Staunch advocate for all things Moss Vale, Irvine New lost his long battle with illness last Friday.
Mr New was a tireless worker for the advancement of facilities and business in his town and indeed for the entire Southern Highlands.
Acting President of the Moss Vale Commerce and Progress Association, Susan Hancock, said she was saddened to hear of the death of Mr New.
Although a relative newcomer to Moss Vale, Susan and her husband David said they felt privileged to have known Irvine for just a few short months.
“There are some people you meet and think you know, but don’t really know them at all. When David and I first met Irvine, we knew exactly who he was and he was always very genuine, what he said, he meant.
“He was a person who didn’t do things for personal benefit and he pushed and pushed for Moss Vale.”
State Member for the Southern Highlands, Peta Seaton echoed the sentiments of Mrs Hancock.
“It was Irvine New who organised Vice Chancellor of Wollongong University Professor Gerard Sutton to meet with myself, Federal Member for Gilmore, Joanna Gash and others keen to see the establishment of the Moss Vale campus.
“I will miss him enormously. He was passionately committed to Moss Vale. Irvine was instrumental in lobbying for renal dialysis facilities for the Southern Highlands, he was always lobbying policing issues. He was a wonderful Australian who made an enormous contribution.”
Federal MP Joanna Gash said she was fortunate to see Irvine only last week.
“He was a great mate who always had Moss Vale at heart. He was always at council meetings, and because of his strong passion for the advancement of Moss Vale, he was sometimes seen as controversial. Because of this, sometimes it was to his own personal detriment.”
Mr New moved to the Southern Highlands in 1986. Since then, in public service to the town of Moss Vale, he had been president of the Moss Vale Commerce and Progress Association, a board member of SHEDA, an advisor for Young Achievement Australia, and a past member of Rotary.
He was a past president of Southern Highlands Business Chamber, he organised and promoted the Chevalier College Fete, and was a founding member of MOVAC Committee.
Mr New established his own business, Penultimate Computers, in Moss Vale.
He was also a member for the Youth Accommodation Centre in Bowral, and a staunch advocate for the safeguarding of Moss Vale Pool, was very vocal over the Resource Recovery Centre and lobbied hard for more police presence in Moss Vale.
He was a past president of St Paul’s Parents and Friends Association, and worked hard for the formation of combined Chambers of Commerce in the Highlands, and helped make the Southern Highlands Business Chamber a cohesive body.
He was a member of the Wingecarribee Committee for Managed Growth and a regular watcher and critic of Wingecarribee Shire Council.
Indeed he was a candidate for council at the last elections.
A funeral service for Mr New will be held at St Paul’s Catholic Church, Moss Vale on Friday at 1pm.
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