Page 704 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 1 May 2007
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There have been many well-deserved accolades to Audrey Fagan. I join with all of those who have and who will continue to sing her praises. However, I was fortunate enough to see the human side, the gentle side, the motherly side, the genuine inner person who was Audrey Fagan. She was sincerely concerned for the welfare of her officers, often going to extraordinary lengths to make sure that the trauma of police work did not impinge too heavily on the personal and family lives of her officers. She talked to her officers as a leader and a friend. She achieved high rank but never flaunted it.
The affection in the eyes of her officers when they spoke to her or of her was a joy to behold. She would come to the office to give her briefings and talk of her weekends with Chris and talk of silly motherly things with Clair. This struck a chord with me. All too often, we become immersed in our work and forget our families and the toll our work takes on them. Audrey taught me to take care of the impact of my job on my family.
I will miss Audrey Fagan. She was a superb police officer, a leader among women and a gentle soul whose affection for her family was so very evident. I, too, observe the dignity that that family conducted themselves with in a particularly trying time at St Christophers Cathedral. The full police funeral was a pretty imposing event to go to. I know that all members who were there were taken by the occasion.
Imagine, if you will, the weight that Clair Phillips took on that day. With the support of Andrew and Chris, she bore the full brunt of the outpouring of grief by the community at the loss of her mother. I do not think I would have had the strength that young Clair had on that day. It is always painful for those that are left behind. I wish there were some wise words that I could offer Audrey’s family. Unfortunately, there are not, and I simply say that we will all miss her.
MRS BURKE (Molonglo): Mr Speaker, I rise today in honour of Audrey Fagan. At the time of Audrey’s death, I was on leave. I went out to the driveway and picked up the morning paper and was staggered. I just stood in the road for a few minutes in disbelief.
I had known Audrey for only a very short time—a very short time indeed. But that woman had the capacity to touch people’s lives in a way that was unique. I was staggered to think that someone so vivacious, who seemed to have it all together and who was so competent, so young and so talented, could have passed away. I truly thought, “Natural causes.” I thought of all these things medically. Gosh. But of course, as time went on, we realised what had actually happened. It was something far worse than natural causes. It was something far deeper.
As the days unfolded, we learned of the stress that Audrey was under. As the Chief Minister has said, it is sobering to all of us in this place. As the minister for police has said, it is something that we as politicians take on as a package—part of the deal. But those people who work for us do not. Often it is bestowed upon them in a way that they are not able to comprehend.
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