ADJOURNMENT

Senator McALLISTER (New South Wales—Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) (17:30): All parliamentarians know the quiet work of committees is essential to our democracy. Coherent reports emerge out of a maelstrom of evidence; rough edges are chipped off legislation; witnesses are treated with care; institutional wisdom is held and passed on. Never in the limelight but always making a difference, we owe so much to the staff who serve in the committees in this place.

I rise tonight to observe the passing of one such staff member, Julia Morris, and to acknowledge the significance of her contribution to this place and to her community and to her family. Julia Anne Morris was born in Newcastle on 24 December 1972, the daughter of Anne and Allan Morris. Senators will know Allan by his years of service to the people of the Hunter as the member for Newcastle, and senators will also know Julia's uncle Peter by his service as the member for Shortland.

Knowing that, it goes without saying that Julia was born into a family deeply involved in the public life of Newcastle and deeply ingrained with the values of the Labor Party and the labour movement. She was, as you might expect, incredibly worldly in outlook. She was well read, she was well travelled and she was comfortable in more than one language.

She graduated from ANU with a Bachelor of Arts, cementing her love of literature in her studies in English. With that immense capacity and with her love of politics and of political debate, she came to work here in the parliament. Julia gave almost all of her working life, 25 years, to the service of the Australian parliament.

By my count, she served 10 committees, nine of them as secretary, and she pursued this commitment to our democratic institutions with incredible professionalism. She was always conscious of the privilege of working in this place, the roles that each of us plays and the particular obligation that this placed on her to serve every parliamentarian in this place equally and to support the proper functioning of our committees.

She shepherded inquiries on everything from coastal biodiversity, to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to education in remote and complex environments. She began her first role, as Secretary of the Standing Committee on Economics, in the middle of the global financial crisis. She worked with former senator Dodson in the committee considering the constitutional recognition of First Nations Australians.

She deployed to the Solomon Islands during RAMSI. What a gift to the people of Australia to receive the best of Julia Morris's time and energy and heart. I, however, did not meet Julia in this place.

Growing up in Newcastle, she attended school with my husband, John. Together they were the school captains in their final year at Newcastle High School, and she was a dear friend and a loyal friend to him. We all shared a love of film and music, and I first met her at the Sydney Film Festival, when as young people we would lock ourselves inside the theatre for an entire long weekend, armed only with a backpack of cheese and a bottle of wine.

She attended the Bluesfest approximately 26 times. She was devoted, and we frequently spent time together there also. As we all grew older, we were able to share our families too.

Julia gave birth to her beloved daughter Mollie, who is now a terrific young woman, and she was the light of Julia's life. Julia was the great gatherer, having been born on Christmas Eve. Every Christmas, she would create a warm space, a welcoming space, for friends old and for new friends too, to come together.

She was the glue. On 21 May 2026, Julia lost her long battle with breast cancer. Her death leaves a great hole in the lives of many people that she touched.

She was fierce and she was funny and she was intelligent. She was generous and caring as a friend. She was a dedicated servant to this parliament.

She was a devoted mum, sister and daughter. I offer my condolences to all of those who loved her, especially her remarkable daughter, Mollie. Vale, Julia Anne Morris.