Jason Falinski (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy Speaker, I wait for the day when the member for Perth brings in background music to his speeches too!

I rise today to acknowledge Angus Gordon OAM and all that he has done in service to the community of Mackellar over a number of decades. Angus, a resident of North Narrabeen, has been at the forefront of environmental management and planning in our community, helping with storm preparation and damage management, and was recently awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. In 2016, Angus oversaw the installation of geobags, also known as giant sandbags, to act as a temporary seawall at Collaroy. Such planning served a number of houses on the Northern Beaches and helped to minimise damage to local homes and infrastructure whilst safeguarding the community in which we all live.

Being in a coastal area, the community of Mackellar is often prone to acts of nature that can cause widespread damage. The Collaroy-Narrabeen beachfront has been named the top erosion hotspot on the New South Wales coast, due to the proximity of the houses to the beach. The 2016 storm saw waves of up to eight metres hit Collaroy, washing backyards into the ocean and even destroying a swimming pool. Such an environment makes people like Angus—those willing to answer the call and to serve the community—all the more important and deserving of recognition.

In 1976, Angus established the New South Wales government's Beach Improvement Program and led the team that in 1978 produced the first coastal investigation and management study in New South Wales. He was also involved in the drafting and implementation of the 1979 New South Wales Coastal Protection Act and has served as General Manager of Pittwater Council. Such roles have allowed Angus to play a part in the planning of the Northern Beaches, helping to ensure that the area continues to be protected from the worst that nature can throw at it.

In addition to his coastal work accolades, Angus was the founding president of the Down Syndrome Association of New South Wales. The association provides a dedicated information and referral service for families, as well as peer-to-peer support, workshops and community events for members. Since its inception, the association has continued to grow, and today, 38 years later, continues to provide much-needed support, information and resources to people with Down syndrome and their families.

I'm proud to acknowledge Angus for his service to environmental management and protecting our community from serious storm damage as well as for his work with the Down Syndrome Association of New South Wales. Angus is a worthy recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia, and all of us in the community of Mackellar are lucky to count him as one of our own. Thank you.