Our sister and comrade Lorie Werner needs urgent support.

After many years of dedicated volunteer service to the Labor movement, Lorie has fallen on tough times.

Over the past few months Lorie has been unwell, and last week she suffered a heart attack. Fortunately she was in A&E at the time and survived but she faces a long recovery of many months and will be unable to work.

Lorie has always been strongly independent - running her own business and giving back to Labor campaigns. Now she needs our assistance to lessen the financial stress she is currently experiencing in order to focus on her recovery.

Many of us know Lorie through her involvement in both EMILY's List and the ALP. Lorie has served on the executive of ELA, on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Policy Committee and as an active branch member in the Casey and Chisholm FEAs. Lorie is a generous fundraiser and a campaigner and supporter of countless state and federal candidates. Lorie has spent hours on polling booths, phone banking and organising and attending events to promote the ALP and to get more women elected. She has also supported other causes such as the Yes Campaign and many trade union actions. The volunteer hours would total to months of work. Her commitment to the movement and her support to get women elected is unquestionable.

Now is the time for us to give something back to a woman who has given so much of herself to others without ever seeking anything in return other than to support the Labor cause.