Last week's Guest Speaker: Sid Cramp MP
A common Australian "sport" (quotation marks deliberate) is the derogatory comments about politicians. "Lazy, in it just for themselves, snout in the trough" are just some of the more civilized descriptions. And when one reads the newspaper, in particular the boulevard press (and, I regret to say that even Brisbane's major paper just about meets all the criteria for this category), one frequently reads stories that may give justice to such remarks. But then, one meets the "real" person. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of working on a committee with two of them when helping to organize a couple of Mental Health Forums for Australian Rotary Health. One was Peta-Kay Croft, then the member for Broadwater, and Christine Smith, then the member for Burleigh. No problems working with us late into the night. Ask for anything within reason. Whilst I have not had the opportunity to work with Sid Cramp, the sitting LNP member for Gaven, I can't help the feeling that Sid falls into the same hard working category. Before entering politics, Sid had worked for 14 years for the Queensland Ambulance Service. At the time of his switch to politics, he was Acting Chief Inspector. And in case you thought that conservative politicians are the proverbial "Tories", e.g. "us against them", I've got news for you: Being very unhappy with the (at the time) incumbent Union, Sid actually organized a new Ambulance Officer's Union, the Emergency Medical Services Protection Association. (They rather want to be known as a 'Professional Association' than a Union). This body now has some 1100 members in Queensland. "In 5 years I never lost a case, because we always worked with the management to resolve an issue" he said.
Feel like you can't get access to your local member? Well, Sid challenges that 'tarring all with the same brush' concept. "My office is like Central Station", he quipped. "Yet, only 7% of my constituents actually come to my office at some stage. My challenge is to meet the other 93%". So, he engages the community in meetings, heavily works towards preventing Domestic Violence and Bullying in Schools. "Did you know that 95% of Domestic Violence victims are women and children?". It is just one of his many areas of active engagement. And, as an active member of Rotary (Nerang Rotary Club), he thus practices the theme 'Rotary Serves Humanity' on a daily basis.