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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (24 May) . . Page.. 1622 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

In the wake of her death, those who had the pleasure of working and studying with her, or just knowing her, have remembered her fondly and with pride. She was a distinguished woman, whom people have described as warm, generous, friendly and principled. Dymphna Clark was admired by many. Her scholarship and contribution to our community are appreciated and will be remembered.

She had been ill for some time with cancer, but still managed to successfully defend her husband's memory in the nine years since his death. Equally, her work with Manning Clark House continued unabated, and she continued her translating work despite her illness. She died that Friday morning with the dignity and courage that have characterised her life.

I am sure all members join with me in acknowledging the contribution Mrs Clark made to Australia and to Canberra, and expressing our sympathy to her family, especially her children, Sebastian, Katerina, Axel, Andrew, Rowland and Benedict. She will be sadly missed.

MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, it is with sorrow that I join with Ms Carnell in the condolence motion following the passing of Dymphna Clark. Mrs Clark was a great Australian. She was a great, well-known and respected Canberran and, more than that, she was a world citizen, a great example of what people might be.

One example of this is that she was a remarkable linguist, fluent in many languages, and that flowed through, or came from, her interest in people. She had a lifelong interest in conversation-talking with people, listening to people-and she was famous for her hospitality. All the comments I have heard about Mrs Clark express the joy that people had in talking to her and-following another one of her passions-perhaps leaving her home with an armful of garden produce produced in the backyard.

She will live on, in some respects, through the activities of that organisation, Manning Clark House, because that, too, reflects an interest in people and events-major issues, but issues that effect people. That concern for people was also reflected in her interest in Aborigines, and her early work as a key member of the Aboriginal Treaty Committee, which continued through to the present day, with her interest in bringing about reconciliation.

She was also interested in the environment; it followed naturally. She put her hands to it, she worked it. She got involved in her own garden and in ideas for planting trees. She always had a passion for planting trees, so it was hands on. She lived the way she spoke.

An outstanding academic, she has many works to her own credit and also provided essential, highly skilled help to Manning Clark in his production of significant documents, including that notable A History of Australia. I note one comment, and I will quote:

that is, A History of Australia-

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