A carpenter by trade finished my apprenticeship in 1977. Worked building new houses and renovations mainly old Queenslanders and Colonials up until 1985. Moved into High Rise and worked as a form worker becoming a site union delegate on several sites in the Brisbane CBD and started as an official with the BWIU in 1988. I worked mainly in Queensland as an organiser and as well as organising for a few months here and there in Tasmania in 97 and 01 . In 2006 -2007 I was seconded to the ACTU to run the YOUR RIGHTS AT WORK campaign in the Brisbane seat of Moreton.In 2008 I took on the unions OH&S role, and am now the health and safety coordinator for regional and central Queensland and the Northern Territory. I also have a huge interest in Asbestos Awareness. The society was founded by Shirley White OAM in 1992 . Shirley passed away in 2009 and the society is was run by the husband and wife team of Ray and Helen Colbert, who were the Secretary and President. Ray was Suffering with asbestos disease himself. I became involved when I lost several friends to Mesothelioma, the deadliest asbestos disease. The society is a not for profit charity organisation, and helps both the victims and families of asbestos disease.Sadly on the 21st May 2013, Ray passed away from renal failure, a common cause of death for sufferers of Asbestosis. He will be sorely missed by his family and many friends at the CFMEU. RIP Ray. Helen has called it a day and has retired. The society has had a name change and is now Asbestos Disease Support Society. The new CEO is Amanda Richards. I am now the Chairman of the board of Directors. I have Cert 4 in WHS, Friable Asbestos B class removal. I have also been recently appointed again to the Construction Industry Standing Committee, which is the formation of the Qld Labor Government, the construction unions, and the employer organisations.