Tuesday, 12 May 2026

 Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria) (14:10): I rise today to acknowledge with great sadness the passing of Trish Crossin AM. Trish gave a lifetime of service to the community, beginning as a teacher in remote schools in the Northern Territory, and was the first woman to represent the Northern Territory in the Australian Parliament where she served with distinction as a Labor senator for 15 years between 1998 and 2013. Trish was a trailblazer. Throughout her parliamentary career she was a tireless advocate for First Nations communities, education reform and environmental protection. She was a proud unionist, a strong feminist and a co-sponsor of the first marriage equality bill in the Senate. She made a profound contribution in the Geelong region as chair of the Gordon. I had the privilege of working alongside her in that role, and what stood out most to me was how deeply she cared about students, about opportunity and about the life-changing power of public education. She brought wisdom, calm judgement and a genuine warmth that made people feel heard and valued. Trish backed people. She backed women, mentoring many with generosity, she backed workers and she backed her community with purpose and conviction. Her contribution to the Gordon and to public life will leave a great legacy. My thoughts are with her husband Mark; her children Paul, Melinda, Amanda and Kate; and of course her grandchildren and her many friends and colleagues. Vale, Trish Crossin.