weekly hansard - Queensland Parliament - Queensland Government

2570 Matters of Public Interest 23 Aug 2005
for a short time in the local garage before becoming a telegram boy. In 1950 he went to Brisbane and
attended the Postmaster-General’s linesman training school. He became a member of the Tallebudgera
Surf Lifesaving Club and would travel to the coast on the weekends.
It was in 1951 on one of these trips to the coast that he met Beverley Phillips, the only daughter of
Jim and Muriel. Upon completion of his training, Bob returned to Roma and the romance blossomed.
Bob married the love of his life on 8 August 1953. Bob and Bev would have been married for 52 years
on 8 August which is an amazing and wonderful achievement.
After their marriage Bob and Bev went to Gayndah for a short time where Bob was employed as a
linesman before returning to live in Roma. In 1954 a daughter, Karen, was born and I was born in 1955,
50 years ago tomorrow. In 1957 Bob built their first home in Wyndam Street, Roma. Bob sought
promotion within the PMG and studied to become qualified as a technical officer which meant a transfer
to Brisbane. The family rented a property in Kangaroo Point while their new home was built in Gloriana
Street, Morningside.
In 1965, soon after their third child, Anne-Maree, was born, Bob was sent to New Guinea where
he spent nine weeks, mostly in rugged, mountainous regions. Not long after, he took a job as an
instructor at the linesman training school at Chermside. After some years at the school he applied for
and was promoted to another position within the PMG. It was in this new position that he came to the
attention of Frank Waters, the state secretary of the Amalgamated Postal Workers Union of Australia,
later to become the Australian Postal and Telecommunications Union, APTU. Frank was impressed with
this young man and asked him to come into the union office and see if he liked the job.
In November 1972 Bob was elected onto the state executive of the union and, upon Frank
Waters’s retirement, was appointed as acting state secretary of the union. On 20 February 1973 he was
appointed as state secretary and remained in that position until he retired in 1987. He was also elected
as assistant general secretary from 1975 to 1984 and as general president from 1985 to 1987. These
latter positions meant that he spent a lot of time in Melbourne. The then general secretary, George
Slater, asked Bob to move to Melbourne and take over as general secretary; however, this was not to be
because Bev did not want to leave her grandchildren. After his retirement from the union Bob worked for
Australia Post, when required, as chairman, board of reference.
In 1968 Bob had opened savings accounts for each member of the family in a little-known credit
union called the Queensland Postal Cooperative. This small credit union was later to become Credit
Union Australia, which is now one of Australia’s largest credit unions. Bob became a director of Credit
Union Australia in 1982 and in 1987 became chairman of the board until his retirement in 2001. Bob was
a key figure in Credit Union Australia’s growth and development over the years. He was instrumental in
securing the merger with the CPS Credit Society in 1997 which at the time was the largest merger to
have been undertaken in Australian credit union history. In recognition of Bob’s work with the union
movement he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal on 26 January 1989.
Bob was diagnosed with cancer in December 2003, and the last few months were difficult as it
became much harder for him to breathe. During this period there was not a lot that he could do except to
watch sport on TV—especially Rugby League—play cards and occasionally go out. Without a doubt,
Bob’s favourite place to visit was the Treasury Casino, where he could play the pokies and spend his
children’s inheritance.
On Monday, 18 July 2005, Bob, while playing a machine, collapsed and, after attempts were
made to revive him, died. He is survived by his wife, Bev, three children and seven grandchildren. A
large number of mourners attended his funeral at Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Cleveland on 25
July 2005. I take this opportunity to thank all honourable members who came along to that funeral and
also all honourable members who have said so many wonderful things to me and my family on the
passing of my father.
Maryborough Base Hospital
Mr CHRIS FOLEY (Maryborough—Ind) (12.09 pm): History helps retain pride in our
achievements and Maryborough Base Hospital has a proud history. Maryborough Base Hospital was
opened by Sir Samuel Griffith, the then Premier of Queensland, in April 1885. Under the act of 1925 the
government took over responsibility for the hospital and the first Maryborough hospital board was
appointed.
There have been many hardworking people through the years who have dedicated their lives to
patient care at this fine establishment. Two Maryborough Base Hospital nurses, nurses Bauer and
Wiles, are hailed as saving the nation from the plague and gave their lives in the course of duty. It is no
wonder that the citizens of Maryborough fiercely defend what has come at such a great price.
Subsequent to the building of Hervey Bay’s new hospital, the Beattie government funded a
$17 million redevelopment of Maryborough’s mental health unit and the central block. Most people
would remember the distress and anger shown by Maryborough residents during that time as they saw
services being surreptitiously eroded. The public rally and the meeting in the city hall was a genuine