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Welcome Gerrard!

2019-06-23

We’d like to welcome Gerrard Byron-Loader, our newest HACSU Organiser! Gerrard works as a part of the Transfer Organiser Team.

To introduce you, we’ve interviewed Gerrard to find out a little more about our fantastic new Organiser!

Gerrard B

 

Tell us about your experience working in Disability

I have worked in the disability field for almost 10 years, working with children and adults in a variety of settings and thoroughly enjoy this rewarding experience. I started in the field in my late teens up in Alice Springs working with children in residential care and found myself in a role of outreach coordinator; working all over central Australia setting up services in remote communities for people with disabilities to stay close to home. 

I have recently returned to the disability field after many years out of it and finding the work to be just as fulfilling as it was when I was younger. There are a lot of changes since my early days; the closure of institutions, introduction of person-centred-practices, the creation of the NDIS and now the privatisation of DHHS services. The disability field needs to be adaptive and the workforce has taken on each of these adaptions and gone with it. This shows how resilient the workforce is, how we can remould ourselves to the environment, we all need to give ourselves a big pat on the back. I am looking forward to seeing how this next stage of the disability evolution is going to look like.

 

What do you love about HACSU?

That is a very good question and I am not one that uses the word ‘love’ very often as I find it can be used to much, in saying that I do ‘love’ HACSU! The first reason I love HACSU is because of all the hard work the dedicated staff do, day in day out; from providing advice to our members by the Assist team, the ongoing support given by the Area Organisers, the industrial relations team with their exceptional export and all the other staff who provide support and ongoing assistance. So, if no one has told you lately - THANK YOU, I ‘love’ your work and keep it up!

Another big reason why I ‘love’ HACSU and I think this really goes without saying, the amazing DSEAV. The fact that this agreement is locked in and our working conditions are safe up to 2025 is absolutely astonishing. It means we can feel safe in our jobs while going through all the changes with service providers.

 

What’s something interesting you can tell members about yourself?

I am not a very interesting person I would say I am boring really, when I am not working I pretty much stay at home with my loving partner, two dogs and one cat; I do not see anything wrong with this and in fact I like it this way. Both my partner and I are homebodies we are happy with each other's company and don't need other factors to stimulate us. We have been friends since we were 5 years old, grew up with each other and are in a loving committed relationship.   

I am an out and proud sci-fi geek, I pretty much like everything that is sci-fi books, movies, TV shows etc. In fact, I have been collecting spaceships for a couple of years now and have over 200 and counting. I have a tattoo on my arm that I designed that is a Star Trek/Dr Who mash-up which I love, so if you see me at any union function don't hesitate to ask me if you want to have a look at it – it’s pretty cool!