Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to use this time tonight to reflect on the wonderful contributions that two terrific people made to the community of Forde both through the Beenleigh region and on the northern Gold Coast. Both Doris Gibbs and Jim Ellison sadly passed away in recent weeks. Each has left an indelible mark on their communities.

Doris Ethel Rosemary Gibbs was a dear mother to Chris, Paul, Andrew, Megan and Matthew. She was also an adored grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of seven. Doris was also the dearly loved wife of Ivan Gibbs MP, who himself passed back in 2011, one day short of their 61st wedding anniversary. Mr Gibbs served on Albert Shire Council for several years as deputy mayor and also moved into state politics, being a cabinet minister under the Sir Jo Bjelke-Petersen government.

But, long before politics became part of their world, Doris and Ivan moved from Whittlesea in Victoria to Queensland in 1956. The Gibbs family started the South Coast Wrecking Co, originally on the old Sundale site in Southport, for those who know the Gold Coast. It's now called Gibbs Truck and Trailer Parts. The couple were devoted members of the Anglican Church, helping to found the Coomera Anglican College on the Gold Coast in my electorate of Forde. Doris was a force in the Coomera and northern Gold Coast communities. She gave her time supporting the Girl Guides, Holy Rood Anglican Church and Probus and was a fundraising extraordinaire.

Doris and Ivan built kindergartens. She was also a Girl Guides leader, Sunday school teacher and president and chair of women's guilds and welfare committees. She helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for new churches and family centres. Not only was she chair of her National Party electorate council; she was the first woman to ever hold such a position. She was also a Melvin Jones fellow and a Paul Harris fellow award winner and was an Order of Australia recipient.

Her daughter Megan said she always went out of her way to make sure nobody ever felt alone. I can attest to that. Whenever you met with Doris, you were met with a great big smile, a hug and a story or two. She was always interested in what you were doing and how you were going. She asked about your family. She was a wonderful person and she loved life dearly.

I would also like to pay tribute to Jim Ellison. Jim was a man committed to his region, which was around Beenleigh and the surrounding area. He too served on the Albert Shire Council as a division 1 councillor for a number of years. He was always known as somebody who would stand up for the little guy and would never just walk past an injustice.

Starting his working career as an electrician, Jim soon started a successful import-export business trading with China in the late 1970s. He moved into local government before sidestepping and making a name for himself in real estate. He was a trusted name in Logan City real estate for three decades. If I may share a little anecdote, I was out doorknocking for the 2010 campaign and had the truck parked on the side of the street. When I got back to the truck, here was Jim's card under the windscreen wiper with a note saying, 'Please come up to my place and have a chat.' I had actually forgotten he'd worked with my father, who was a ceramic tiler in the 1970s. We had a great time reminiscing and catching up.

He was one of those who came from nothing but built himself up through hard work. It was a characteristic he no doubt picked up from his mother, Jean. His mother worked tirelessly as a welder to ensure the two survived in an era when there was little support for single parents. On the football field, he gained the nickname 'Angry Ant', but it was in competitive boxing where he made his name for himself and held various state titles.

He met and later married Jill in 1963, with the couple having three children. Even after their split, Jim always admired Jill's efforts and work as a mum. He would later remarry Ruth, who would become a big part of Jim's life, not just for Jim but also for his three children. He was a popular identity at the Beenleigh bulls rugby league club, as well as the Beenleigh apex club, and his apex involvement was such that he eventually ascended to the positions of zone and national president.

My condolences go to both families, and I want to thank both for their wonderful commitment to our communities over many decades.