Thursday, 15 August 2024

Members statements

Inga Peulich

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (09:45): I will say something, and I will refer to Mrs Peulich – a great loss, Inga Peulich. I want to begin by marking my view that the government made a mistake in not allowing a proper condolence motion on Inga. I think that is unfortunate because she was a person who made a great contribution to this chamber and many of us knew. I was at the funeral the other day. It was an enormous funeral; it was one which was a great marker to her life. I spoke to Savo, I spoke to others – Paul in particular. The truth of the matter is that Inga was a great contributor, a great democrat, a great protector of democracy. With her family coming from a communist country, they understood the importance of freedom, they understood the importance of standing up for our values, and I for one had the greatest of respect for Inga. I had a lot to do with her, both as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Government and when she was cabinet secretary. I do believe that her campaigning was a very big part of us winning government in 2010, and I put that on the record very clearly. It is the truth that Inga’s remarkable character and remarkable ability to engage with people right across the whole social spectrum was something that will be remembered very much by people in the south-east and across the state. As one who served with her, I will never forget Inga Peulich.