Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to remember and pay tribute to a great Canberran. Frank Brown was born in Northern Ireland in 1940 and immigrated to South Australia in 1968. Five years later, Frank moved to Canberra to take up a public service job with the Navy. He later worked in the Department of Aviation, Veterans' Affairs, the ACT Schools Authority and the Australian Federal Police.

He lived in Kambah where he was known and loved by his community and nowhere more so than the Kambah Lions Club. Last month I was invited by the Kambah Lions Club to help present the Lion Frank Brown memorial award for community service to the Tuggeranong Valley, and there wasn't a dry eye in the room.

The inaugural award was named in Frank's honour after he passed away this year from motor neurone disease. Frank was a charter member of the Kambah Lions Club when he began in April 1977. He was a life member, president on two occasions, secretary and he held various other board positions.

He was Lions Youth Haven Board Chairman from 2007 until 2014. During that time, he oversaw the reconstruction of Westwood Farm after the 2003 bushfires and was fundamental in setting up the Lions Youth Haven, which is a 70-bed hostel in Kambah. That is where the event was held just a few weeks ago.

The Canberra community has lost a legend in Frank Brown—a major contributor to the community—and I extend my condolences to his family and friends.