Vale John Corboy

Members Statement: I would like to take a moment to remember the life of one of Shepparton district’s most dedicated community advocates, John Corboy, who died on 24 April 2021. John led Foodbowl Unlimited, an organisation that secured billions of dollars of investment in modernisation for the Goulburn Murray irrigation district’s infrastructure from the Victorian Brumby Labor government. It was a brave move to call for modernisation such as this, and John made no apologies to the people who rallied against his scheme. The region had an out-of-date irrigation system that needed modernising and we were facing one of the worst droughts in history. His tough calls had started years earlier. He became the chairman of SPC in 1990, and when the company was facing multimillion-dollar losses, he managed to negotiate wage cuts with employees and some changed work practices and turned the company around for the benefit of everyone. He prevented the importation of New Zealand apples into Australia when he foresaw that fire blight had the potential to destroy our country’s horticulture industry. As if he was not busy enough saving our agricultural and local businesses, he helped take care of our community by setting up the Bridge youth network and Ladders to Success as well as establishing the community fund. On top of these community achievements, John was a dedicated family man, married to Kerry for 51 years, and a much-loved father to Michael, Dan and Peter. The Shepparton community remembers and honours him.