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| Fiona Richardson: Labor pays tribute to Victorian MP after her death from cancer | Fiona Richardson: Labor pays tribute to Victorian MP after her death from cancer |
| (5 months later) | |
| MP and advocate for family violence survivors dies just a day after revealing she had been diagnosed with multiple tumours | |
| Australian Associated Press | |
| Wed 23 Aug 2017 21.58 BST | |
| Last modified on Thu 24 Aug 2017 03.20 BST | |
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| The long-serving Victorian MP Fiona Richardson has been remembered as a fearless advocate for family violence survivors after her death from cancer. | The long-serving Victorian MP Fiona Richardson has been remembered as a fearless advocate for family violence survivors after her death from cancer. |
| Richardson, Australia’s first minister for the prevention of family violence, died aged 50 on Wednesday night, just a day after revealing she had been diagnosed with multiple tumours. Her family said the mother-of-two was an unwavering advocate for family violence survivors. | Richardson, Australia’s first minister for the prevention of family violence, died aged 50 on Wednesday night, just a day after revealing she had been diagnosed with multiple tumours. Her family said the mother-of-two was an unwavering advocate for family violence survivors. |
| Last year, Richardson opened up about her own history of domestic violence at the hands of her alcoholic, abusive father in Tanzania. | Last year, Richardson opened up about her own history of domestic violence at the hands of her alcoholic, abusive father in Tanzania. |
| “Her decision to talk about her own family’s experience on Australian Story took guts,” her family said in a statement. | “Her decision to talk about her own family’s experience on Australian Story took guts,” her family said in a statement. |
| “She achieved so much for victims in a short space of time. Fiona had unfinished business. She wanted violence in the home to stop and she knew for that to happen it would take dedication and leadership over the course of a generation. | “She achieved so much for victims in a short space of time. Fiona had unfinished business. She wanted violence in the home to stop and she knew for that to happen it would take dedication and leadership over the course of a generation. |
| “Fiona was a quiet champion of women’s rights, with an all-woman Ministerial office devoted to her.” | “Fiona was a quiet champion of women’s rights, with an all-woman Ministerial office devoted to her.” |
| Richardson oversaw Australia’s first royal commission into family violence, pushed to get the respectful relationships program into the state curriculum, and championed family violence leave for public sector workers. She was instrumental in developing the state’s first gender equality strategy. | Richardson oversaw Australia’s first royal commission into family violence, pushed to get the respectful relationships program into the state curriculum, and championed family violence leave for public sector workers. She was instrumental in developing the state’s first gender equality strategy. |
| Heartbreaking snap from @andrew_lund of a single yellow rose on Fiona Richardson's seat in Victoria's parliament. pic.twitter.com/cLvWuUimh3 | Heartbreaking snap from @andrew_lund of a single yellow rose on Fiona Richardson's seat in Victoria's parliament. pic.twitter.com/cLvWuUimh3 |
| The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, said Richardson “was a person of conviction, of character, of extraordinary composure” and could never be replaced. | The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, said Richardson “was a person of conviction, of character, of extraordinary composure” and could never be replaced. |
| “Not in our government. Not in our movement. Not ever,” Andrews said. “Fiona fought until the very end. In fact, she only relieved herself of her parliamentary responsibilities yesterday.” | “Not in our government. Not in our movement. Not ever,” Andrews said. “Fiona fought until the very end. In fact, she only relieved herself of her parliamentary responsibilities yesterday.” |
| He told parliament that “I don’t know a Victorian Labor party without Fiona Richardson. She joined in her teens and quickly set about breaking open, busting up, as it were, the party’s sexist, smoke-filled back rooms and in so doing, she has mades things so much easier for Labor’s next generation.” | He told parliament that “I don’t know a Victorian Labor party without Fiona Richardson. She joined in her teens and quickly set about breaking open, busting up, as it were, the party’s sexist, smoke-filled back rooms and in so doing, she has mades things so much easier for Labor’s next generation.” |
| The flags outside parliament house flew at half-mast as a mark of respect. Someone placed a single yellow rose on her seat in parliament, and someone else later added a copy of the recommendations from the royal commission into family violence which she helped to develop. | The flags outside parliament house flew at half-mast as a mark of respect. Someone placed a single yellow rose on her seat in parliament, and someone else later added a copy of the recommendations from the royal commission into family violence which she helped to develop. |
| Both Houses have adjourned as a mark of respect to the late Minister Fiona Richardson. Parliament next sits Tuesday, 5 September #springst | Both Houses have adjourned as a mark of respect to the late Minister Fiona Richardson. Parliament next sits Tuesday, 5 September #springst |
| Richardson held the inner seat of Northcote since 2006 and was the first Australia politician to be named a minister for the prevention of family violence. | Richardson held the inner seat of Northcote since 2006 and was the first Australia politician to be named a minister for the prevention of family violence. |
| The Labor right factional leader joined the party in 1991 and successfully fought breast cancer in 2013. She announced she was taking a leave on absence more than two weeks ago before revealing her diagnosis of multiple tumours on Tuesday. | The Labor right factional leader joined the party in 1991 and successfully fought breast cancer in 2013. She announced she was taking a leave on absence more than two weeks ago before revealing her diagnosis of multiple tumours on Tuesday. |
| On Twitter, the federal Labor leader, Bill Shorten, said “We’ve lost a remarkable, brave and inspirational woman.” | On Twitter, the federal Labor leader, Bill Shorten, said “We’ve lost a remarkable, brave and inspirational woman.” |
| Former Australian of the Year, Rosie Batty, who is a strong campaigner against family violence and an advocate for survivors, said she was “devastated”, and that Richardson had been a “huge support” to her. | Former Australian of the Year, Rosie Batty, who is a strong campaigner against family violence and an advocate for survivors, said she was “devastated”, and that Richardson had been a “huge support” to her. |
| Victoria’s opposition leader, Matthew Guy, said “the sadness at Spring Street will be immense”. | Victoria’s opposition leader, Matthew Guy, said “the sadness at Spring Street will be immense”. |
| “Her legacy is one that her family and colleagues will look on with pride knowing she has genuinely changed our state for the better,” he said. | “Her legacy is one that her family and colleagues will look on with pride knowing she has genuinely changed our state for the better,” he said. |
| “I send my sincere condolences to her husband Stephen, her children Marcus and Catherine and all her family, friends and colleagues who will be grieving her loss. | “I send my sincere condolences to her husband Stephen, her children Marcus and Catherine and all her family, friends and colleagues who will be grieving her loss. |
| Victorian politics | |
| Australian politics | |
| Victoria | |
| Daniel Andrews | |
| Bill Shorten | |
| Labor party | |
| news | |
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