Ms GILLARD (Lalor—Prime Minister) (14:09): I move: That the House records its deep regret at the death on 23 February, of the Honourable Joan Child AO, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member for Henty and places on record its appreciation of her long and meritorious public service and tenders its profound sympathy to her family in their bereavement. Speaker, Joan Child died just over two weeks ago, and since that death many fine words have been written and spoken about your great predecessor in this parliament. It is fitting that this House, over which she presided so well, should mark our condolence today. To those who knew her, Joan Child was bold, she was defiant, she was cheeky—she was Australian. She paved a path for Labor women, coming to this parliament in 1974 as the first Labor woman to sit in the House of Representatives. To some listening to this condolence debate today, that might seem like a very long time ago. But those of us in this chamber, I think, recognise that 1974 is not that long ago in the life of our nation, and it has been a remarkable journey since for women and their presence in this House of Representatives. Joan was one of the women who paved the way, and the dimensions of what has happened since in no way take away from the difficulty it must have been to be the first. Joan, having been elected to this parliament, came here with a wealth of lifetime experience. She had been widowed young and left with five sons to raise on her own, and it was a formidable task to raise five sons by herself. But Joan not only did it; she did it whilst increasingly immersing herself in the life of her community and then, ultimately, in the life of her nation. Joan Child was a woman of very deep Labor conviction. She brought those convictions into parliament, and she pursued those convictions notwithstanding her loss of her seat. She determined to return to this parliament, and return she did. When she returned to this parliament, she commenced another journey: as the first woman to ever serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Given that her speakership coincided with Paul Keating at his best—in full flight—it was not an easy job. I am sure, Speaker, that you can recognise the difficulties, and there may be days that you return to your office grateful that Paul Keating is no longer here and no-one quite has that degree of engagement in question time. It is not an easy job—it takes wisdom and wit—but Joan Child showed that wisdom and wit at every stage of her speakership. Joan Child is much loved in the Labor family and Labor community. I personally knew Joan Child, and she inspired in us fierce determination about carrying Labor convictions, the Labor cause and Labor campaigning. She is famous—indeed, some would say infamous—for the way in which she pursued postal votes in elections. She was a formidable campaigner. She was always determined to ensure that no-one marked a postal vote without the benefit of a Labor how-to-vote in their hand. This, on one occasion, meant that, because of a locked door, she climbed in through a bathroom window to ensure the delivery of that how-to-vote card. She was a formidable campaigner. I like to remember her that way—cheeky, defiant, always determined to do her best. I would not necessarily recommend that forthcoming members of parliament climb in through bathroom windows, but it does tell us a lot about Joan. She will be very sorely missed, including by her extended family: her five sons, their spouses and their extended family. We had the opportunity to pass on our condolences in person at the state funeral, and that family has so much to be proud of—as does the Labor Party, as does our nation.