Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to add my voice to the contributions that have been made today from around the chamber about the passing of Professor Katie Allen, not only as a former colleague but also as a dear friend. Like many in this place, I too am still coming to terms with her loss and the absence of someone whose presence, whose generosity and whose courage meant a great deal to so many of us.

I first met Katie when she was at the Royal Children's Hospital. I was serving on the board of the children's hospital at the time, and she was at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. She was already a shining beacon there. She bounded up to me at a hospital function. I knew who she was: she was a paediatrician, she was a professor, she was a scientist, she was an allergist, she was beautiful, she was thin, she was blonde, and she had four children—and I thought, 'I'm going to hate this woman immediately,' on sight. But how could you hate her? She was charming, she was warm, she was friendly, she was enthusiastic, she was interested in other people, and she just cared; you could feel, from the moment you met her, how much she cared for others. And she was curious.

I remember being genuinely surprised—quite flabbergasted—when she said, 'I'm interested in politics, and I think I want to run for the Liberal Party.' I thought: 'Why? Why would you do that? Look at you! You're amazing! Look at what you're doing!'