House debates

Monday, 15 February 2021

Statements by Members

Chill Out & Look About

4:27 pm

Photo of Peta MurphyPeta Murphy (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

No doubt 2020 was a difficult year for all of us, but for some people it was perhaps the most devastating year of their lives. In March last year Dylan Briggs, a year 9 student from Frankston High School, was riding his bike home. He was hit just a few hundred metres from his home, and died in hospital five days later. I can't comprehend, and I don't know how many people can comprehend, the unspeakable grief for Dylan's family. This tragedy was felt by his friends, by his school and by the wider Frankston community.

Dylan's classmates stepped up. They wanted to celebrate Dylan and share his story in a meaningful way. They've created the Chill Out & Look About campaign. It's an initiative which aims to improve road safety and awareness for all road users, and I encourage everyone to find it on their Facebook page and their website. It's an amazing initiative, and the very worthy winner of Frankston council's Community Event of the Year at the council's Australia Day ceremony. Kai Malcolm was the Young Citizen of the Year. I want to congratulate Kai and his classmates and everyone from the school, particularly Sarah Bahramis, his teacher. I give my condolences to Dylan's family, particularly his mum Sarah-Jane. As she said, Dylan's lasting legacy was that he was an organ donor. He saved the life of a mother, a young boy and many others.