Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are just amazing people in our community who dedicate enormous time and effort to making sure our world is a safer and better place to live. One such person is Helen Killmier a passionate advocate for community and those who find themselves in adverse situations. Helen for the past nine years has been a board member of FAN, Family Access Network, a tremendous local group which has at its core housing as a basic human right and that young people have a right to self-determination.

For many of these years Helen served as the board's chair and at the recent AGM announced her retirement. Helen brought to the board a wealth of experience from the not for profit and local government sector as well as her professional expertise in psychology. Helen's time on the board has been of great benefit to FAN during much uncertainty brought about by changing government priorities and funding uncertainty. Helen has seen FAN's strategic plan developed, implemented and evaluated with flying colours in her time—an achievement any board chair would be proud of.

FAN continues to provide holistic responses to young people in housing crisis and support young people in need. The service has operated in Box Hill for 33 years, regardless of many people saying in the leafy green suburbs there are not such things as need and homelessness. Helen saw above this and has put against the socio-demographic picture to see the real need. Helen's drive, vision, skill, warm personality and humour have provided the anchor as chair to FAN for many years and on behalf of our community I wish to say thank you. She will be missed at FAN, but her legacy in the role will live on.