Barnaby Joyce (New England, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Upper Hunter, Michael Johnsen, has brought to my attention the passing of the late Julia Arabella Benham on 12 October 2018. She was in her 110th year; she was 109 years old. The community of Quirindi and surrounding districts gathered at St Albans Anglican Church, Quirindi, on 23 October to celebrate this wonderful woman's life. She was a committed Christian and she was committed to the CWA and to the Red Cross, and she had a long and involved life in rural Australia. She had lived at Exton, Willow Tree, Kelverton, Big Jacks Creek and Pleasant Side, and in 1995 she moved to Quirindi. She is also the great aunt of Jennifer Ingall of Tamworth's ABC, so obviously a range of people owe their life to her living hers. She held various positions with the CWA over the 59 years that she lived in Willow Tree.

It is people such as Mrs Julia Arabella Benham who have made this nation what it is today. Mrs Benham was the sort of person who served her nation and didn't ask for reward. She was absolutely satisfied that to be a good community member is not an onerous task; it's absolutely a responsibility. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. I wish her all the best, and may she rest in peace.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will now suspend the sitting so that we can have a photograph taken.

Sitting suspended from 13:52 to 13:56

We will resume the sitting. We've still got time for a couple of 90-second statements.