Page 1538 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 31 March 2009
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knew about family. She knew about the importance of family. But she knew that families changed. Her great legacy will be the way that she has set Koomarri up for the future so that it is sustainable. She knew it was a business. It had to be run on business lines. She achieved that: it was sustainable.
But beyond that, she was looking at, for instance, succession planning. When Koomarri was set up, it was set up by concerned parents who knew that, long term, somebody would have to look after their kids. But she took that to a place where Koomarri was signing leases for community housing and all sorts of things. Again, accepting their basic humanity and their equality with all of us, she looked after her clients in such a way that the effects will be seen for years. I think that many organisations could look at the model that she set up on the lines of sustainability, on looking absolutely to the needs of the people that you were there to care for.
She never thought of anything for herself. As the Chief Minister touched on, people in the main are unaware that Margaret had a number of long-term illnesses that were causing her some grief, and at no time did it seem to slow her down. At no time did it quench her passion; at no time did it make her think of herself. In fact, I think it probably spurred her on. I think she knew that perhaps time was limited and that she had an obligation to keep going, because she always put others first. Hopefully, somebody will rewrite a dictionary one day so that the word “selfless” will just read “see Margaret Spalding”, because of that selflessness that she put into place. You could hear it yesterday in Amie Cossens’ speech at the ceremony. She just set the example and the standard that she expected of all, and she was demanding of herself.
My wife Robyn and I met Margaret Spalding at social events. We were always quite delighted to get to a function and find we were sitting next to Margaret. That was always fun because you knew you were in for a good laugh. She was happy, she was joyous, she was cheerful, she liked a good drink and she always had a good story. She just added something to a room that very few people can do. So from Robyn and me in particular, I would like to offer her family our condolences on her passing.
Pat Power yesterday spoke at the funeral about judgement day. I do not think I know—maybe someone can enlighten me—but I suspect that, as one of six kids, coming from Forbes and having a Catholic bishop doing your funeral, Margaret was possibly Catholic, so the sense of judgement day would be there. It is interesting that the reading spoke about judgement day. It was the lines out of Matthew where people were challenged: “Did you look after the poor? Did you look after the hungry? Did you look after those who needed assistance?” The response is: “When did we look after these people, Lord?” Margaret Spalding looked after them every day of her working life. For those of us who believe in the life hereafter, in judgement day, Margaret may get one of those special passes that just lets you straight in.
It is a sad time for those of us that are left. I think it is perhaps a joyous time for her. I do believe in the life hereafter. I know that Margaret certainly believed in life. We never discussed what might happen after death, but in my view of heaven, if somebody like Margaret Spalding does not get in then there is no hope for any of us.
To her sons, to her brothers and sisters, to her grandchildren, I offer my sympathies and condolences. To the Koomarri family, I think that will be her legacy. I think
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