Gellon, Mr L.

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (15:32): It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge in the house the contribution made by Laurence Gellon to my community. Laurie has received life membership at the Mount Barker and District Residents' Association and has been a member of the association for 14 years. In that time, he has served as either chair or secretary for 13 years.

It must be remembered that Laurie's service to our community has coincided with substantial changes in the district, including the rezoning of Mount Barker for large-scale population growth. In his time as chair of the association, Laurie has been far-sighted about many of the challenges that have in fact arisen.

In 1998, Laurie moved from metropolitan Melbourne to the Adelaide Hills. At that time, he had retired from work as an air traffic controller and lecturer in air traffic control, coming to that role after earlier working as a banker, a stage manager with Channel 10 and a weather observer with the Bureau of Meteorology.

It is important for me to record in this place Laurie's extraordinary contribution to the arts. Laurie's knowledge of theatre is extraordinary. He gave 28 years of his life to the Williamstown Little Theatre, including as chairperson and secretary, production director and member of the committee. He took a close interest in the hard business of staging. Of the 133 productions mounted in his time at the theatre, Laurie had a substantial role in 85, including directing 11.

For six years, Laurie was also a company director of Gateway Theatre, a professional production company in Melbourne. At one time, they were the third largest employer of actors and creatives in Melbourne. I also must recall Laurie's service to the committee of the Victorian Drama League, including as producer and presenter of their weekly radio program, Applause, Applause. The Williamstown Little Theatre and Music Theatre Guild of Victoria have recognised Laurie by conferring on him life membership. Laurie's service for 10 years as judge of the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria ought to be recorded.

Laurie is a man of tremendous compassion. He nursed a close friend who suffered from John Cunningham virus. When Laurie took his friend in, the man was not expected to live for more than six months. Instead, with Laurie's careful nursing, he lived until 2018. On his death, Laurie took in his two dogs.

I also wish to record in this place Laurie's service to the Stationmaster's Art Gallery in Strathalbyn within your electorate, Mr Speaker. I record, too, that despite the tremendous contribution that Laurie has made to his community, his own health at times has been tested. It is very much a measure of Laurie's contribution to our community that, despite the serious conditions he has faced, he has given far more to our community than he has asked for in return.