Australian politics is in shock after Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching died suddenly of a suspected heart attack at 52-years-old.
Labor senator Kimberley Kitching dies suddenly in Melbourne aged 52 https://t.co/ocopI9t35C
— Daniel Horowitz (@RMConservative) March 10, 2022
Aus 🇦🇺 Climate Change Chaos 💣🔥 Another one bites the dust…Labor Senator, 52 Year Old Kimberly Kitching dies of a Suspected Heart Attack…The People are dropping like Flies 🪰 pic.twitter.com/GIddBk5HuK
— 𝙍𝙄𝙎𝙀𝙈𝙀𝙇𝘽𝙊𝙐𝙍𝙉𝙀 (@Risemelbourne) March 10, 2022
The federal opposition leader, Anthony Albanese, said on Thursday night: “The Labor family is in shock tonight at the tragic news that our friend and colleague senator Kimberley Kitching has died suddenly in Melbourne. My sincere condolences to her family. Kimberley will be missed by us all.”
The Labor family is in shock tonight at the tragic news that our friend and colleague Senator Kimberley Kitching has died suddenly in Melbourne. My sincere condolences to her family. Kimberley will be missed by us all.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) March 10, 2022
Prime Minister Scott Morrison offered his condolences, describing Kitching’s death as “a deep and terrible shock.”
Morrison paid tribute to Kitching as “a serious parliamentarian who had a deep interest in Australia’s national security”.
“She demonstrated that her passion for her country was always greater than any partisan view. She clearly loved her country and it genuinely showed,” Morrison said in a statement.
“Senator Kitching was a practising Catholic and we witnessed her authentic faith in the life of the parliament. She followed her conscience and was fearless and I admired that.”
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) March 10, 2022
The Guardian reported:
Bill Shorten, the former Labor leader and a close friend of the senator, said in a statement: “With a desolate heart I share the news that Kimberley Kitching has passed away.
“Kimberley suffered a heart problem Thursday evening in Melbourne and passed soon after,” he said.
Shorten said her death was “an immense loss to Labor and the nation”.
“As well as her innumerable accolades she has been a wonderful friend to myself, my wife Chloe and our family. To know Kimberley was to be touched not just by her serene intellect but her incredible warmth and vivacity.”
Shorten offered his condolences to her husband, Andrew Landeryou, her family and loved ones.
The deputy Labor leader and fellow Victorian, Richard Marles, said he had known Kitching as a friend for more than 30 years and “words cannot express the sadness of this moment”.
“Kimberley knew what she stood for and she brought a clarity of thought to her role in the Senate that was rare, she was a fierce advocate for all that she believed in,” Marles said.
Kitching was a lawyer, Melbourne city councillor and union leader before she made the move to Canberra.
As The COVID World noted, Kitching was “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19:
Kitching, a Victorian senator since 2016, had posted a picture to her social media accounts in July last year showing her receiving her second COVID shot. Part of the caption of her vaccine proof photo was:
“I feel so lucky to be fully vaccinated from corona virus as of today.
Please go and get it done, for your health and peace of mind, for your loved ones and your country.”
I feel so lucky🍀 to be fully vaccinated from corona virus as of today. Thank you to Nurse Janet for being so nice.
Please go and get it done, for your health and peace of mind, for your loved ones and your country.#auspol #luckycountry pic.twitter.com/3tX2XiP409
— Kimberley Kitching🇦🇺🦘 (@kimbakit) July 29, 2021
Here’s a snapshot in case Twitter deletes the photo:
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