Late on Thursday evening, the sad news emerged that Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching had passed away of a suspected heart attack at the age of 52.

Kitching was born in Brisbane where she was appointed as a solicitor by the Supreme Court of Queensland. She later moved to Melbourne while working in the private sector where she became a Melbourne City Councillor in the early 2000s and a senior Labor advisor.

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

Kitching won preselection for Stephen Conroy’s seat (left empty after his resignation) and, supported by her close friend Bill Shorten, first began as a Victorian Senator in October 2016.

Deeply saddened at the news Victorian Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching passed away suddenly today, aged just 52. Our deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) March 10, 2022

Kitching was married to political blogger Andrew Landeryou in 2000.

Before her death, she held the high-profile position of Australian co-chair for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China with Liberal Senator James Paterson.

The Prime Minister offered his condolences in a letter this morning.

The death of Senator Kimberley Kitching, at just 52, is a deep and terrible shock.

Senator Kitching was a serious parliamentarian who had a deep interest in Australia’s national security.

She had a passion about Australia’s national interest and argued for it.

She demonstrated that her passion for her country was always greater than any partisan view. She clearly loved her country and it genuinely showed.

I came to greatly respect the way Senator Kitchin approached the issues.

Senator Kitching was a practicing Catholic and we witnessed her authentic faith in the life of the Parliament. She followed her conscience and was fearless and I admired that.

She was respected by those on both sides of the Parliament – she was a parliamentarian in the truest sense. Senator Kitching was deeply respected by the Coalition.

To Senator Kitching’s family I extend the sympathies of the Government.