debate, each of us called divisions on all of our amendments, and it was taking the House hours. The government was getting increasingly frustrated, and the Leader of the House, who's usually a picture of equanimity, was starting to fume. But the member for Indi rose in her seat and clearly and calmly proposed a way through. She read the room. She read the man. She put forward a solution supported by her colleagues, and she delivered it with aplomb. I sometimes get asked about who the next prime minister should be, and without hesitation I offer up Dr Helen Haines, Australia's first Independent prime minister. My word, I think she would meet the challenge of the office very well, do good and do us proud.

I also mentioned that she's generous and kind. Helen was the first member of this House to send me a gift after being sworn in—wine from Indi and flowers. For my first speech, she also sent flowers. When my mother passed away two weeks ago, Helen sent flowers again. Last week, Phil told us that Helen loves flowers. I wasn't surprised. On the crossbench, we've got a saying. You've heard it before. 'What would Helen do?' I've asked myself that more times than I can count, and the answer always boils down to the same core principles: get across your brief; listen to the experts but particularly to your community; listen and level with the people about trade-offs; make a decision; treat people with respect, every single one of them; and, above all, do it with kindness.

When Phil spoke outside Alfred hospital last week with a courage I don't think any of us are going to forget any time soon, he said that two of the most important parts of Helen are her heart and her mind and that both of those are in really good shape. I haven't stopped thinking about that, because I think this is key to who Helen is. She never lets her mind get in the way of her heart, and she never lets her heart get in the way of her mind. We're often told that these two things can pull against each other, that compassion and leadership are incompatible. I think Helen has spent her whole life proving that wrong.

In Helen, kindness is not an absence of strength; it is her strength. Helen was the first in this place—the first Australian MP—to commit to the civility pledge, and I would like to put my name to that now. When engaging in politics, I commit to use a civil and constructive tone in debate; to act with integrity, honesty and compassion; and to behave respectfully towards others, including those with whom I disagree. What happened in Wangaratta last Monday does not define Helen, and it must not define us. Helen often says that Australians have good hearts and that we can argue hard, disagree well and never lose sight of the person in front of us. Helen, the road ahead will be long. Mend swiftly. Mend well. We will be here, continuing to ask, 'What would Helen do?' We love you, Helen.