Mr BURKE (Watson—Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Minister for the Arts and Leader of the House) (09:09): It's still hard to believe that we've lost Olivia Newton-John. On behalf of the government I extend my deepest condolences to her family and friends, her loved ones who are grieving her loss. But I'll say this: when you think of Olivia, whatever sadness you may be feeling is eventually softened by the memories of the sheer big-hearted joy of her. Olivia didn't so much light up a room as make it feel like the sun had just risen a second time. But as high as she rose her feet stayed firmly connected to the ground. She was a down-to-earth star. Above all, she was a good human being. As well as her incredible achievements as a musician and actor, she was also recognised for her contribution as an activist for environmental and animal rights and an advocate for cancer awareness. It was only in May this year that Olivia Newton-John received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Women in Music Awards. It was one of the greatest and, I have to say, most unexpected honours in my life to have been asked to accept that award on her behalf, and when you heard her acceptance speech that night where she acknowledged the legacy of some of her favourite singers, including Judith Durham. At the awards ceremony Olivia Newton-John acknowledged the importance of supporting women in the music industry to start careers as producers, engineers, technicians and musicians—a true role model who has aspired so many more to careers in the music industry. She was a country star and a pop star long before she ever made it onto the screen. One of her albums—a greatest hits album, including the song 'Sam'—was an early memory of mine, as my sister Rosemary had it on her cassette player, playing on pretty high rotation. But it was Olivia's role in Grease that launched her to a higher dimension. In Grease they had to change the script to cast her as an Australian. She was either unwilling or unable to shake the accent for the role. As Olivia's fame grew, some would start to call her 'Australia's golden girl' but to do so would raise the value of gold. Her musical success continued with albums like Xanadu and Physical. There are some lyrics from that album Physical that I won't quote in the House, but I will quote from the song 'The Promise', which Olivia said was a song that came to her in a dream. It had this beautiful line, 'If I can make one man aware, one person care, then I'll have done what I promised you.' It was dedicated to marine life, but that promise, to make one person aware, one person care, is a promise that was fulfilled in full by everything we know about Olivia Newton-John.