Tribute to Community Leadership - Speech to Parliament

PRIVATE MEMBER’S STATEMENT
Cooper, Ms R; Doherty, Ms B; Wallace, Ms D

Hon. AJ CAMM (Whitsunday—LNP) (Minister for Families, Seniors and Disability Services and Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence) (2.16 pm):

I am pleased, in this House, to congratulate Rebecca Cooper, our Australian Citizen of the Year for Mackay Regional Council, who has been the driving force behind the Northern Beaches Community Network and the Northern Beaches Playgroup. Our Northern Beaches community is one of the fastest growing communities in the state and particularly in the Mackay Regional Council area, with lots of young families.

Rebecca has been a tremendous advocate for our community, but what she has done, most importantly, is deliver place-based connections and community development. I am pleased to be sponsoring Rebecca at the Queensland Volunteering Conference. I know that the member for Mackay is sponsoring a local champion as well. We look forward to hearing the outcomes.

It is with great sadness that our community mourns the loss of Bridgeen Doherty. Bridgeen was the light in the room, a fierce advocate for ovarian cancer who bravely shared the story of her symptoms, which were nearly non-existent, as many women also confront what is a terrible disease.

Bridgeen went on to be the ambassador of the Trudy Crowley Foundation, which does a lot across my community in Mackay and the Whitsundays for those suffering with not just ovarian cancer but all types of cancer. Bridgeen was also the long-term executive assistant to the CEO of Mackay Regional Council.

I had the great privilege of working with Bridgeen throughout her career and also got to work with her daughter, Lassara. My sincere condolences to her daughter and to her family. She has been a great loss to our community.

Another great woman from my community is Dorne Wallace. Dorne Wallace was a social justice advocate and a community development champion—a woman of tenacity who was never afraid to share her views, which were strong, as an advocate for our region, particularly when it came to social and community development.

Dorne was integral in the transition and transformation of the Regional Council for Social Development. I had the great privilege of working with Dorne, particularly post COVID, helping not-for-profit organisations across the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday communities with business continuity planning post COVID, before I entered this House.

She was also part of the leadership team as a volunteer committee member at Kalyan House, for many years fighting for more funding for youth homelessness across the Mackay region. Dorne kept her illness private from our community. She will be a great loss and my condolences to Stephen and her family.