After ten years (four terms) as the state’s inaugural Commissioner for Senior Victorians, Gerard Mansour finished his final term today to pursue other personal and professional goals.
Throughout his tenure, Mr Mansour has been responsible for providing independent advice and advocacy to the Victorian Government on issues relevant to senior Victorians. As an independent public voice, he has also been committed to educating the community on seniors’ issues including prevention of elder abuse, actively promoting the positive contribution of seniors and encouraging seniors to fully participate in our community.
The Victorian Government thanks Mr Mansour for a decade of valued independent advice and counsel for government on all matters relating to senior Victorians, and especially during the last few years navigating the challenges of the pandemic.
Among Mr Mansour’s achievements has been the launch of the ‘Ageing well in a changing world’ report in 2020, being appointed as Ambassador for Elder Abuse Prevention, Deputy Chair of the Elder Abuse and Safeguarding Advisory Group, and Chair for the Ministerial appointed Senior Victorians Advisory Group.
“It has been an honour to be appointed as Commissioner over the past decade and have the opportunity to work so closely with communities to help promote the voices, experiences and perspectives of older Victorians,” Mr Mansour said. “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank every person and organisation who took the time to work with me, share their views or experiences and contribute to the many projects along the way. I also want to extend my sincere thanks to the many staff across the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing who have greatly supported my role over the years.”
Following his post as Commissioner, Mr Mansour will be turning his focus to his family and enjoying more experiences with them.