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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 6 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 2101 ..

MS GALLAGHER (continuing):

The week Matthew died, he also won the election for the CPSU national president for a second term, with almost 70 per cent of the vote. Matthew campaigned hard, not only for his re-election but for the election of a new national team, led by Adrian O'Connell and Margaret Gillespie. The election of the entire ticket was a credit to the work and commitment of those on the team, of which Matthew was a key player. His passing has created a vacancy that will be very hard to fill.

The loss of someone so young, so suddenly, of someone others depend on and love, of someone who had much more to contribute, is always more painful. We can't comprehend what went wrong, and it's frightening to acknowledge the fragility of life. Once the shock and disbelief grow more distant, the reality of the loss will continue to be felt by hundreds and hundreds of people around the country.

For Matthew's immediate family, his wife and his children, their loss and pain are more significant than ours, his friends. Yet his friends are committed to support Matthew's family through this difficult time and the years ahead, and the union has set up a trust fund for Tayla and Joel, for anyone who wants to contribute.

Following the news of Matthew's illness and subsequent death, hundreds and hundreds of tributes flooded the union's website. Words of sadness, of recognition and of support for Matthew's family came from a wide spectrum of people-from workmates and comrades, employers, senior public servants, politicians, delegates, friends and members-all writing of their shock and sorrow. Matthew worked tirelessly for his members and his union, and they repaid this work by placing their trust in Matthew's leadership role within the union.

To conclude, I'll finish with some of Matthew's words from 1998, when he arrived as the newly elected national president of the union. His vision for the union was:

What I hope to see is the CPSU becoming an even stronger and more professional advocate for the public sector.

Matthew's vision has been achieved, particularly here in the ACT public sector. And whilst achieving his vision relied on the hard work of many, Matthew's contribution was significant and will be remembered by many.

I extend my sincere condolences to Jenny, Tayla and Joel and their extended families.

I would also like to just mention a few words on behalf of Roslyn Dundas, who also worked with Matthew but who couldn't be here this morning. She has asked me to say these few words: It was a pleasure to work with Matthew. He did have a special skill of making people feel comfortable and welcome before he'd check whether they were a member of the union.

Matthew, as president of the CPSU, saw the union through momentous and much-needed change, and he was able to do this with the support of the members and staff. I know that the union movement is stronger for him being part of it, and a lot of that is because he was able to inspire others. That will be his legacy as the struggle continues for the rights of workers.

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