Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to advise the members of the House of an outstanding Australian, an outstanding Queenslander and an outstanding constituent of mine in Wright: Graham Porter. Graham Porter has recently been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his work as a volunteer. Graham's OAM (General Division) is officially described as the pre-eminent means by which Australia recognises the outstanding and meritorious service of its citizens. It has been awarded to Graham for his services to the community in sporting, youth and service organisations. It is a suitable acknowledgement of Graham's 50 years of service to the communities in which he has been involved.

At the age of 22 Graham was already involved with the Presbyterian Fellowship of Australia, and the scope of his community service involvement included rowing clubs, music clubs, youth orchestras, youth clubs, service clubs and school P&Cs, where he specialised in fundraising. There is not a town or city where Graham and his wife Marjorie have lived that has not had Graham as a member of the committee or executive member of the P&C association.

Graham trained as an engineer, gained a Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Geography and a postgraduate diploma in town planning. Graham worked in various fields with the roads and aerodromes branch of the then Commonwealth Department of Works and was part of the team of the Department of Works and Planning which prepared Sydney Airport 2 for its first jet passenger aircraft.

Graham spent 12 years in Canberra with the National Capital Development Commission, which taught him practical town-planning solutions. During this time, whilst also studying, he built the family home and was on the committee of the Chapman Primary School P&C. After leaving Canberra, Graham moved the family to various places depending on the available work and spent some time in Mackay, where he managed the Mackay Regional Development Bureau. During this time he was involved with the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, set up a new home and was elected as a Mackay City alderman. He was the founder and inaugural President of the Mackay Regional Beekeepers Association and the Mariculture Association. Additionally, he was the inaugural Chairman of the Mackay Conservatorium of Music, Community Support Committee, President of the Mackay Youth Orchestra and founder and life member of the Mackay Rowing Club. It was during Graham's time in Mackay that he joined Rotary—the relationship that I know him through. Following their relocation from Mackay in 2004 to Harrisville he joined Boonah Rotary. He then became Charter President of the Rotary Club of Fassifern Valley which was founded in 2010.

Graham sees a cause and asks: 'Why aren't we doing anything about this?' When people say that it is too hard, he looks at solving the problem through an organisation or else he will form an organisation which addresses the issue. I congratulate Graham.