Government recognises outstanding senior Australians

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10 June 2008

The Australian Government today recognised two prominent local residents Mr John Minervini and Mrs Frances Minervini for their significant contribution to improving the lives of senior Australians.

Australian government Minister for Ageing, Mrs Justine Elliot, Federal Member for Fremantle Melissa Parke and State Member for Fremantle and WA Minister for Health, Jim McGinty presented both Mr and Mrs Minervini with a plaque during a visit to the Italian Village aged care facility.

The Community Service Award is presented to individuals who provide outstanding service to older Australians; or to older Australians who themselves provide outstanding community service. They may be community members, volunteers, carers, aged-care workers or administrators.

Mrs Elliot said both Mr and Mrs Minervini were worthy recipients of the award due to their long, varied, and continuing service to the local community.

In 1983, Frances Minervini together with Connie Travia began their work towards establishing an aged-care facility that would cater to the Italian community in Fremantle - and after 10 years the Italian Village in Fremantle began. Mrs Minervini has been made a life member of the Italian Village in recognition of her work.

“The Italian Village is the result of Frances Minervini and Connie Travia’s vision to establish a nursing home to provide culturally appropriate care for those from Italian and Southern European backgrounds,” Mrs Elliot said.

Mr Minervini began work driving a truck for the Fremantle Fishermens’ Co-Op in 1950 and became the Co-Op’s General Manager in 1976. He was central to the effort to improve roads between Fremantle and the Co-Op’s Jurien Bay processing plant – a journey that used to take 12 hours on dirt roads.

Mr Minervini was recognised for his work in the Fremantle Italian community by the Italian Government which awarded him a Star of Solidarity. He has served as a Fremantle City Councillor and as a Justice of the Peace, in addition to his membership of numerous boards and committees throughout his life of public service in Fremantle. Mr Minervini has been President of the Blessing of the Fleet committee since 1978.

“This award is an Australian Government initiative which is designed to recognise the contribution of people whose life achievements might otherwise go unremarked,” Mrs Elliot said.

“We value the contribution of senior Australians and the role they have played in shaping our country.”

In welcoming Mrs Elliot, the Federal Member for Fremantle Melissa Parke said she was pleased to see local residents recognised for their hard work and effort.

“Mr and Mrs Minervini have together made an outstanding contribution to the wider Fremantle community, in a range of areas, and over a long period of time.

“It is important to acknowledge that our society is made immeasurably richer by the tireless and good-hearted work of people like Mr and Mrs Minervini, and I encourage all Australians to take inspiration from the example set by today’s award winners,” Ms Parke said.

State Member for Fremantle, WA Attorney General and Minister for Health, Jim McGinty said: “Both Mr and Mrs Minervini are an absolute asset to our community. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate them on their tremendous achievement.

“I would like to thank them on behalf of this community for all the work they have done, and for the work they continue to do,” Mr McGinty said.

Media contact: Ruci Fixter – 0415 359 023