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<p><font face="Verdana">The following people have been recognised for their 
outstanding service to the AUF, diving, underwater sports and the community by being awarded life membership.&nbsp; In the 
near future a brief biography and photograph of each person will be placed on these pages.&nbsp; 
To read their biography just click on their name.</font></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" bordercolor="#FFFFFF" width="28%">
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Harry Howell</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">ACT</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Frank Poole</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">ACT</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana"><a href="#WAL">Wal Williams</a></font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">ACT</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">George Davies</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">NSW</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Merv Sheehan</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">NSW</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Tony Leslie</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">NSW</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">John Gillies</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">NSW</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Gordon Ward</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">NSW</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Wally Gibbons</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">NSW</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Mel Brown</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">NSW</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana"><a href="#Tony">Tony DeFina</a></font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">VIC</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana"><a target="_self" href="#Here">Graham Henderson</a></font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">VIC</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Tom Ransom</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">TAS</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Richard Lane</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">TAS</font></td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td width="73%"><font face="Verdana">Allen Hunt</font></td>
    <td width="27%" align="center"><font face="Verdana">QLD</font></td>
  </tr>
</table>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><font face="Verdana"><span style="position: absolute; left: 184; top: 557"><img border="0" src="../images/ME%20(3).jpg" width="254" height="262"></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
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<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<b><font size="4">&nbsp;<font face="Verdana"><a name="WAL">&nbsp; </a>Biography, Wal Williams <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;AUF Life
</font> </font><font face="Verdana">Member</font></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Wal became 
active in AUF when posted to Canberra with the Army in 1978 having joined AUF 
affiliated clubs in 1958 in Queensland, and later in Victoria in 1966.&nbsp; Diving 
was in its infancy when he first joined in 1958, and spearfishing was the main 
event.&nbsp; He joined his first club as an enthusiastic spearo but quickly realized 
that without his spectacles he was a lousy shot (there was no such thing as 
corrected lenses in face masks those days).&nbsp; He consequently became interested 
in SCUBA diving and in about 1962 he had his first dive in the Tweed River.&nbsp; 
Instruction was limited to: �don�t hold your breath while ascending as your 
lungs will burst�. That was it!&nbsp;</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><font size="2" face="Verdana">The first 
AUF standards for diving were taught through clubs using older members who had 
been elected as instructors, but clubs had no way of standardization.&nbsp; So he 
qualified as a basic diver within his Queensland club and then had to retrain in 
his next club in Victoria.&nbsp; This club mistrust of other trainees was addressed 
when the AUF standards were taken up, with approval from the AUF, by the 
Federation of Australian Underwater Instructors (FAUI), the first national 
instructor body formed in 1972.&nbsp; FAUI agreed to use the AUF standards and the 
AUF agreed to discontinue its club instruction.&nbsp;</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><font size="2" face="Verdana">Thus when 
he was posted to Canberra in 1978 he was once again faced with having to retrain 
as a diver under FAUI.&nbsp; By this time he was determined to help ensure that no 
one ever needed to have to retrain whenever they changed clubs.&nbsp; He was 
introduced to Frank Poole, who was the Technical Officer in charge of diving 
standards for the AUF, and Frank played a significant part in his introduction 
to the high levels of standards and instruction which were being thrashed out at 
the time. He subsequently went on to qualify as a FAUI instructor.&nbsp;</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><font size="2" face="Verdana">&nbsp;He was 
elected as the President of the ACT Branch of the AUF and helped introduce the 
sport of Underwater Hockey (first called Octopush) to Canberra.&nbsp; Several years 
later he followed Frank as the Technical officer for the AUF.&nbsp; In this position 
he assisted Frank who had been charged with the responsibility for the final 
production of the AUF�s Standards and Procedures Manual. &nbsp;</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><font size="2" face="Verdana">This was 
the period when the AUF were applying for and subsequently gained recognition 
from the Australian Sports Commission as the body representing the sport of 
underwater diving in Australia.&nbsp; This representation enabled the AUF to gain 
Government assistance and opened its fully staffed office in Canberra.&nbsp; It also 
made the AUF the body responsible for the standards, rules and procedures of all 
of the various sports covered by diving.&nbsp; As Technical Officer he was therefore 
involved in the many negotiations which were occurring between the AUF and the 
growing number of diving Instructor bodies which were being introduced from 
America. Each body brought their own standards and particular methods of 
instruction and it fell to the AUF to ensure that each standard conformed to the 
minimum levels set down by the Australian Sports Commission.&nbsp;</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><font size="2" face="Verdana">When Toni 
de Fina decided to step down as President of the AUF he was elected as the next 
President and thereby also became the Australian representative for CMAS at 
their General Assemblies which are held around the world every two years and 
where allaspects of our sport and championships are debated and decided upon. he 
attended at his own expense (the AUF was not that flush), assemblies at Malta in 
1987, Japan in 1989, Cyprus in 1991, Egypt in 1993 and finally Mauritius in 
1995. </font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><font size="2" face="Verdana">He retired 
from the position of President in 1995 owing to ill health and the need to 
devote more time into his business. He had to stop scuba diving for health 
reasons but still snorkels and spearfish�s now that he has lenses in his mask 
and can see his quarry.&nbsp;</font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><font size="2" face="Verdana">SCUBA 
diving and Underwater Hockey (his daughter represented Australia three times the 
last as captain and she and her husband still represent NSW) remain of great 
interest to him and his contribution towards better standards and negotiations 
with other instructor bodies has led to the very safe level of diving within 
Australia.</font></span></p>
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<p><b><font face="Verdana">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
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<b><a name="Here"></a>Biography Graham Henderson</b><br>
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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:
115%">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><span style="line-height: 115%">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; AUF 
Life Member</span></b></font></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana"><br>
</font><font face="Verdana" size="2">Graham Henderson Joined the AUF in 1977 
through his association with the Latrobe University sub Aqua club Victoria, he 
was a keen SCUBA diver and Spearfisherman who subsequently become an avid player 
in underwater hockey.<br>
<br>
<a name="there"></a>He had an active role in the formation of the Victorian Octopush league and went on 
to be a founding member of the first AUF Underwater Hockey Commission in 1980.&nbsp; 
He has represented Australia as a player on 5 occasions and also was a coach and 
team manager.<br>
<br>
He was instrumental in setting up a referee accreditation system in Australia 
and co-authoring the first standards and procedures manual for referee training, 
the same manual that is used throughout the world today for underwater hockey 
referee training.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2">Graham started his 
administrative service in the AUF in 1979 when he became secretary of the AUF 
Victorian Branch; he went on to hold the positions of Vice President and 
President.&nbsp; Also during this time he was the convener of 2 national skindiving 
championships held in Victoria.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2">During the eighties he was 
elected to the position of chairperson of the AUF underwater hockey commission a 
position which he held for 7 years, he then went on to be the chief referee for 
the commission for a number of years. During this time he formalised the 
commission by-laws and was instrumental in obtaining government STEP grants of 
$200,000.00 for our world champion underwater hockey teams.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2">In 1995 he focused his 
attentions on the AUF Federal body becoming Federal Secretary and then becoming 
the Federal President in 1997.&nbsp; He oversaw a total restructure of the AUF 
and rewrote the federal constitution.&nbsp; He became the public officer of the 
federation in 2000.&nbsp; Also in 2000 he was awarded the Australian Government 
sports medal for his contribution to sport and the community.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2">He was elected to the 
position of President of the CMAS (World Underwater Federation) underwater 
hockey commission in 2005, and is now the current president of the World 
AquaChallenge Association.&nbsp; He also holds the position of tournament director 
for the WAA and has overseen the running of the last 4 world underwater hockey 
championships.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2">Graham Henderson was awarded 
life membership of the AUF in 1996 for outstanding service to the federation and 
the sport of skindiving. He is the current president of the AUF.</font></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="4" face="Verdana">Biography Toni de Fina <br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; AUF Life Member</font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2"><a name="Tony"></a>Toni de 
Fina was the Federal President of the AUF for 28 years; he was also a some time 
member of the CMAS governing council. He created with the late Peter Cullen the 
Federation of Australian Underwater Instructors, for many years the only 
Australian Diver Instructor organization ultimately subsumed by an international 
diving instructor organization.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2">Toni designed and developed 
the first balanced first stage valves for single hose SCUBA, he also designed 
and developed diving systems for then developing cultured pearl farms in 
Northern Territory and Northern Western Australia.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2">He was instrumental in 
creating many of the diving standards still used today, he attended the world 
championships in Croatia (Yugoslavia) as a competitor.&nbsp; He has continuing 
involvement in water sports, particularly spearfishing.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2">On occasion he is invited to 
prepare opinions on diving accidents and diving equipment and practices for 
civil court cases and inquests.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Verdana" size="2">He is still diving and 
actively engaged in water sports.</font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p>

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