At Home With..
MICHAEL HEALY
Entering the Brinsmead home Michael Healy shares with
his wife, Trudi, and their two kids, Zoe and Jack, a couple
of border collies quickly gather round to see who the
newcomers are. The pup, Chloe, is thrust into my arms as
I’m instructed to not let her run onto the road. It was a task
that was easier said than done.
Within moments of our arrival, it’s obvious that these hounds
play a major role in this family. They are in and out of the
family home, involved in conversations and the recipients of
absent-minded pats.
In the backyard, Zoe and Jack are kicking a soccer ball around
the backyard whilst Michael and Trudi get comfortable
watching over their family. The backyard footy is hilariously
hampered by pup Chloe’s involvement, as she intercepts the
ball at any opportunity and nips at whatever she can reach.
Nothing is out of bounds for this pooch.
I comment on the handy footwork demonstrated by the
kids, and Trudi thanks Stratford Dolphins Football Club. The
conversation veers onto kids and sports. Michael explains
that his love of sports started as a young kid, growing up
on the north shore of Sydney. “Both my brothers were
asthmatics, so my parents always pushed us to swim - surf
club, squad, anywhere there was water. From there, I went
on to try most sports, including a lot of rugby. Sport honed a
very competitive spirit in me.”
It is this competitive spirit that has seen Michael steer the
Quicksilver Group to become one of the true success stories
of the local, state and national tourism industry.
“I was working in The Rocks in Sydney in 1992 when I was
transferred to Palm Cove. I jumped on my motorbike and rode
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to Cairns. I was young and looking for an adventure. When
I arrived, I started working at the Palm Cove Travelodge,
before moving over to Quicksilver in 1994.”
As the Group Director of Sales and Marketing for the one
of Cairns’ largest employers, Michael is responsible for
the revenue of the company. He proudly boasts that the
Quicksilver Group is widely recognized as a business with a
heart.
“Every single year, we run a Christmas Charity Drive to
bring some festive cheer to the disadvantaged areas of
the community. I believe that big business has a moral
obligation to contribute to the society which has allowed it to
flourish. I don’t think charity falls solely at the responsibility
of government. We also run a Scholarship program for our
staff who have kids at Uni.”
“If we start leaving groups of people behind, and lose our
community conscience, we will see huge social issues
emanate,” he furthers.
Michael’s community conscience is what ultimately saw him
named as the Labor Party candidate for the seat of Cairns
at the upcoming state election. It’s also what made him put
his hand up for board positions with Tourism Palm Cove,
Port Douglas Daintree Tourism, Tourism Tropical North
Queensland and why, until recently, he was the Chair of
Access Community Housing.
“Since my nomination as the Labor Candidate, I’ve also
stepped aside as Director of Tourism Events Queensland,”
he explains with a sense of duty.
“It might have been seen as a conflict of interest.”