Ms LEY (Farrer—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:01): I rise to contribute to this important condolence motion for Senator Linda White, who left us far too soon. Before I reflect on Linda and her career I would like to express my support for those opposite who have lost two strong Victorian women in a matter of months—with the loss of Peta Murphy being far too soon as well. We also cannot forget the loss of Senator Kimberley Kitching. For those watching at home, this chamber and its antics, for better or worse, represent the way they think about Australian politics. But behind this chamber sits an army of people who drive forward the interests of those without a voice and who contribute to the work of political organisations. This work, conducted in the engine room of political parties, think tanks, community forums and meetings with workers and employers, can be underappreciated and go unremarked. There are those who toil for decades in these workhouses of public policy to advance a cause that changes lives but whose names never end up on the front page or across the bottom of our television screens. Occasionally, though, these warriors enter this place. One of those individuals was Senator Linda White. Linda was an unashamed fighter for the Labor cause and for the cause of women in modern Australia. For her efforts as a woman and as an Australian, I am thankful. If anyone thought her elevation to the Senate was about making up the numbers, they were mistaken. She said in her first speech: People will always know where I stand, and already know that I'm not afraid of saying what's on my mind. I am not about to change the habits of a lifetime. … … … I am not here to make my name or build my career. I am immensely proud of the battles I have fought, the things I have achieved and the comrades I have made. And battle she did in this place, just as she had as a student when she attended Melbourne University—the first in her family to do so, along with her brother, Michael. Battle she did as a union organiser for some of the lowest paid workers in Australia. Battle she did as a lawyer, representing workers who'd been let down by big business or abused by those who should have been there to support them. And battle she did as a leading Labor figure, behind the scenes for decades, fighting for a better deal for Australian women. While I didn't have a direct relationship with Senator White, in her experience I can find a common connection which tells something of her legacy. When I was a young, aspiring pilot, men in suits in aviation companies sent me on my way because of my gender, reluctant to find pathways for women into the left-hand seat of a big passenger jet. Linda too would have run-ins with one of these companies—Ansett. I have to say that she came off better than I did. As Linda remarked in her first speech in the Senate: Twenty-one years ago, next week,16,000 Australians at Ansett lost their jobs and a further 60,000 in companies that relied on Ansett lost theirs. In a testament to the role unions play in Australian society, her union—the Australian Services Union—stepped up for those workers. As a woman, I recognise the contributions Linda White made in pursuit of equal pay, in increasing the representation of women in this place and in taking on the dire challenge of women's economic security in retirement—something for which I share a strong commitment. In the loss of Linda White, the Australian Labor Party has lost one of its closest friends and strongest fighters, the Australian union movement has lost one of its dearest comrades and loudest voices and Australia has lost one of its political warriors who knew where she stood and who wasn't going to budge an inch. I thank Linda White for her contribution to our national story and I thank her for the legacy she leaves. The SPEAKER: As a mark of respect in the memory of Senator Linda White, I ask all present to rise in their places. Ho nourable members having stood in their places— The SPEAKER: I thank the House. Debate adjourned.