Thursday, 6 February 2025

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (09:56): Right now there are people gathering at the Devenish cemetery to celebrate the life of Carole Marple. Carole was a greatly valued person within the Benalla community and generously shared her time and efforts, making an enormous contribution in particular to the labour movement and the struggle for a better world. Carole was born in Benalla and worked as a primary teacher specialising in working with children with learning difficulties. She was a committed union and Labor Party member who at times led the Benalla ALP branch as president. She stood as the Labor candidate in the federal seat of Indi in 1980 and 1983 and was on the Victorian Labor senate ticket in 1984 and 1990. I am not the first Benalla-born MP. Carole was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the first member for Altona. She was determined to advance the social and economic interests of the working-class people of this electorate. Carole’s commitment to protecting the environment, preserving the grasslands and wetlands of western Melbourne and reducing industrial emissions is a legacy we all appreciate. She served as Shadow Minister for Natural Resources from 1992 to 1993 and Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs from 1993 to 1996. Carole continued her active political involvement in the years since, and I personally greatly valued her insights, advice and support alongside her late husband Godfrey. Her presence will be deeply missed by all of those whose lives she helped and those whose lives she worked so hard to improve. She will be greatly missed by the Benalla community and supporters of the Benalla–Euroa ALP branch. My condolences go to Luke, Kate, Marion, Tony, Patrick, Sophie, Lewis, Shannon and Peggy.