MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: REFLECTIONS ON PREVIOUS QJA MEMBERS OF THE YEAR As the QJA gears up to announce the prestigious QJA Awards for 2021, Director Joan Kennedy looks back at former recipients of the Member of the Year Award. While the previous winners may not know each other personally, they have many things in common. All have been recognised for their dedication to the oath of the Justice of the Peace and outstanding service to their communities and the QJA family.
DAVID HARRIS JP (QUAL) – MEMBER OF THE YEAR 2016
2016 was the inaugural year of the QJA Awards for Excellence (as they were known then) and David Harris was the first recipient. David is now retired and winding down but has very fond memories of JP life with the QJA. He says of receiving the Member of the Year Award that ‘It was an unexpected honour which recognised my professional responsibilities as a JP. I really appreciated the support of my colleagues in the Branch where I had been the Chair for the previous 4 years’. David received his award at the Conference dinner following the 2016 State Conference in Rockhampton and it certainly made his trip up north from Brisbane much more worthwhile after a stimulating conference. As I was talking to David, he reflected on the award saying that ‘it is dear to me and I keep it in pride of place in my office’. While he did not need an award to prompt him to continue his activities with the QJA, he continues to promote the QJA, mentoring and recruiting new members to the Branch.
QJA Quarterly
RON COURT JP (QUAL) – MEMBER OF THE YEAR 2017 ‘Being awarded Member of the Year in 2017 was the pinnacle of my career as a JP’ said Ron Court when I asked him how he felt about receiving the award. Ron was quite humbled by the experience and said ‘Everything I did to achieve this award was really a team effort, and it was a great surprise to be singled out for recognition. Over the last 20 or so years, I have loved my time with the QJA as a member and trainer of prospective JPs and Cdecs, especially the face-to-face connection’. Ron reflected on his achievements and recalled how wonderful it was to be recognised. He was instrumental in setting up the Caboolture Branch and was its first Chairman in 2011. The Branch was such a success that, by 2015, they were able to host the State Conference. He had also been a QJA Board member for a couple of years, so being Member of the Year was the cherry on the cake. When asked about the presentation on the night, Ron said ‘Well, it was past my bedtime, so I was in a bit of a daze and lost for words for once in my life’.
Autumn 2021| 10
