Tribune’s note

Senator Wong's sole ministerial communication on 14 April was a tribute to former Senator Trish Crossin, who died that day [TA-260414-foreig-0edaa19f61a5]. Crossin was the first woman to represent the Northern Territory in Parliament, serving fifteen years in the Senate. Wong's statement highlighted Crossin's origins as a remote-school teacher who arrived in the Territory at age 24 in 1981, her sustained advocacy for First Nations communities, regional Australia, and gender equality, and her role as a co-sponsor of the first marriage equality bill in the Senate [TA-260414-foreig-0edaa19f61a5].

The tribute drew particular attention to Crossin's first Senate speech in 1998, in which she addressed the Yolngu people in their own language and made a public commitment to represent and respect their rights. No policy announcements, foreign affairs instruments, or parliamentary activity appear in today's records. This Note reflects a single-record day.

Primary records (1)

The official records this note draws on — the raw primary documents themselves, as published.

MediaSenator Trish Crossin AMSen Penny WongTuesday 14 April 2026