Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (15:37): I move: That the House record its deep regret at the death, on 29 February 2024, of Senator Linda White, Senator for Victoria since 2022, place on record its appreciation of her lifelong commitment to improving the lives of Australians, her dedication to public service, and offer its deepest sympathy to her family in their bereavement. Last week I had the sad honour of joining hundreds of other mourners to farewell our dear friend Senator Linda White. We gathered in the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne, a deeply fitting place to celebrate the life of someone who loved the arts and understood why they matter so much in our personal lives and in our collective life as a nation. The room that afternoon rang to the sound of opera, it was uplifted by strains of 'Solidarity Forever' and, above all, it glowed with love. It was so perfectly Linda. We heard tributes to Linda's contributions not just as a senator and trade unionist but as an ACMI board member, a trustee of the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the botanic gardens, and so much more. Linda White was taken from us far too soon, yet what will long outlast our sadness is our pride in all that she was and all that she did. Linda was a beloved friend and a valued colleague. We reflect on her achievements as a Labor senator and to all her efforts over decades across the wider labour movement as someone who saw every worker as a partner in the success of a business. We pay tribute to a formidable supporter of working Australians, particularly women. Linda was always ready for a challenge. At a time when the Melbourne Law School was largely male, she became the second-ever female president of the law student society. As a young lawyer, she played her part in tackling injustices that were only just beginning to be dragged into the light, including police corruption and child sexual abuse in the clergy. In her time at the Australian Services Union, she rose to assistant national secretary, and her legacy is everywhere, from protecting workers' entitlements in the Ansett collapse and the decade-long battle that ensued, to fighting for the right to income for members affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. She was, rightly, proud of her role in the ASU, putting the issue of women's unequal superannuation outcomes on the map. The government's International Women's Day announcement that super will be paid on government Paid Parental Leave is just one important testament to her efforts. As the longest-serving woman on the National Executive of the ALP, Australia's oldest political party, she was central to the affirmative action reforms which led to my government being the first in Australian history with a majority of female members. Linda was forthright, outspoken and true to her values. She was loyal and called it as she saw it. She was trusted and respected by all in what can be a tough arena. The day that Linda entered the parliament was a good day for the Australian Labor Party, for the Senate, but, more importantly, for the nation. A perfect picture of the new senator was provided by her extraordinary and varied group of supporters packing out the public gallery for her first speech to the Senate. What they heard that day was someone with a full appreciation of the privilege and the responsibility of elected office and how the need to listen is as powerful as the need to act. In Linda's words: There's no doubt in my mind that governments change lives, that strong progressive Labor governments change them for the better. But sometimes governments need a helping hand to stay on track. As I often say, sometimes we need someone else to show us our best selves. Sadly, Linda was not destined to be in the Senate for long, but she made powerful use of the brief time she had, making a profound impact on matters of significance, including the National Anti-Corruption Commission, better access to superannuation for women and the important check on executive power, the Scrutiny of Delegated Legislation Committee. She may well have been the most senior new backbencher to have ever existed. As a senator for Victoria, Linda's love for the state blossomed. She became an active voice in caucus and the parliament for agriculture and the regions. She loved the relationships she was developing with her constituents. Linda believed in a better, fairer and more compassionate Australia. Even her love of the arts, good food and beautiful gardens was energised by her belief that good things in life should be available to everyone—bread, and roses too. On behalf of the Australian government and the Labor family I offer my deepest condolences to Linda's beloved brother Michael and sister-in-law Julie and to the countless activists she mentored, especially women across the labour movement. When I visited her in hospital weeks before her passing, Linda was in good spirits. She was focused on the Dunkley by-election and even apologised for not being on the ground campaigning. She had so much more to do, and I take the opportunity to thank the Leader of the Opposition for the discreet way in which Linda's health issues were handled in this place and in the other. Linda was determined to not let people know just how sick she was, and very few people were aware, which is why her passing has come as such a shock to so many in the Labor family. It says a lot about her and her character that she didn't want people to make a fuss. She just dealt with it as the strong, brave, extraordinary person she was. Like the rest of the Labor family, I will miss her enormously, as a generous colleague and a source of advice but, most importantly, as a very dear friend. Linda White made a positive difference. She changed the lives of so many others for the better every single day of her working life. In her words, 'Getting justice for people has dominated my working life.' She lived her life well and she lived it true to her values. May Linda White rest in peace.