Thursday, 30 November 2023

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Minister for Education, Minister for Medical Research) (09:44): I rise to pay tribute to Father Gerard Dowling OAM DE, a Catholic priest with the Archdiocese of Melbourne for 65 years and the official historian of the North Melbourne Football Club. I saw Father Gerry only recently at St Martin de Porres in Avondale Heights for their 60th anniversary. He was born in Essendon, the twin of Mary Simpson, in 1932. He studied at my old school as well – St Bernard’s College, Essendon – before moving to St Patrick’s College in Ballarat. He was ordained as a priest in 1958, and he rose to become dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne. He received a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1985, and perhaps he is best known as host of The Family Counsellor, which he did for over 50 years. Vale, Gerard Dowling.