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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 14 Hansard (9 December) . . Page.. 5055 ..

MS MacDONALD (continuing):

Over the years Brian's achievements in the field have become almost as legendary as his passion for the cause. Secretary of the CFMEU New South Wales Branch Andrew Ferguson says Brian has made his finest contribution to the area of safety.

"Who knows how many workers would have lost their lives had it not been for Brian. The building industry is still a dangerous place, but Brian's tireless work-agitating, educating and organising-has made it considerably less dangerous than it was before he started,"Andrew says.

Mentoring young unionists so they too can carry on his legacy, Brian has ensured the benefits of his commitment will never be lost. He is also famed for allegedly being able to talk under water with marbles in his mouth or, in the words of another colleague, under wet cement.

The Brian Miller Lifetime Safety Achievement Award was presented at the Labour Council's safety conference on Friday, 24 October. As I have already said, it was awarded to my very good friend Terry Hannan. I think this was highly fitting because Terry was, like Brian, a mentor to young unionists, and I was one of those young unionists.

I first met Terry Hannan in 1994 when I was working in the organising works program area for the New South Wales Professional Officers Association. Terry had been involved for a very long time in campaigning for healthy and safe work practices within the New South Wales public service. I cannot think of a more fitting person to receive the award. I know that Terry and his wife, Adrianne, who has also worked very long and hard in this area, are both very chuffed about it and I give them my congratulations.

Florey shops

Sailability ACT Inc

Belconnen golf course estate

MR STEFANIAK (5.45): Mr Speaker, I rise to congratulate the shopkeepers of Florey for organising last Saturday week a wonderful community event, which both you and I had the privilege to attend. The shops have had some problems, mainly caused by a certain unfortunate unruly element in the suburb. The shopkeepers have banded together really well and a real positive out of all the drama has been a great increase in community spirit.

Over 2,000 people attended the open day at the shops. There were fetes; the local schools were represented; the fire brigade was there, and all the kids loved going through the fire engine; a couple of members of the Raiders were there; and a cake was cut. It was just a wonderful community event. So my congratulations go to all the shopkeepers for organising that event. I think the driving force was probably the boys from the IGA Supermarket, but all the shopkeepers put in and it was a marvellous community event.

Mrs Dunne mentioned Sailability. I think this is the third or fourth year that we have had the three monkeys race. The people involved in Sailability have done a wonderful job for many years. An old friend of mine, Terry Peek, who was in the army with me, has been one of the main organisers for many years and again he helped organise that event. He, I think, was instrumental in getting funding from the then government, which I think was

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