Carol Berry (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to recognise Bob Harrison OAM, who passed away in April at the age of 91. Bob was born in Goulburn and moved to Port Kembla in 1953 to work for Australian Iron & Steel, which later became part of BlueScope. He became a waterside worker two years later and was an active member of the Maritime Union of Australia.

In 1971, Bob was elected to Shellharbour Council and continued as a councillor until 1991, serving as mayor twice during those two decades. Bob became the state member for Kiama following a by-election in 1986. This meant that he was both the mayor of Shellharbour and the member for Kiama for five years. Bob was successfully re-elected as the member for Kiama in 1988, 1991 and 1995 before he decided to retire in 1999 to spend more time with his family and pursue his many hobbies, including breeding and exhibiting poultry and target pistol shooting.

Bob was a life member of the Maritime Union of Australia, a life member of the South Coast Labour Council and a life member of the Australian Labor Party. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of Australia for his service to local and state government. Bob Harrison is a local Labor Party legend who has left an extraordinary legacy. I am proud to have this opportunity to recognise his contribution to our community. Thank you.

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