Page 712 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 1 May 2007
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My deepest sympathies go to Audrey’s family and her colleagues in the Australian Federal Police, many of whom, I understand, are very deeply upset by this. May she rest in peace.
MS PORTER (Ginninderra): Mr Speaker, I too have known the late Audrey Fagan—clearly a fine woman—only since her appointment as Chief Police Officer in the ACT. However, Mr Hargreaves talked about the way she regarded family, and others have done so here too. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the funeral because I was interstate; I was also away when I heard the news of her death.
One of my family members rang me on the Friday of her funeral: On the day of her funeral, I was contacted by my eldest son, Geoffrey, by phone from Nauru, where he is currently serving. He reminded me that Audrey had presented him with his long service medal quite some time ago in Alice Springs. He talked about the way she dealt with him and the other recipients on that day in Alice Springs. He said that she made it a very meaningful ceremony through the way in which she reached out to people as individuals, making each of them feel special and in some way letting them know that she knew that they had experienced some of what she had experienced. That was the humanness of this person. Mrs Burke and others have said that she made people feel very special. Geoffrey talked about how sad he was to learn of her death.
When my grandson, Craig, came to Canberra last year to undertake his training, to follow in his father’s footsteps, Audrey talked to me about how proud she knew I was going to be on the day of his graduation and how I and his father must be looking to his future in the protective services arm of the AFP. When my grandson was badly injured in training—he had to be sent home, and has still not recovered—Audrey expressed her concern. In one of my last conversations with this warm human being, she asked me how my grandson was now and whether he had recovered. At one of the events that I attended, she specifically came up and asked me that question. For her to remember that was just another small indication of the measure of this particular woman who was such a caring person. She made contact with us all at an individual and personal level.
I can only express my deep sympathy to all Audrey’s family, her friends and her colleagues.
Question resolved in the affirmative, members standing in their places.
Legal Affairs—Standing Committee
Scrutiny report 40
MR SESELJA (Molonglo) (11.41): I present the following report:
Legal Affairs—Standing Committee (performing the duties of a Scrutiny of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee)—scrutiny report 40, dated 30 April 2007, together with the relevant minutes of proceedings.
I seek leave to make a brief statement.
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