About Derek Amos

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The great Derek Amos OAM, JP has been a stalwart of the Gippsland community and regional Victoria for almost sixty years  He trained and worked as a painter and decorator before becoming before an initial election defeat in the seat of South Gippsland  he narrowly  won Labor and became Member of the Victorian State Parliament as the Member for Morwell outside of a hostile anti Labour government. 

He consolidated the seat  further for Labor in three election victories from 1970-1981 Folling his first win he  was quickly elevated to Shadow Minister holding many portfolios notably minerals, water and energy to name just a few.Hence he has been viewed within and outside of politics as a Labor legend in his own lifetime

After retiring from parliament he was elected as a local government Councillor in the Latrobe Valley for a number of years.

He has devoted most of his life to people with mental illness which is his passion and has advocated for them through working for thirty years as a voluntary mental health advocate in Gippsland and advocating in major court trials and at Royal Commission hearings.

He has also worked as a Justice of the Peace for almost forty years and for these and his many other achievements was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) which he refused due to his Labor Party convictions however in 2019  he was awarded and accepted the Order of Australia (OAM) which he received at Government House from the Governor of Victoria.

Derek has changed the lives of many people through his life time of commitment to helping others and never holding back on what he believes to be the right thing to do.