Jason Falinski (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The motto of the Mona Vale Hospital Auxiliary Branch is, 'Let us hold high the lamp of service for the welfare of our hospital.' Eileen Gordon has spent decades as president of the branch, living up to this motto through her incredible achievements and efforts to improve Mona Vale Hospital for the benefit of thousands of local residents. For her contributions, in 2010 Eileen was recognised as the Pittwater Woman of the Year.

The Mona Vale Hospital Auxiliary Branch was formed on 30 June 2007, following both the Avalon and Narrabeen auxiliaries closing in order to form the new branch, with the ambition of making the hospital the best that it can be. Eileen served as president until mid-2013 and remains the public relations member. In 2010, Eileen and the branch helped to raise more than a quarter of a million dollars to support the hospital and to enable the purchase of new electric beds, self-locking medical trolleys for all wards and medical equipment for theatres and intensive-care units, this in the face of the Labor Party's efforts to close the hospital once and for all. In addition, Eileen and the branch achieved the release of $240,000 from the dormant hospice trust fund for the extensions to the palliative care day hospital, an effort that was opposed at the time by the nurses association.

I'm proud to recognise Eileen as an outstanding member of the Mackellar community and to pay tribute to the great contribution she has made to Mona Vale Hospital. Community service underpins Australian society, and I urge all of you to take from Eileen's example and do your best to give back to your community.

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