THREAD: This Thursday, June 24, people will light #ACandleforKate. June 24 marks 1 year since a woman called me about sexism in Canberra. She was scared of consequences of speaking out. Neither of us knew of Kate. Neither of us knew that that morning, Kate took her own life. 1/
2/ The woman urged me to investigate the problems of sexism in Canberra. I began to make calls and the next day, those calls led me to Kate’s lawyer. He felt sure that Kate would want a meeting with me and said he’d speak to her that night. Neither of us knew that Kate was gone.
3/ The next day, I spoke to another friend of Kate’s I’d tried to reach. When I told him why I was calling, he sounded like he’d been kicked in the stomach. He said he’d call back. When he did, he told me Kate took her life two days before. I won’t forget that feeling.
4/ Over the past few years, I have met many families and friends of people who made complaints of sexual crimes and died well before their time. It’s an appalling, heartbreaking legacy. It was my solemn duty to inform Kate’s lawyer, who of course hadn’t known.
5/ I then went on to meet dozens of Kate’s friends - good people - from across her life - from school, from university, former husbands, former flat mates, recent mates. They sent me her correspondence, her musings, her photographs & I attempted to form a picture of who she was.
6/ Her friends feel certain she’d be blown away by all that transpired since - including women across Australia marching for justice. But they want her to be more than just an allegation, a pixelated photograph, a tragedy. That’s why on Thursday they’re lighting #ACandleforKate.
7/ Here are some of the things the friends have said on @ACandle_ForKate. They want an inquiry into Kate’s allegations. The govt last week voted down @larissawaters’ attempt to get that. The Senator will keep trying. But on Thursday they just want people to remember their friend. 
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