Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We in this place all know that we couldn't do our jobs without our teams. They are the engine rooms behind us all. So it was with incredible sadness and shock last year that I received a message advising me that one of my team members had suddenly and most unexpectedly passed away. I am speaking about Linda Ann Colman. She was 65 and she was affectionately known by her family as 'Lindy-Ann from Queanbeyan'. Linda was born and bred in Queanbeyan, and she was one of those people who are gems from start to finish. She was a stalwart of the Australian Labor Party and she was old-fashioned Labor—she believed in a hard day's work for well-earned pay. She also loved a very cold espresso martini.

Linda came to work for us five years ago. She had worked for the former member for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly, and, when I phoned Mike to tell him of her passing, he too was deeply shocked and saddened. He said, 'Mate, she was a massive part of my show.' She'd worked for him for around 15 years. He had a lot of responsibility, particularly in defence, and I know Linda played a pivotal role in that.

Around five years ago, Linda decided to step back a little bit from the political-staffer life and retire to Port Stephens because she loved scuba diving. But she couldn't give it up completely—the political-staffer life, not the diving—so she came to work for me part time. Really, it wasn't ever part time, because she was always on the emails at home and she was always just a phone call away when I would invariably forget a password or someone needed the code for the lock on the door. We had a little sign, and it said, 'If you can't remember your code, phone Linda.' She was the keeper of all of the secrets and all of the important information. She did all of my financials. She kept the wheels turning in our office.

You can't imagine the shock that we all felt in hearing that she had been diving at her beloved Port Stephens and had had a very sudden medical episode. We were all terribly shocked on 8 November. It was a Saturday, and I'll never forget when I got that message.

Linda was the embodiment of loyalty, care, quiet strength and respect. She didn't seek any recognition, but she most certainly earned it. When I spoke to the Prime Minister in the days before her funeral, he said, 'She was a true believer, wasn't she?' And I said, 'She sure was.' She's terribly missed, not just by me and my team but by her family. She will be forever remembered for her contribution.

Mary Aldred (Monash, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Deepest condolences to Linda's family, you and your team.

Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you.