Norma Fong Lim

Dr RAHMAN (Fong Lim): Madam Speaker, I pay my respects to the late Norma Fong Lim and her family. I did not know Norma personally, but I feel duty-bound, as the current custodian of the Fong Lim electorate, to acknowledge her passing, not least as a beneficiary of her legacy. 

In my maiden speech I reflected on the fact that Fong Lim is, by NT standards, a relatively new electorate, having been created in 2008 as a composite of inner original Darwin suburbs and newer northern suburbs. It is named, as I frequently mention when I travel, after Alec Fong Lim AM, the first Chinese-Australian Lord Mayor. He was awarded the Order of Australia in 1986 for his services to the community and local government. I reiterate that I am deeply honoured to represent a constituency named after Alec Fong Lim AM, the embodiment of Australia’s most successful multicultural community. I proudly bare my father’s name, alongside my eponymous electorate, knowing how much I owe them both. I extend those remarks to envelope Norma, knowing the extent to which she has been a pillar for the entire Fong Lim family, especially her husband as Lord Mayor. 

Norma was 27 years old when she met the charming and handsome Alec Fong Lim in Darwin on his way back from overseas, where I believe he was on a junket to find himself a wife. Having returned unsuccessfully, he instead managed to snag himself a date with Norma and proposed after a whirlwind romance of six weeks. I am told she was saved from being left on the shelf, but I am not sure who saved who, based on the notes that I have. 

Norma and Alec lived a full life together, having six beautiful intelligent daughters of whom we know about in different contexts. Norma valued teaching the girls to be strong, independent women and was clearly proud of them all. As a wife, Norma supported Alec through all his ventures, including his involvement in the family pubs, business ventures, wholesale groceries, alcohol, dress shops, the fruit juice stall and even his life as a bookie. After many years of practice, with Alec Fong Lim having held many significant posts in the interim, she was likewise serious in her support as lady mayoress and quietly offered sustenance. 

She rarely stepped into the spotlight, by many accounts, insisting the spotlight was for Alec in the first instance. Nevertheless, she was still always willing to throw an impromptu dinner party, put on a frock and have dinner at a moment’s notice or to offer her arm at functions. I learned that, in her time as lady mayoress, Norma explored her talent as an artist. She loved painting landscapes and fauna and holding exhibitions to sell her artwork. Many people, in this room in fact, have one of Norma’s paintings in their office, and there are a few hanging in the chambers on the third floor of Nichols Place. 

Her love of painting continued even when her dementia started to take over her life. She attended many paint-and-create sessions and usually put her spin on the subject. It was her own and, therefore, worth recognising in its own right. It was great to see her have something of her own beyond being a mother and wife. She loved colour and appreciated nature, which is evident through all the testimony about her paintings. 

I also learned through Tanya’s eulogy, which I hope she will not mind me drawing from, that while she supported Alec through his endeavours, particularly as lady mayoress, what is not known is how difficult she found public life a lot of the time. I quote from the eulogy: 

While she was immensely proud of Dad, her shy nature made it difficult for her to attend so many social functions smiling nicely and making small talk. But like the queen (after who she got her second name) she did it well.

When Alec passed away, she of course missed him dearly but was also happy to say good riddance to those social events. The exception was when she had the opportunity to go to Government House and meet King Charles, who was then Prince Charles. Her love and focus for family shone through when she asked him, ‘Do you get to babysit your grandchildren often?’, and he said, ‘Oh no; I am not good at that.’ She was a family person through and through; it was always at the forefront of her mind. 

She was a stoic and humble stay-at-home mum, which probably shone through most after Cyclone Tracy, having to shoulder the burden of looking after the whole family in the wake of tragedy. Luckily, she and her four daughters were visiting her mum in Sydney at the time for Christmas when disaster struck. With Alec away doing cleanup in Darwin, Norma organised schooling for the four youngest daughters and made their lives as normal as possible, despite the devastation that had been brought upon Darwin. She knew that Darwin had been decimated, her brother-in-law had been killed and her eldest daughter and mother-in-law had been saved by police who collected them and took them to safe haven. 

She would have been terribly worried about what sort of future would lay ahead, but she proved her mettle by working with Alec to get things up and running interstate and home in Darwin. 

Her support for Alec was absolute by all accounts. She was there in good times and in bad, and theirs was a partnership of equals born of real mutual love and respect. She was by his side when he was forced to resign early as Lord Mayor because of ill health and, likewise, by his bedside when he passed just a month later. 

To the family first and foremost, I say that I am proud to be associated with the Fong Lim name. That sentiment extends to the late great Norma Fong Lim as well as Alec Fong Lim. Lady mayoress Fong Lim was gracious, charming and kind—words used to describe her by the many people who crossed her paths over the years. 

My sincere condolences go to all in the family here tonight and beyond—perhaps online. 

Vale, Norma Fong Lim.