Annette’s influence on ABC Friends Southern Bayside Group’s (SBG) activities was exceptional.  Not long after she joined in 2003, she became Secretary. Annette joined Don McLaren, Treasurer and the writer as the group’s executive in an unbroken partnership of twenty continuous hard-working years.

Annette was a leader or an integral part of every promotion, protest or celebration which ABCF-SBG arranged or were involved in for all those twenty years.

Two events, in particular, immediately spring to mind. The Bunnings Sausage sizzle held in February 2014 was organised from beginning to end by Annette. She made the booking, attended the Safe Handling of Food Course, organised the volunteers and worked all day from 7.30am until 4pm on a day of 38C. The event raised almost $2,000.

The other was a Public Meeting at the Brighton Town Hall in August 2023. Annette sought out and booked the venue and then played a vital part in seeking the speakers Jon Faine, Gail Jennings and Zoe Daniel. This event attracted more than 150 participants.

Annette also helped lead the protests outside the offices of Mitch Fifield (Minister for Communications) in May 2019 and Senator David Van’s Office in April 2022; stalls at Kingston Market: the fund-raising flower shows in Sandringham and Hampton on all four occasions; as well as letter boxing for the pro-ABC independent Goldstein candidate in 2022.

Annette also served for a period on the ABC Friends Victorian Committee of Management.

We were delighted when Annette was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for Services to Aged Care.

Very sadly, Annette was diagnosed in 2024 with cancer which restricted her activities, but she still attended meetings when well enough.

She was awarded Life Membership of ABC Friends for great endeavour, application and achievement. President Pam Creed wrote in the citation;

Annette thank you for being an outstanding member of ABC Friends, both in your local group, and during your time on the state committee.

At the heart of ABC Friends are those in the community who share the belief that truth, courage and ethical standards in public broadcasting are worth fighting for and defending. Those who step up to lend their time, effort, enthusiasm and advocacy to further this cause do so, generously in the service not only for ABC Friends, but indeed for the community as a whole and for our democracy.

 An outstanding member of the community, respected and dearly loved by all.