Nola Marino (Forrest, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge Brian Piesse, who passed away recently following a battle with liver cancer. Brian was dedicated to his family and his community. He was a stalwart of the Forrest division of the Liberal Party, a member of the party for over 50 years and a man who also gave countless hours of voluntary service across many sectors and interests throughout his life. He was strong, happy and passionate about what he believed in. He was never afraid to speak up and he had the courage to speak up even if he was the only one with a different opinion. He gave countless selfless hours to local, regional and community groups and organisations, and he always showed up.

That included local government in agriculture, land management, regional development, port and transport, education, politics and numerous community groups, including longstanding memberships of Rotary and Apex. The majority of these roles were voluntary throughout his life, and he always in those meetings ensured that due process and meeting procedures were followed to protect the organisation.

Wherever Brian and his wife, Lucille, and their family lived he became involved with the community, but I know that one of the roles he dedicated an enormous amount of time, energy and commitment to was his time serving as the president of the Donnobrook Balingup shire. He'd had a lot of previous experience in Capel shire, but he saw this as a really important part of what he was able to achieve in life.

He gave many, many years to so many different groups, whether it was the Warren Blackwood Alliance of Councils, Capel community groups, Edith Cowan University—very important—in the south-west, Agricultural Protection Board, CY O'Connor Institute, South West Catchments Council or Kings Park and Botanic Garden, there was one after the other. He was very, very committed to regional development through the South West Development Commission and also spent a lot of time on Western Dairy. That's on top of almost every position in the Forrest division of the Liberal Party itself.

He was strong until the very end, fighting cancer with the same approach he took to life. He was interested and involved in community affairs right until the end. He lived a full, active life, supported and loved by his wonderfully strong wife, Lucille, and his daughters Miranda and Juanita and their families. As Abraham Lincoln said, 'In the end, it's not the years in your life that count; it's the life in your years.' Brian, may you rest in peace.

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