Page 1152 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 2012
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turned 60 before he embarked on his second career as an author, which he has become very prominent in. His first book, The Power of One, has set all sorts of publication records. Don Allan, who has been a champion of people with disability in Canberra, is also someone we recognise for his work with ACTAAD. Bishop Pat Power is another prominent Canberran who has made an enormous contribution to the Canberra community.
Through this proposal here today we obviously recognise all senior Canberrans from all walks of life. Our 2012 Canberra citizen of the year is Dr Chris Peters. He is also a mature age Australian. No-one can question or fail to acknowledge the contribution, the commitment and the value that Dr Chris Peters has given to this territory. As CEO of the ACT Chamber of Commerce and Industry he represents business on over 20 ACT government boards, committees, statutory authorities and ministerial advisory councils. He is chairman of the Corporate Directors Association of Australia Ltd and Multicultural Business Chamber of Australia Inc and deputy chairman of the Tourism Industry Council.
Dr Peters has founded associations such as the Indigenous Business Chamber of Australia, the peak body providing a business chamber for Indigenous business people and others with an interest in Indigenous business and to support the opportunities to create business relationships. He has also made a significant commitment to youth at risk and is a member of GreaterGood, Canberra’s public charitable foundation. The Chief Minister said at the ACT citizen of the year ceremony:
Dr Peters is admired as a person who is altruistic and is someone who has difficulty saying no to anyone who seeks his assistance or knowledge.
I simply do not have time to list all of the people of mature age that are today making an important contribution to Canberra. You only need to look at the age profile of those who work in most volunteer organisations, whether it be Lions, Rotary, the CWA or the Red Cross. Yes, one can argue that these people often have time to do these things because many are no longer engaged in full-time employment. But no-one has forced them to stand in the rain to direct the traffic at Saturday’s Canberra markets. No-one has forced them to stand for days in shopping centres selling poppies, daffodils, noses or badges for one worthwhile cause or another, or to doorknock the suburbs of Canberra for the Salvation Army or St Vincent de Paul. No-one has asked them to fight fires and risk their lives as volunteer fire brigade members.
They do it because they believe they have a contribution to make and there is a need for them to do so. And are we not all grateful for what they do? The ACT Liberals certainly recognise and acknowledge the most important contribution that older Australians can make to this community.
Val Jeffery is well known as a local regional small business owner, a valuable member of a local volunteer group and now the endorsed Liberal candidate for the seat of Brindabella. He is a shining example of someone who believes that age is no barrier to anything. It is a philosophy and a perspective we should all embrace and acknowledge.
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