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- 6 March 2001
Death Of Mr Brian Slapp
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Page: 12218
The Hon. JANELLE SAFFIN [6.01 p.m.]: A friend of mine, a Lismore identity, Brian Slapp, recently died. The best way to give a sense of what this man was like is by reading the obituary prepared for him, I think by Dr Lyn Carsons and Dr Stuart White, the editor of the Northern Rivers Echo. It reads:
Brian Slapp loved this place. He was a very passionate and caring person. His contribution to the planet was extraordinary and will be remembered by countless people.
Slapp, as he was affectionately known, died suddenly in his home of a massive heart attack last Saturday, January 13 after a couple of days of feeling on top of the world. The expression on his face suggested a peacefulness that many of us strive to reach in life.
Slapp was a visionary who wanted to see Lismore thrive. A true exponent of thinking globally, acting locally, he gave support to the fledgling Lismore Unlimited, unfailingly attended Lismore City Council meetings and made issues known through regular letters and cartoons in local papers. He campaigned for the Community Independents. He did arts promotion for NORPA and others, tourism campaigns plus marketing of local events and festivals. He did the early designs for the public transport transit centre, worked on programs for water efficiency and waste minimisation and countless other environmental initiatives.
Slapp was a fount of creativity. He offered his artwork and skills in a whole range of ways. His excellence in his professional work was appreciated by all of his clients. He was utterly open-handed in offering the same quality of work and professionalism in the art of good marketing whether the work was voluntary or paid. Apart from being quick with a campaign slogan, a brochure or a T-shirt design, Slapp was a recognised artist whose superb paintings and drawings (his life's passion) adorn walls throughout Australia.
Slapp chose to live on the north coast, relinquishing an impressive career as an award-winning art director and copywriter. He maintained his own advertising consultancy and continued to win awards, for example for his north coast tourism and stormwater campaigns. He felt passionately about ecological sustainability, social justice and animal rights ... a vegetarian for twenty years who helped found Animal Liberation and the NSW Vegan Society. He rescued wildlife and had a strong connection with both animals and birds. Birds in his glorious garden, whether injured or newborn, knew they were safe there.
Slapp rejected pretentiousness, hypocrisy and elitism and abhorred the pervasiveness of economic rationalism. Never one for dogma he was nevertheless a constant supporter of the Kwan Yin Meditation Centre. He was a very private man with a huge public face and a great sense of humour. Everyone who knew him knew his good works, but just a few knew the very private man and they were rewarded with the fiercest loyalty. He loved the sea, the bush, opera, films, a good drop of red and a strong black coffee (Caddies even had a variety that was known as Slapp's mix). He was a stylish bloke. He came into his own as a parent and shared his heart and love of life with his beloved stepson, Akira.
For Slapp problems were things to be solved. Everyone was his mate but in the end his heart was so big it just collapsed under its own weight.
He was well known, well liked and well loved. He had many dimensions. He was a businessman, an environmentalist and a social justice activist. He was many things and he was always giving. I used to see him mainly in Caddies coffee shop in Lismore. He had basically a table there and did a lot of work there. I used to run into him all the time. We used to talk about all the world's problems. Of course, we had all the solutions. He was very supportive of our local community. He was supportive of the business community but particularly of women. He did a lot of work for us for things such as International Women's Day, Stop Domestic Violence Day and the local domestic violence committee. He would help us with designs, promotions, media, et cetera. He was a good man and I will miss him.
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