THE BIRTH OF OPERATION RUNAWAY
Colin Liddell,
Founder of Operation Runaway
The establishment of Operation Runaway was thanks to a young father named Colin Liddell. Colin spent some of his time on the weekends busking on the streets of Sydney's Kings Cross.
Colin began to notice that at a certain time of night a lot of youth began to appear on the streets. There was one young boy who slept in a vending machine not far from where Colin would busk.
This inspired Colin to write a song that he sang to his young daughter. She asked him why someone couldn't build a big house for all the homeless kids to live in. She wanted to know if her dad could make this happen.
After thinking on what his daughter had said Colin reached out to his friends, family members and colleagues to help him make this happen.
MY INTRODUCTION TO COLIN & HIS VISION
Fortunately, I'd met Colin through mutual friends and was invited to attend the first brainstorming meeting.
I became a member of the Operation Runaway's Management Committee, and was voted into the position of Chairperson.
This photo of me was taken at that inaugural brainstorming meeting back in 1987
PEOPLE WE COLLABORATED WITH
Our focus was on getting homeless youth off the dangerous streets of Sydney's Kings Cross District. I had the privilege of working & collaborating with the Lady Mayoress of Sydney, Mrs Candy Bingham, the Human Rights Commissioner, Mr Brian Burdikan and Celebrity, Miss Ita Buttrose.
Brian Burdiken Candy Bingham Ita Buttose
THE IMPACT OF "OUR HOMELESS CHILDREN" REPORT"
This was the time when Professor Brian Burdekin became the first Federal Human Rights Commissioner.
He authored the landmark 1989 report "Our Homeless Children"
THE PROMISE MADE BY PM BOB HAWKE At the Labor Party's Election Campaign launch on June 23, 1987, the then Prime Minister Bob Hawke made the promise that "No Australian child would be living in poverty by 1990".
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