In my first term in this parliament, I've had only a few interactions with the member for Indi, but you do not need to know someone closely to see the way they carry themselves or to respect someone who has committed themselves to public life. In her first speech, Helen spoke about the privilege and responsibility of representing her community. She also paid tribute to her fellow MPs, thanked members for welcoming her and said:

… I wish each and every one of you the very, very best.

Our democracy depends on people being willing to put their hand up to listen to their communities, to hear people they disagree with and to remember that, even when we disagree, we owe each other respect. The temperature of our public debate has risen. We see it particularly online, where the distance of a screen can make it easy to forget the person on the other side. Politics will always involve disagreement. We should challenge each other and debate strongly, but disagreement does not require contempt, and the responsibility to keep our debate respectful belongs to all Australians.

When I first heard about what had happened, my thoughts immediately went to Helen, her family, her staff and everyone who supported her. I thought about what they must be going through. Then my thoughts turned to my own family. My mum, who was receiving palliative care and living in my front room—I thought about how much she would worry about me. I thought about my husband, who never wanted me to take this job, because he worried about what it would mean for me and for us, and I thought about the job itself, because I love this job. I've loved every single day since I began. I love listening to passionate people, hearing their stories and trying to find ways to help. I love the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people I represent, and I still love this job, but, suddenly, I found myself asking, 'Will this change things for me?'

The day after I heard the news, the reality began to sink in. I felt unsettled, so I went for a walk to clear my head. As I walked alone through the streets, as I had done hundreds of times before, it hit me. I was walking alone. I found myself asking, 'Am I safe?' Of course, in that moment, I was safe, but something as ordinary as walking down the street had suddenly become something I questioned. I thought about the people I loved and what they might feel knowing I had questioned my own safety, and I thought about Helen.

Public service asked a lot of us. It asks for our time, our energy and our sacrifice from our families too. We put our hands up because we want to help, to listen, to represent our communities and make things better. We should be able to do this without changing the way we live or the way we serve. I do not want fear to define how I do this job. I do not want to stop listening, stop showing up or stop doing the work that matters so much to me. I had a moment when I felt the fear, but, like my colleagues across this parliament, I felt the fear and I did it anyway because that is what we do. I know that not one person across this parliament will stop doing their job because of that fear. We will keep showing up. We will keep listening to our communities. We will keep standing up for the issues we care about and fighting for the people who put their trust in us. We carry on because our communities matter. Their concerns matter and their voices deserve to be heard.

The member for Indi has given years of her life representing the people who place their trust in her. Today I want to recognise that service and the woman behind it. To Helen, her family, her staff, her volunteers and the people of Indi: people across this parliament and across Australia are thinking of you. We can honour Helen and reflect on how we treat one another, turn down the temperature, remember the person on the other side of the argument, and remember that behind every disagreement is a person with a family and people who love them and with a life beyond this place. The words we use matter. They matter to those who serve in this parliament, to the families who support them and to the communities who trust us to represent them. The strength of our democracy is not just measured by our willingness to speak; it is measured by our willingness to listen, to show compassion and to remember that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. That is the responsibility we all share.