Ms ADDISON (Wendouree) (10:00): I too wish to pay my respects to the life of Frank Sheehan, OAM, who passed away yesterday.

Frank was a valued member of the Ballarat community and a former Labor member of the Victorian Parliament, representing Ballarat South from 1982 to 1992.

Frank was highly respected as a kind and good man who cared about people. I offer my deepest sympathies to his wife, Rosalie; their children, Jane, Michael, Roseanne and Katrina; and their grandchildren.

Francis Patrick Sheehan was born to Cornelius and Kathleen, potato farmers in Dunnstown. Frank was educated at St Brendan’s Primary School, Dunnstown, and at St Paul’s Tech. He left school at the age of 14 to work on the family farm and became a motor mechanic at the age of 17.

Frank was a top footballer at Ballarat East, winning the club’s best and fairest in 1961. He went on to become a youth worker and national president of the Young Christian Workers. Between 1970 and 1982 Frank taught motor trades at the Ballarat School of Mines and was an office-bearer of the Technical Teachers Association of Victoria.

At the 1973 Victorian state election Frank ran as the ALP candidate for Ballarat South. He was unsuccessful but ran again in 1976 and 1979. In 1982 Frank was elected to the Victorian Parliament and served our community for over a decade. He was a great local member. Vale, Frank Sheehan, OAM.

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