Lennon, Mr B.

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay) (15:43): I rise today to reflect on the life of a local Salisbury legend Brian 'Mick' Lennon. Mick passed away on Sunday 18 April 2021 and will be missed incredibly deeply by so many in our community. Occasionally in life we come across people who are larger than life and full of joy and full of enthusiasm and Mick was one of those people. His sense of community was so strong and he dedicated his life to the betterment of others.

Perhaps he is best known as the twice past president of the Salisbury RSL. Mick was dedicated to sharing the history of our service men and women with future generations. Mick proactively engaged with primary and secondary schools across northern Adelaide, taking out volunteers to run presentations about Australian veterans' history and sharing his enormous collection of memorabilia with the younger generation.

In collaboration with schools, Mick would attend excursions with high school students to the city taking them on tours of war memorial sites to explain their significance. Persuasion was Mick's second name, and he charmed and cajoled any and every political leader he came across regardless of party to gain support for his projects.

He was a member of the National Servicemen's Association of Australia (Para Districts). He believed that collaboration was the best strength we had, and he invited that group and the local branch of the Royal Australian Air Force Association to join the RSL ranks to bring shared financial membership and resources to benefit all three organisations.

Mick also liaised with the Salisbury Bowling Club to hold a bowling tournament every year for Veterans' Health Week. He liaised with the City of Salisbury, the private sector and state and federal governments to host one of the largest ANZAC Day dawn services in the state for the commemoration of the centenary of World War I in 2018. More than 10,000 people gathered to watch the dawn service at the Salisbury memorial, which was broadcast on a super screen for the community. The event garnered the City of Salisbury an Australia Day award.

Over the years Mick contributed to several projects at the RSL, including having the western wall painted by local art students and the installation of a statue of an ANZAC, which casts a shadow of a soldier on the building at dawn and dusk. He most recently commissioned a piece of stunning work of art on Park Terrace on the eastern side of the building, which commemorates the sons of Salisbury who lost their lives in service during World War I. The workers made the building a landmark and it garnered much media attention.

In 2014, Mick liaised with the Northern Adelaide State Secondary Schools Alliance to select participants in a study tour to France to commemorate the centenary of World War I. The Western Front study tour allowed 10 young people to do their own research about the 69 soldiers who served from the area of Salisbury. Mick was not just dedicated to veterans affairs, he was president of the Para District branch of the National Service Association and a foundation member, he was a northern area coordinator for Neighbourhood Watch Salisbury for 26 years and a life member of the Lions Club of Salisbury. Mick himself received a City of Salisbury Australia Day award in 1998.

I first met him as a very new candidate for Labor in 2011, but you knew very quickly that Mick would ask you absolutely anything at any time in front of anyone, but actually we developed a deep friendship. I have to say that I was absolutely delighted when Mick gave me the honour of being in an advertisement with him to support my candidature and endorse me as the member for Ramsay.

Mick was born and bred in the Salisbury area, and he never ventured far from that area that was close to his heart. Mick's lovely wife, Jenifer, was a constant support and always by his side, and our thoughts are with her during this difficult time. Mick was a wealth of knowledge, a local historian and a wonderful storyteller. More than 400 people attended his memorial service and he will clearly be missed. Vale to a Salisbury legend, Mick Lennon.