Kevin Andrews (Menzies, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Australia Day, I was able to honour more than 50 local people who've made outstanding contributions to the community, including Lou Bougias. His story came to light following a Facebook post by Henry Dow, who described him as 'a genuine hero' on the day of the 2017 Bourke Street tragedy. On 20 January last year, Lou was waiting for his next job at the cab rank outside the RACV City Club when a car careered its way through the busy lunchtime crowd on Bourke Street. Bystanders stood in shock and were unsure how to help, but Lou knew exactly what to do. He immediately went to the aid of five victims, keeping them calm until the arrival of emergency services, while providing directions to others who had joined in to help.

His reaction has become one of the most inspirational acts of courage to emerge from the aftermath. On Facebook, Henry Dow wrote about Lou:

Administering first aid with me, under that skinny little tree, is a man named Lou: he is everything great and courageous you have seen, heard or read, rolled into one authentically humble bloke.

Today he's still in touch with the other first responders on that day and is keen to start an annual fundraising soccer match dedicated to the two children who died. Lou took command as he witnessed widespread horror, and the community generally owes a great debt of gratitude to him for what he did that day in January 2017.