He grew up in Port Melbourne and attended the Albert Park Primary School and South Melbourne Technical College, before undertaking a butcher's apprenticeship. Frank was married at 19 to Ellen and, to quote Frank, he has `completed 54 years' of marriage, no doubt a significant achievement in itself. Ellen and Frank had five children, one of whom is now deceased, and they are now the proud grandparents of 13 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. I have met one of Frank's grandchildren, Steven—who is studying the VCE at Gladstone Park Secondary College. Steven Churchill is a fabulous young man with a brilliant mind, and I have no doubt that he will go on one day to achieve great things.
Frank Churchill moved to Broadmeadows in 1957 and has continued to reside there since, educating all of his children in Broadmeadows. Typical of members of the local community, Frank is a proud Broadmeadows resident. Frank has been a member of Freemasonry Victoria for the past 40 years and during his career he has worked as a butcher, milkman, painter and docker, truck driver and firefighter.
In 1956, Frank joined the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. He retired after 32 years in 1988. During his time at the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Frank was an active life member of the United Firefighters Union, for whom he served as a shop steward. He was a member of the committee of management before becoming president and then being elected as secretary. In 1975 Frank was appointed commissioner on the inaugural occupational health and safety commission, representing the Victorian Trades Hall Council. Along with other commissioners, he received a WorkSafe Victoria Award in 2004, in recognition of this work.
Also in 1975, Frank became the foundation director of the Firefighters Credit Union and was an active participant on the credit union's steering committee. Frank completed 27 years continuous service as director and was elected in October 2004 for a further three-year term. He was made an Associate Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Credit Union Directors in 2004. In addition to these positions, Frank became a director in 2001 on the inaugural board of Northern Support Services—formerly the Helping Hand Association for people with disabilities—a position he still holds today.
In December 1982, as a senior fireman, Frank was honoured with the National Medal for diligent long service to the community in hazardous circumstances, including in times of emergency and national disaster in direct protection of life and property. On Australia Day this year, Frank was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the community, through support for social welfare organisations for people with disabilities, particularly through the Northern Support Services group, and for services to the emergency services, through the United Firefighters Union and the Firefighters Credit Union. A search of the Australian honours list shows that Frank is only the second person from Broadmeadows to receive such an honour, the only other being Stephen Collins in 1984. We in Broadmeadows are very proud of Frank Churchill for that achievement.
I attended the Australia Day presentation ceremony at the Broadmeadows Town Hall and it was an absolute delight to see such a deserving recipient awarded the honour of the Medal of the Order of Australia. At the congratulatory luncheon held the following Sunday and attended by a great number of Frank's friends and well wishers, I extended my personal congratulations to Frank and presented him with a certificate of congratulations. Tonight, I would like to formally record my congratulations to Frank Churchill OAM, a proud Broadmeadows resident whose achievements are to be commended. I congratulate Frank for his many achievements and I particularly congratulate him for being honoured this year with the Order of Australia medal. Frank, you are a very deserving recipient, and I am proud to be your representative in the federal parliament.
