Community Service

Norman Rupert Mighell

(NC 1907-1910)

Mighell was Australia's deputy high commissioner in London in 1946-49, and was knighted in 1951. Wounded on Gallipoli on 25 April 1915, he was repatriated due to the severity of his wounds. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1918 and in 1929 was admitted to the Bar and became chairman of No.1 War Pensions Assessment Appeal Tribunal. In 1935 Mighell was appointed chairman of the Repatriation Commission, Melbourne and Commonwealth coal commissioner in 1941. In 1943 he chaired the committee whose recommendations on the resettlement of armed services personnel formed the basis for the Commonwealth Reconstruction Training Scheme. In the 1950s Mighell held a number of chairmanships of various companies, one of which, Territory Enterprises Pty Ltd, saw him play an important part in developing, on behalf of the Commonwealth government, the uranium deposits at Rum Jungle in the Northern Territory.

Ian Brusasco 

(NC 1943 - 1947)

Mr Brusasco was a successful businessman, politician, sports administrator and philanthropist. joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in about 1960, representing it as an Alderman on the Brisbane City Council for 14 years. He subsequently guided the ALP Inner Executive in turning around the fortunes of their radio station 4KQ, and management of the ALP's finances. In 1988, Brusasco was named a Member of the Order of Australia "in recognition of service to the sport of soccer". In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal for "distinguished service to business and commerce". The following year he was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to the community of Queensland through leadership roles with a range of public administration, sporting and charitable organisations, particularly Foodbank Queensland".

Sir Francis Joseph McAvoy 

(NC 1927-1929)

Sir McAvoy was an Australian businessman involved with the sugar industry. His CBE was "For services to the sugar industry." McAvoy has been described as a "colossus of the sugar industry". His involvement in the sugar industry spanned more than 60 years, with over 40 years as a sugar leader.

Francis Raymond Connelly

(NC 1905-1910)

Sir Connelly was a successful businessman and lord mayor of Melbourne for three terms (1945-46, 1946-47 and 1947-48). Connelly was a progressive reformer who sought a 'brighter' metropolis, urging the relaxation of laws on liquor and Sunday entertainment, longer shopping hours, the opening of an international airport and the training of hotel staffs to encourage tourists. An ardent Empire loyalist and charity-worker, he was prominent in the Food for Britain campaign, and in the development of the Lord Mayor's Camp at Portsea which in summer provided accommodation as well as free dental and health care for poor children from the country. In 1948 Connelly was knighted and travelled to London where he began the campaign which was to secure the Olympic Games for Melbourne in 1956. One of Connelly's last official acts was to light a replica of the Olympic torch on 29 April 1949, following the announcement that Melbourne had been awarded the Games. Two thousand people attended a requiem Mass at St Patrick's Cathedral celebrated by Archbishop Mannix and a mile-long cortège followed the hearse to Brighton cemetery in what was reputedly the biggest funeral procession since that of Sir John Monash.

Paul O'Sullivan 

(NC 1963-1966)

He served in Vietnam, he returned to 2RAR in Townsville in December 1972 and became an original member of 2/4RAR in August 1973 when 2RAR and 4RAR linked. In 1974, Paul commanded C Coy 2/4RAR in Butterworth and left the Battalion in September 1975. He served on the staff of the Directorate of Infantry 1982 – '84 before returning to Townsville as Commanding Officer 2/4RAR in 1985 – '86. In 1989, Paul became the last Director of Infantry to hold that appointment in Canberra. As Director of Infantry, he also held the appointments of Head of Corps and Regimental Colonel of the Royal Australian Regiment. Currently, Paul runs a NSW statutory authority concerned with transport safety. He has been on the RAR Association committee for five years and President for four. In addition to the RAR Association, he works with Legacy and Red Cross in a voluntary capacity.

Michael Gordon

(NC 1966-1970)

Michael Gordon is a Melbourne journalist. He is the political editor of The Age, a Walkley Award winner and five-time winner at the United Nations Association of Australia Media Peace Awards. In 2005, he won the Graham Perkin Award for Australian Journalist of the Year. His books include Bells: The Beach, The Contest, The Surfers (2011), Layne Beachley: Beneath The Waves (2008), A True Believer: Paul Keating (1996), Reconciliation: A Journey (2001) and Freeing Ali: The Human Face of the Pacific Solution (2005). He is the co-author (with his father, Harry) of One for All: The Story of the Hawthorn Football Club (2009). He lives in Hawthorn.