Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to pay tribute to the life of Professor Katie Allen and to extend my deepest condolences to her husband, Malcolm, to their children, Monty, Jemima, Arabella and Archie, and to her wider family, friends and loved ones. Katie Allen's passing is a profound loss. It is felt most deeply by her family but also by the many Australians whose lives she touched through her work, her service and her compassion.

Like so many, I had the opportunity of attending the memorial service for Katie, held last week in Melbourne. I have to say, we were asked to arrive at 10 o'clock for a 10.30 commencement, so I thought: 'I'll arrive at 10 past 10. That will give me plenty of time to get in.' When I arrived at 10 past 10, the church was already filled. It was utterly incredible. The line to get into the church stretched around the corner, off Flinders Street, and, by the time we got in, the priest who was leading the service stood and said: 'We are now at capacity. We will now open up Federation Square. We have massive screens for people, and seats have been placed out for people to actually be part of the service.' There were at least over 1,000 people who attended the memorial service. It was fascinating because we were there as part of those who were in her political life. As we know, she served this parliament as the member for Higgins. I think that, in the short time that she was the member, as everybody who spoke about Katie said, she represented her community with diligence, integrity and a strong sense of responsibility. She brought to public life a depth of experience grounded not in politics for its own sake but, because of her background, in service to others.

Before entering parliament, Katie built a distinguished career in medicine. It was incredibly humbling, as I walked through the church, to actually see different sections that had been set aside for the people who represented a certain part of her life. By any analysis, those who were part of her medical career and her time as a medical professional where the bulk of it. She was a doctor, a paediatrician and a medical researcher. She devoted her professional life well and truly, listening to those stories, to improving the health and wellbeing in particular of children and their families. Her work was driven by evidence, by care and by a deep commitment to making a practical difference. As we all know, medicine is not just a profession; it is a calling. It demands long hours, resilience and empathy. Katie embraced that calling fully, approaching her work with rigour, compassion and integrity, always conscious that behind every decision is a human life. Again, that same mindset shaped her contribution to this parliament. Katie brought the perspective of a clinician. She was thoughtful, careful, grounded in facts and acutely focused on outcomes. She understood that decisions made here have real consequences for families and particularly for children.

For all of Katie's professional achievements, though, her greatest devotion was always to her family. In a 2019 Facebook Christmas post, Katie said this:

Family is everything, in whatever form it comes. Family is the reason for getting up in the morning. For working hard. For caring about our community. For caring about its future.

Her partnership with her husband, Malcolm, was central to her life, built on mutual respect, shared values and a steadfast support through the demands of medicine, public service and family life. She was a devoted mother to Monty, Jemima, Arabella and Archie—in fact, her children were literally her pride and joy. She balanced demanding responsibilities with the everyday realities of family life, and her love for her children shaped everything she did.

Those who knew Katie remember not only her intellect and professionalism but her warmth, kindness and humanity. She listened, she cared and she treated people with respect whether in the community or in this parliament. Loss leaves a space that cannot be filled, but it also leaves a legacy, and Katie's legacy lives on through the values she embodied—compassion, service, integrity and devotion to family—and through the many lives she touched. To Malcolm and to Monty, Jemima, Arabella and Archie, no words ease the pain of your loss, but please know that you are surrounded by the thoughts, respect and goodwill of many.