Today the industry mourns the loss of a true legend, an industry titan and a phenomenal woman; Ms Margaret Taylor who passed away yesterday.
Marg Taylor served, guided, protected and defended the APADA and ACAPMA members for over 35 years (from 1979 to 2014). An expert with a sharp wit, a fast laugh and a passion for her beloved Sydney Swans, Marg was the midwife of the Association (though she hated when I called her that) and was instrumental in the industry shaping Laidley dispute that shaped the operation of employment and trade practices law in this country.
A funeral service will be held at Peter Tobin Funerals in Ballarat at 14:00 on Monday 12th December 2022.
“Those who know the name know the debt we all owe Marg, and the extent to which her skill, effort and commitment shaped the industry. Those that don’t know the name still have Maggie to thank for much of the shape of the industry, but they missed out, she was an amazing human and the industry is a little smaller today” said one ACAPMA Member on hearing the news.
Marg started working for VPADA and was instrumental in the creation of APADA, which later changed name to the ACAPMA of today. Holding may official titles over the years, Marg provided employment guidance and support to members at a time of often rapid change and unrest, but she was also the Association secretary, conference manager, accounts manager, technology manager and communications manager.
“We wouldn’t have ACAPMA at all without Marg. When you look at some of the big cases she was involved in, its hard to undersell her impact. I honestly don’t think fuel transport would look the same in this country if it were not for Marg and I know the Association would not be here if it were not for her and her incredible contribution to IR and Industrial Agreements and her legacy in that space is abundantly clear” said Current ACAPMA President Wade Death.
Current ACAPMA CEO Mark McKenzie explained “Marg’s tenure with ACAPMA came to an end before I joined, so I did not spend much time with her personally, but her influence is very clear in the operation of the industry and the services that the Association continues to deliver. Indeed some of the landmark cases she pioneered are likely to be even more important in the future given some of the legislative changes passed through Parliament today”.
“Margie was both personally and my staff’s ‘go to’ person for so many HR and wage issues. I guess we all know and would acknowledge that Margie was professional, knowledgeable and a much loved provider of support and often a representative on our behalf. On a personal level though Margie had met one of my daughters in the late 1990’s when she was a little curly blond headed four year old at the APADA StKilda Road offices. Whenever we caught up Margie would inquire after her wellbeing. At one of our last meetings here in Mildura I had to reply that the little girl she remembered was now the mother of three girls of her own under six. That was Margie to me, always personable, always interested in your family and staff.” said founding member Ross Lake.
“Marg was APADA, it is as simple as that. She was everything to this Association, to the members and to the industry” said ex-President Philip Molineux.
Remembering Marg, ex-President Jeff Griffiths explained “Margie was small in stature but big in impact when it came to the IR scene that surrounds the oil industry. She was well known to the Commissioners who would often take the time to greet her personally, enjoy a chat about her beloved Swannies performance and always look to her input especially describing the role of Hired Carriers in regional areas. She often stepped into situations that had people operating with high stress levels. Her care for people always came to the front and she took time out to defuse situations and creating a calming influence for many people to come too”.
ACAPMA Board Member Trevor Bayliss noted “Marg Taylor was an absolute stalwart of industrial relations representing and supporting our industry over many years through APADA then ACAPMA. A powerhouse of knowledge and experience, but more importantly a wonderful human being, someone who gave their all supporting and helping those who needed it”.
Former ACAPMA staffer Philip Skinner summed up what Marg would think of all of this ‘nonsence’ ; “I am glad to have have had the pleasure to have spent time with her sharing stories on industry, politics, life, her cats and occasionally cricket as colleagues and friends. It will always be something I hold dear. Hers is a life that deserves to be celebrated with a smile, because she would be cranky thinking that anyone was sad!”
For me I am struggling to write this notice, because there are not words big enough to capture the entirety that was this tiny wonderful human. She would have loved that, me lost for words. She had a wicked sense of humour and fun. She was eminently qualified and competent. She could hold a whole room in wrapt silence telling a joke (occasionally blue), a story or arguing a fine point of law. She could deftly explain the most complicated legal implications to operators who had no time and no prior knowledge. But none of that is even close to good enough. So I will say this. Everything I know about employment in the fuel wholesale and retail industry, Marg taught me. More than that every time I had a question, even years after she left the Association, Marg was there, with an answer, right off the top of her head. She left very big shoes to fill and I am not even a little ashamed to say I know I will never fill them. She was my predecessor, my mentor and my friend and I will miss her.
Elisha Radwanowski BCom(HRM&IR)
ACAPMA
