Address to the Federation Chamber, Constituency Statements - Mr Brian Franklin

Monday 27 March 2023

Brian Franklin, 'Bodge' to his mates, a lifelong member of the Western Creek Woden Basketball Club, passed away recently following a lengthy battle with cancer. Brian was devoted to basketball in Canberra. He was one of several individuals in the 1980s who put their homes on the line to build the Southside Stadium at Woden. The sport also benefited from his project management experience, resulting in the development of the Belconnen Basketball Stadium. There are countless stories that illustrate the contribution Brian made to basketball in the ACT over 56 years. In 1978 Brian became a founding member of the team that established the Canberra Cannons. In 1999 he was instrumental in keeping the Canberra Capitals afloat, and, in the following season, the Capitals won the Women's National Basketball League premiership again.

Perhaps his greatest contribution, though, was as an historian. He dutifully documented almost every aspect of the sport in Canberra. This included countless profiles of Canberra basketball players and administrators, a skill developed as a correspondent for the Canberra Times and the Canberra CityNews. Basketball ACT President Allan Yates said Brian was 'a common thread in everything associated with the sport in Canberra over the past 50 years'. Basketball ACT is currently discussing how best to honour and commemorate Brian Franklin. He was, without doubt, basketball's greatest advocate. To Bodge's family and friends, we send our condolences.