Julia Gillard is shown a rose that will be planted in memory of her father. 89247 Picture: XAVIER SMERDON
By XAVIER SMERDON
THERE were plenty of smiles and almost a few tears as the people of Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s electorate presented her with a heartfelt gift last week.
Ms Gillard visited the Mambourin Sensory Gardens in Wyndham Vale last Thursday to meet with disabled clients and their families when the garden’s caretaker, Julie Beggs, nervously unveiled a surprise for the Prime Minister.
Ms Beggs had bought a special rose which she announced would be planted in the gardens in memory of Ms Gillard’s late father John.
“I just thought she’s a patron here and it would be nice to have a rose planted in her father’s honour,” Ms Beggs told Star.
“It will have pride of place in the rose garden and we might get a plaque put in place in the future.”
The species of rose, Father’s Love, seemed appropriate and Ms Gillard stopped briefly to thank Ms Beggs for her gesture.
“She said she was very touched,” Ms Beggs said.
“I hope that she will come back to visit one day and we’ll look after it for her until then.”
Hundreds of Mambourin clients and their families crowded around Ms Gillard, with many of them holding signs thanking her for her commitment to fund the introduction of the first stage of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
