House debates

Monday, 2 March 2020

Statements by Members

King, Ms Vicky

4:12 pm

Photo of Stephen JonesStephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

This Thursday in Wollongong we will pay our final farewell to a friend, a local city councillor, a local community leader—Vicky King. Vicky is the sort of person who I feel like I have known all of my life. I can't remember when I first met her but I have certainly known her since I was a young man growing up in Wollongong. She never served in this place but she's well represented in the annals of the federal parliament, recognised many times for her contribution to the people who have and given thanks in Hansard. Vicky was a life member of the Australian Labor Party, a loyal member of the socialist left, one of its key leaders in the Illawarra for many, many decades. She was a small-business woman who ran a small accountancy business, where she literally helped thousands and thousands of people get their financial affairs in order, often referring them over to my office as well when she could no longer help them. She served as the Chair of the Illawarra Housing Trust, and she was the deputy mayor of Wollongong. She served the city as a councillor for almost 20 years. She fought for a more inclusive community, a greener Illawarra, for equal rights for women and she loved to build things. She was involved in the Fowlers Road bridge, the Dapto Library, Heininger House and the Ribonwood Centre. She's going to be sorely missed. Vale Vicky. And all the best to you, Charlie, to your children and grandchildren.