Christine McLean may be a name familiar to you as she recently authored a book on ICPA Qld’s history for our 50th Anniversary. In regards to ICPA however, Christine is much more than a compiler, curator and composer of words and images.
Christine is a founding member of the Mitchell-Toomoo Branch and remains a member today over 34 years later. A great driver for the submission of motions at State and Federal conferences, she helped construct many of these motions and encouraged the Branch to attend conferences to present those motions on the floor. She continues to be a proactive and active member encouraging others to join and mentoring those already involved.
After only eighteen months of membership, Christine stepped into an executive position within the Branch. She remained Branch Secretary for three years before moving to the role of Treasurer for the next four years.
In her last year as Branch Treasurer, Christine deepened her commitment to ICPA by coming onto State Council. She undertook the role of State Councillor for two years, followed by Treasurer for five and Secretary for her final two years before stepping down in 2005.
Many recall her skill, whether at Branch or State, with numbers and words as well as her excellent recollection of faces and names, a talent many of us would surely envy. She was also a great collector of news articles potentially relevant to State portfolios and kept towering piles in pigeonholes to send to Councillors via mail to assist them in their advocacy – no emails or social media message groups available then to share information.
Christine’s time on State Council saw her oversee the introduction of GST and she worked tirelessly to ensure that ICPA Qld received the maximum benefits possible through recognition as a not-for-profit organisation. The Remote Area Travel Allowance (which we see in LAFHAS) was another cause championed by Christine. She devoted many tireless hours to working with the Dept of Transport to ensure maximum benefit to families in the face of the government’s required cost neutral policy. Christine’s passion also extended to special needs and the need to ensure support was available to rural and remote students including those undertaking Distance Education. As well, farm safety and getting those messages out to country children and their families was another issue close to her heart. In the mid to late 1990’s she worked hard to ensure that Giddy Goanna, and his mates, spread the message about safety far and wide, ensuring School of the Air children did not miss out on the important lessons these loveable Aussie characters had to share.
Christine was awarded life membership of her Branch in 2008 and today, State Council would like to recognise her remarkable and generous contribution to ICPA (and also acknowledge the support of her husband and children which enabled her to contribute to our organisation) and say thank you Christine for all you have done, and continue to do, in the name of ICPA. You are a shining example of why and how ICPA has succeeded, sustained and strengthened over the past fifty years.
