![](https://www.markspeakman.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_6841-1-1024x768.jpg)
Volunteer chair and board member of Gymea Community Aid and Information Service (GCAIS) Kay Herald has been announced as the 2024 Cronulla Senior of the Year.
I was delighted to present the award to Kaye with Shadow Minister for Seniors Bronnie Taylor at a morning tea to recognise the work of 13 local volunteers nominated for the award.
Kaye is a significant contributor to our community, giving her time to lead an organisation that is making a difference to the lives of people including seniors and people from culturally diverse backgrounds.
After joining the GCAIS committee in 2016, Kaye stepped up to lead its board in 2019 and has worked hard with her fellow board members and staff to grow and strengthen the organisation for the benefit of its clients and the GCAIS team.
Kaye is appreciated for her hands on and inclusive leadership as she mentors and provides direction to fellow board members, while at the same time supporting the business and taking an active interest in the services delivered.
I congratulate Kaye on her contribution to GCAIS and on being recognised for the volunteer work she does as a valued senior in our community.
It was inspiring to learn of the volunteer work being done by the 13 finalists for Cronulla Senior of the Year who are aged between 64 and 95.
I thank and congratulate these finalists for their efforts and dedication as volunteers including work for community aid and welfare, schools, Sutherland Hospital, prisons, emergency service, surf and sporting clubs, palliative care, and family support.
The finalists are a snapshot of the incredible work being done by seniors in the Shire and I thank each one of them in our community who lend their valuable time to a range of organisations and groups.
The other finalists for 2024 were:
Dianne Batty, Kirrawee
40 years of volunteer service to a range of community organisations and causes, including Elouera Surf Life Saving Club, Sutherland Hospital Kiosk, her local Community Fire Unit, and the John Franklin Christmas Luncheon.
Nick Boes, Kurnell
The founder of the Adopt our Historic Drive Campaign to beautify and maintain Captain Cook Drive in a volunteer contribution in Kurnell since 1958 including the Rural Fire Service, Kurnell Progress and Precinct residents Association, Kurnell Public School, and the Sutherland Shire Kurnell Tourism Strategy Working Party.
Sue Brannock, Caringbah
25 years of service to the Wanda Surf Life Saving Club through the Auxiliary Committee, and the Sutherland to Surf Organising Committee.
Jill Cameron, Cronulla
35 years of service to Elouera Surf Life Saving Club through surf patrols and surf awareness training, as well as in the area of administration for the Silver Salties program.
Stewart Cameron, Cronulla
60 years of service to North Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club, including through front line lifesaving, coaching, water safety, first aid, club maintenance and mentoring.
Catherine Carmichael, Caringbah
Volunteer service providing end of life care and support, as well as support for women with young families.
Maureen Clark, Gymea Bay
12 years of volunteer service to Dandelion Support Network, including as a volunteer team leader, advocate and fundraiser.
Tony Dedda, Cronulla
Volunteer service as board member and chair of Crossroads Prison Ministries and to Shire Presbyterian Church Cronulla.
Daphne Lee, Miranda
Volunteer service to Gymea Anglican Church through the mobile community food pantry and other church ministries.
Ron Lucas, Gymea
Decades of volunteer service to the Grays Point community including through the Kids Hope program at Grays Point Public School and local sport.
Gary Rigney, Caringbah South
Volunteer service over several decades to Gymea United Football Club, including as committee member, ground controller and coach.
Alice Tierney, Caringbah
Volunteer service through physical culture classes for girls and women in the Sutherland Shire over more than 50 years.
🧧Celebrating the Lunar New Year last night with Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian and other dignitaries and community members - with a bit of K-Pop thrown in too.
Wishing all those communities health, happiness and prosperity in the new year! ... See MoreSee Less
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Yes lovely , it would be wonderful IF we also celebrated Australia Day with respect instead of putting up with vandalism by the Lefty hating anti Australians !
Happy new year 2025
GoOd Morning, 😃 Congratulations, HaVe A GrEaT DaY! #Amazing_Work, #Great_photoS, #Great_VideO, #GreAt_LeAdeR
Remember the lockdowns. Vote independent. Avoid the fascunists.
A cracker of a day and a beautiful 22 degrees in calm water for the annual Shark Island Swim.
Thanks Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club for this wonderful community event! ... See MoreSee Less
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Thank you Mark for your ongoing support of the Shark Island Swim. 😎
Missed you!
Thanks Mark, was a terrific day! Thanks for supporting!
Beautiful
Thanks Mark sorry I catch up
GoOd Afternoon, 😃 Congratulations, HaVe A GrEaT DaY! #Amazing_Work, #Great_photoS, #Great_VideOs, #GreAt_LeAdeR
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great to see you actually swimming, Mark! Some prefer taxpayer funded rides for their leisure trips. Must be nice to have a government chauffeur😜
You will have to resign now after being caught using your government car and driver for personal use
I agree with you about the Labor Ministers, but your getting taxpayer-funded staff to collect your dry cleaning is also not ok. Two things can be true at once. It also doesn't pass the pub test.
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Your enthusiastic NSW Liberals team gathering this week to prepare for the new Parliamentary year. ... See MoreSee Less
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Have a great year Lib team.
GoOd Afternoon, 😃 Congratulations, HaVe A GrEaT DaY! #Amazing_Work, #Great_PhoTo, #GreAt_LeAdeR
Best wishes everyone, sure Libs will have a great year. Thank you for your Parliamentarian service.
Mark will you be building more metro lines and build them concurrently?
They’re itching to lick down the state again.
You will have to resign now after being caught using your government car and driver for personal use
Never forget you didn’t stand up to Don Harwin
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Statement on the latest, shocking escalations of anti-Semitic activity. ... See MoreSee Less
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👌
Why do all Australian politicians keep ignoring the fact that the Christian religion is under attack: the Wakeley NSW stabbing last year and the hundreds of arson attacks on churches in France, the deaths from stabbings and terrorist attacks on Christians in Germany and the deaths from the terrorist attack in New Orleans, USA. This not a competition. That said, it is strange that Australian politicians only focus on either the Jewish or Islamic religions. Where are the details about the terrorist who attacked the Priests in the Wakeley Church.
Do you really think, they were stupid enough to leave the note.
I find it disgusting that Chris Minns is putting his speech about antisemitism on a video and immediately after it another starts showing all the graphic details of a Halo video game, shooting and blowing things up. If he doesn’t want people to get mixed messages he should organise things a bit better. Hitting the table to make a point is not how a leader demonstrates maturity.
It looks like a distraction.
What the fuck is wrong with people
These grubs should be caught and deported immediately.
Albo is worried about upsetting his 1.1 migrants, 10 000 still arriving every week, thousands arriving by air every month seeking asylum, 4000 refugees from the Middle East, 20 000 foreign students on expired student visas refusing to leave and using taxpayers money to challenge their removal, and using taxpayers money to challenge their removal, oh and the illegal boat arrivals have recommenced under Labor. PD 2025.💙 Time to go Minns, Allan and Albo!!! This under YOUR WATCH!!! Yet another 'home soil terrorist racial attack' in Sydney. It shows how these abhorrent racial terrorists despite the people in Australia having zero control over decades old unrest overseas, but even a ceasefire has not stopped their racially motivated terrorist attacks on innocent people living in Australia, but also has not stopped their 27 months of weekly Pro-Palestinian protests which are costing taxpayers millions of dollars yo monitor, spreading hate towards the Jewish community, general community and disrupting the lives of people living in Australia. Obviously the actions of the racial terrorist attackers and continuing protests are signature of this sector of this community who does not want peace and never will. They are far removed from the values of our Australia people, Australian residents, Australian communities, outside theirs. Disgraceful and unacceptable. Labor, both state and federal have created this abhorrent unacceptable behaviour by 'walking away' from the initial pro Palestinian protests, which were a celebration of the Hamas genocidal attacks in Israel, held at the Opera House, and telling the Jewish community to STAY AWAY, and arresting a person carrying a Israeli flag, after the unacceptable abhorrent genocidal attacks on the Israelis' people on 7th October 2023. The behaviour you walk away from is the behaviour you ACCEPT!!! Since then, they have allowed and provided police at taxpayer's expense ($5 million in 12 months in NSW) , and inconvenience to the Australian people to allow weekly pro Palestinian protests in Sydney and Melbourne, which are STILL went ahead Sunday despite the ceasefire on Sunday. Even a terrorist attack against a Synagogue in Melbourne wasn't important enough for Albo to cease his electioneering in WA, and a spot of tennis...it took him FOUR DAYS to head to Melbourne....disgraceful, and speaks volumes of his weakness. These protests have fueled hate towards ALL Jewish people! OVERSEAS CONFLICTS HAVE ZERO TO DO WITH ANY PEOPLE LIVING IN AUSTRALIA. Man up Albo, for once in your life, this is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY under YOUR WATCH and is a consequence of YOUR INACTION. Under Albo, our threat level has increased to 'probable', under Albo. 'Current National Terrorism Threat Level Australia’s general terrorism threat level is PROBABLE — there is a greater than fifty per cent chance of an onshore attack or attack planning in the next twelve months. The national terrorism threat level is a warning tool to provide government and the public an indication of what ASIO is seeing and anticipates in the near future. The security environment will continue to change in response to issues and events that arise both in Australia and overseas. The government will continue to provide updated advice to the Australian community as these changes occur. ASIO is observing the emergence of domestic actors increasingly driven to action by socio-political issues, intersecting with personal grievances. There is an increase in extremism, fuelled by conspiracy theories and anti-authority ideologies. Some actors hold a blend of ideologies, including those that justify acts of violence to influence change. The rise of individual grievance narratives and how they are expressed, are impacting society’s ability to find common ground. Increasingly it is leading to a normalisation of provocative and inflammatory behaviours contrary to community standards and liberal democratic values. Global events such as the conflict in the Middle-East, have resonated in Australia and will continue to do so. Terrorism and violent extremism around the world also endure. Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates have demonstrated their capability to conduct large-scale external operations. They are almost certainly building on recent successes to plan and conduct further attacks with an intent to target the West, and would consider Australia a legitimate target.' www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/national-threat-level/current-national-terrorism-threat-level Sadly, under the Labor government, if caught they will be placed on a taxpayer-funded 'anti- radicalisation' course and be laughing all the way to their next abhorrent attack. "We warned you life would not be easy under Albanese!" Mr. Dutton and his qualified, experienced and professional team are rightfully the political party to run this country. If firm immediate action is not implemented NOW our country will decline to a Middle-Eastern terrorist torn country.
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The iconic @johnveage is the 2025 Sutherland Shire Citizen of the Year.
For 40 years as photographer for Leader News, John has captured for posterity the key moments - and the quirky moments - in Shire life.
John is also a leading light in the local surfing community, including as a founding Life Member of Cronulla Boardriders Club and president and life member of Surfing Sutherland Shire.
Congratulations to the worthy winners in other categories:
Young Sports Citizen of the Year - Jarvis Earle (international surfing competitor)
Sports Citizen of the Year - Daniel Michel (two time Paralympic medallist and three time Paralympian)
Environmental Citizen of the Year - Rhonda Daniels (bushcare volunteer since 2004)
Community Group of the Year - @ProjectYouth (working to prevent youth homelessness)
Young Citizen of the Year - Harrison Edwards (12 year old football volunteer) ... See MoreSee Less
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Congratulations John so well deserved. Thank you so much for all that you do for the community.
Excellent choices in all areas of the community and especially the younger future leaders!
Congratulations to all the winners 👏 👏 👏
Congratulations John from the Frain family. 🥇👏
Congratulations John
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🇦🇺Happy Australia Day again!
My #AustraliaDay started early with the WugulOra (“One Mob”) Morning Ceremony at Barangaroo.
I later joined the enthusiastic welcome to over 140 new Aussie citizens at The Pavilion, Sutherland.
Later tonight it’s a concert and fireworks in Cronulla Park.
Earlier in the week I joined the moving Australia Day reception at 2MFM Muslim Community Radio.
All a great chance to “Reflect. Respect. Celebrate.” ... See MoreSee Less
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GoOd Afternoon, 😃 Congratulations, 🎊🎉 Happy Australia Day! 🇳🇿 HaVe A GrEaT DaY! #Amazing_Work, #Great_PHoTos, #Great_VideO, #GreAt_LeAdeR
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Have a great day 🇦🇺🍺🏏
You will have to resign now after being caught using your government car and driver for personal use
I understood that today was Australia Day. It doesn’t go for the whole week.
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