00:00So, this is a story probably many of you have heard before, but I'm going to tell it anyway.
00:08So, once when I was five, I didn't have anything for show and tell.
00:14And Mum, in her sleep-deprived post-obstetric night-shift state, was convinced by Dad to bring in three baby brown snakes.
00:26As we were walking the white bucket into the classroom, Mrs Sinclair asked Mum,
00:32What do you have there, Alison? To which she replied,
00:36Three baby brown snakes, Mrs Sinclair.
00:40Not alive snakes, I hope, said Mrs Sinclair, to which Mum had to reply, Yes, alive.
00:50I think it was probably here that Mum realised that this might have been one of her few very silly ideas.
00:58One by one, holding Mum's hand, we walked to the edge of the bucket and peered in.
01:06And there is no one else's hand I'd want to hold, whilst looking at three squirming, highly venomous and highly irate snakes.
01:16Like bringing live brown snakes into a room of five-year-olds, Mum would often put us in memorable and exciting situations,
01:24and then guide you through them.
01:27We're all here today because Mum held our hand through some of life's challenges,
01:32whether it be pregnancy or illness, bushwalking or cycling.
01:36She was always there with a smart comment, often a small complaint,
01:42and with a determinedness that was unrivalled.
01:46When Mum made a famous banana cake, she would always let us lick the mixing bowl,
01:52which was an empty promise as there was never anything left.
01:56She took the same approach to everyday life, and would squeeze out every second.
02:02A typical day for Mum would be a night on call at the hospital, followed by Pilates with Ange,
02:09swim squad, ride with Becky, work at the GP clinic, gardening, banana cake making, chairing a board meeting,
02:18and having a wine with Dad before falling asleep with the cat purring on top of her chest.
02:24The energy for life that Mum had was truly impressive and infectious.
02:30We would never complain about being busy to Mum.
02:35In the words of my Nan, Mum was everything.
02:39And by everything, she wasn't just referring to the fact that she paid our car rego, phone bill,
02:45and organised every family holiday.
02:48She was everything because she was thorough, thoughtful, capable,
02:53and she'd probably hate me for saying this, incredibly loving.
02:58Mum, I love you a lot.
03:01You're an incredible mother, and I've been so fortunate to have you guide me through life.
03:06I cherish every adventure we've been on, and look forward to channelling your spirit in the ones to come.
03:12You'll be greatly missed.
03:14Thanks, Ria. It's a hard act to follow.
03:23If I follow it, I will.
03:25Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone for coming here today.
03:29I think my mother would be shocked at how many people came.
03:33I think she wouldn't have fully realised how much she touched everyone's lives.
03:39Instead, she would say, I was just doing my job and getting on with it.
03:42She might even ask a couple of you, don't you have something better to do, and shouldn't you be at work?
03:48When Mum came home from work, she didn't get to put her feet up.
03:52She had to deal with free wrap bags and my father.
03:55We did not make it easy for her.
03:58Over the past few weeks, it has been incredibly moving to read some of the comments you have all made on social media.
04:05In particular, I've noticed the comments where you've described her as kind,
04:09and I noticed that that's a comment that's also been made today in a few speeches,
04:13but it's also made me think we can't possibly be thinking about the same person.
04:17My mum was fierce, wise, no-nonsense, salt of the earth, but she was not soft and kind in that usual sense.
04:27One time we were travelling in the US, and Mum and Dad, under much duress, had agreed to take us to Disney World in Florida.
04:36Riz and Harry and I had been suffering from gastro at different times.
04:40We were extremely difficult, and after travelling for a long time with squabbling children,
04:46Mum and Dad were a little bit frazzled, and that's putting it lightly.
04:51Mum got to the front counter to organise the tickets for entry to Disney World the next day,
04:57and Mum was like, two adults and three children, please.
05:00And the ticket lady said, oh no, ma'am, it's five Disney adults.
05:07And my mother, shocked at this brazen profiteering, was like, they're not adults, they can't even vote.
05:15Nonetheless, my mother handed over the extortionate amount of money and turned on her heel.
05:23And as she was walking away, the ticket lady said, and have a magical day.
05:28And my mother, quick as a flash, said, don't tell me what kind of day to have.
05:34You always knew what was on my mother's mind.
05:39On reflection, Mum's frankness and kindness, Mum's frankness was a kindness.
05:46She told you what you needed to hear, not what you wanted to hear.
05:49She did not mince her words.
05:51She was always there when I needed her, and she gave the best advice,
05:55even if it wasn't the advice that you wanted.
05:58I can't tell you how many times I called my mother, going over something that happened at work that day.
06:04And my mother would say, well, it's done now, so don't agonise over it.
06:10You've just got to get over it and move on.
06:13On top of being a mother and a doctor, Mum had so many hobbies.
06:17She loved bike riding, cross-country skiing, Scrabble, triathlon, swimming, bushwalking, reading,
06:22and she was an amazing cook. Like, literally, our lunchboxes were an object of desire at school.
06:30How many baked goods we had.
06:32My mum was the type of person to have a crack at everything, and she encouraged us to do the same.
06:38For example, when she signed us up for 5.30am swim squad at the Aubrey pool,
06:44she got in the pool and did 3Ks, and did not look on from the sidelines with a coffee like the other squad mums.
06:51When Mum signed us up for triathlon training with Fabrizio, my mum was doing the session with us.
06:57Mum was not always the fastest and the strongest, but you could not sideline Alison Green.
07:03She was always fiercely competitive, and she would not let us win if she could help it.
07:08It's amazing that Mum ever slept, and in the short time that she had, Mum did so much,
07:14I think she must have squeezed in four ordinary lives.
07:17There's no sitting around my mother. She's always asking,
07:20what are we doing next? What is the plan for today? What are we doing now?
07:24She was always on the go.
07:26I will always cherish the time that I got to spend with my mother.
07:30Especially as an adult.
07:32Mum had many professional accomplishments, but ultimately,
07:37her greatest achievement was raising a family with a bit of assistance from my dad,
07:44who loved each other, loved spending time together, loved spending time with her,
07:50and just loved one another so much.
07:54My brothers and I were so lucky to have such a beautiful relationship with her.
07:58We know that's not something that everybody gets.
08:02I was lucky enough that the last words to my mother I said,
08:06and the words she said to me were, I love you.
08:09That was the night before her death.
08:12And if I have taken anything from my mother's death,
08:15I would say that you should always tell the people around you that you love them.
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