Tuesday, 17 February 2026

 Matt FREGON (Ashwood) (15:06): Last time we were here I tried to get out all of the Norm Gibbs Community Leadership Award recipients. I am going to give it another go, so: Michael Looi from Holy Family primary school, Patrick Muller from Parkhill Primary School, Jimmy Boys from Mount Waverley Secondary, Nicci Rudge from Glen Iris Primary, Caitlin Mujie from Avila College, Alyn Anuchiracheeva from Mount Waverley North Primary School, Ira Veer from Essex Heights Primary School, Abel Ebi Joseph from Salesian College, Taviru Perera from Syndal South Primary School, Ryan Lim from Ashwood High School, Hayden Trevaskis from Camberwell South Primary School, Amaya Wijesiri from Solway Primary School, Lily Gault from Mount Waverley Primary School, Nirisha Guduru from Huntingtower school, and Patricia Gardner-Dryden and Jadyn Katz from Ashwood School.

This award is named after Norm Gibbs. Norm is a legend around Monash. He was Zodo the Clown at the Monash Children’s Hospital for years. Norm is 98, by the way. Norm and his wife are celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary today. Norm is unfortunately not too well – he is in care at Cabrini at the moment. I am sure I can speak on behalf of the house to wish Norm and Topsy a very happy anniversary and say thank you for everything they do. The man was signing 40,000 signatures as a justice of the peace up until the age of 92. He was Zodo the Clown until 91. He is on every life membership list of every volunteer group in our area. That is why we name community leadership after Norm: because not all heroes wear capes.