An Albury man who survived the Hungarian revolution and the co-founder of the National Museum of Australian Pottery have been recognised for their respective 50 years of service as Justices of the Peace.
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Alex Kennedy and Geoff Ford were presented with certificates from the NSW Attorney General Mark Speakman acknowledging their commitment.
Mr Kennedy, who left Hungary in 1956 and sought safety in a Sydney migrant camp, followed a job with the National Water Commission to Albury in 1966.
Back then, his work as a JP was very different to what it is today.
“Many years ago, we provided extensive help to people,” Mr Kennedy said.
“You would be rung up at 2 o’clock in the morning when someone was arrested and you would sit on a bench and remand them, and you would get nothing for it – it’s service.
“Slowly as the government’s changed more was done with magistrates and now we mostly are there to witness signing of stat decs.”
Mr Kennedy said while the work was voluntary, he reaped many rewards.
“There’s a Chinese lady who married an Aussie in China, and she came back with him,” he said.
“She later wanted divorce papers, and her relatives bought her a tablet to be able to translate.
“Between her neighbour and myself, she was able to sign papers.”
Mr Ford, who has run the National Museum of Australian Poetry for 11 years with his wife Kerrie, also provides support, but to people in Holbrook.
“I became a JP from a point of view that I was starting my own business, opening accounts and having no way of proving who I was,” he said.
“There are a number of JPs in Holbrook, but every now and again somebody walks into the museum with things I have to witness.
“I was 26 when I began and hopefully I’ll last a bit longer.”
There are almost 95,000 JPs in NSW and since 2012, more than 2000 have been acknowledged for their 50 years of service.
Albury MLA Greg Aplin presented Mr Ford and Mr Kennedy with their certificates on Tuesday.
“I want to thank you on behalf of the government and all of the people you have helped,” he said.
“It’s a remarkable achievement to provide half a century of service as a JP, and one that deserves to be honoured.”