Latest news with #BrianDixon
ABC News
25-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Former Melbourne footballer, politician Brian Dixon farewelled at state funeral
Five-time premiership footballer and politician Brian Dixon, who was a key figure behind the 'Life be in it' campaign and mandatory seatbelt legislation, has been farewelled at a a state funeral in Melbourne. Those gathered at St Patrick's Cathedral heard of the former state Liberal MP's achievements and contributions, from VFL premiership cups from his time at Melbourne, to posters from the government campaigns he championed. Dixon died earlier this month at the age of 89. The eulogy was delivered by Dr Barry Jones, a friend of Dixon's since 1963 despite being on opposite sides of the political aisle. "Brian Dixon was not only an outstanding footballer, as has been reported at length, but a courageous, dedicated and visionary member of the Victorian Parliament from 1964 to 1982," he said. Dr Jones highlighted many of Dixon's political and social, calling him "a great contributor and change agent", with achievements including contributing to the abolition of the death penalty. "To his family, you have lost a hero, we will never forget him," he said. His daughter Judy Dixon recounted how her father was born "without a silver spoon in his mouth" and grew up kicking a football around "made of tightly bundled socks". "Perhaps that explains his extraordinary ability to ball gather, and perhaps even his unorthodox kicking style," she said. The tribute highlighted some of the tragedies that affected Dixon's life, including the loss of his father as a teenager to what is now believed to have been motor neuron disease — a disease which also took Judy's brother — and the loss of Dixon's sister, who died soon after birth. "He carted wood and delivered newspapers for cash to help his mother Amy pay the bills," Ms Dixon remembered. She said her father would have been proud of receiving a state funeral. The ceremony began with an introduction by Father George Feliciouz, who spoke of "the extraordinary life of Brian" which led to "an extraordinary legacy". Numerous members of state and federal government representatives attended, as well as current Melbourne AFL and AFLW captains Max Gawn and Kate Hore. Current state MP Tim Richardson stood to read the poem "If—" by Rudyard Kipling. Five premiership cups were on display, and before his casket a table was laid with a Melbourne Football Club scarf and a black-and-white framed image of Dixon playing, a testament to his work as both a player and coach. Dixon joined Melbourne Football Club in 1954, where he played 252 games and became a five-time premiership player. He also coached North Melbourne Football Club for two years. It was these contributions that led to his being recognised in 2010 with his induction into the AFL Hall of Fame. While still playing for Melbourne in 1964, Brian was elected as the Liberal member for the former seat of St Kilda in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. There were also reminders of his achievements in politics, with an old image from the 'Life be in it' campaign framed upon the table before the casket. As the minister for youth, sport and recreation, Dixon championed the campaign – an initiative encouraging Australians to live active lives. During a political career that would stretch 18 years, he held a number of portfolios, including employment and training, sport and recreation, housing, social welfare, and education. Dixon was also notable for his contribution to road safety. As chair of the road safety committee he played a key role introducing the world's first compulsory seatbelt legislation. After leaving Parliament in 1982, Brian continued to tirelessly advocate for public health and sport development, both within Australia and internationally.
ABC News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Hall of Fame footballer and politician Brian Dixon remembered as 'passionate' public health advocate
Former Melbourne premiership player and Victorian politician, Brian Dixon, has died aged 89. Dixon's family confirmed to the ABC that he had died in hospital on Wednesday. His daughter, Judy Dixon, said her father had always been a "change maker" with a "passion for making things he cared about happen". "He was an incredibly positive person," she said. Dixon played 252 games for the Melbourne Demons, including five premierships. He won Melbourne's best and fairest in their 1960 premiership and in 2010 was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. Never one to be idle, he was still playing for Melbourne when he entered state parliament as the Liberal Party member for St Kilda in 1964. During his 18-year political career, he notched up several significant achievements and held multiple ministries. "At one point he was dubbed the minister for having his photo in the paper," Ms Dixon joked. She said her father was "very concerned" about public health and was most proud of the "Life. Be in it." campaign he launched in 1975 while serving as the state's Youth, Sports and Recreation Minister. The TV ads encouraged Australians to get off the couch and be more active. The National Museum of Australia included the campaign in its defining moments of Australian history project. "Dad would really want to be remembered as someone who cared deeply about the health of the larger community and the importance of being physically active and healthy for good quality long life," Ms Dixon said. The athlete-come-politician has also been remembered for advocating passionately for the introduction of compulsory seat belt legislation. He was chair of the Road Safety Committee in 1971 when Victoria became the first jurisdiction in the world to make wearing seatbelts mandatory. According to the Transport Accident Commission, the new laws led to a 13 per cent reduction in road deaths over the following 12 months. Dixon served in state parliament until 1982 when he lost his seat and his party lost government. After leaving politics the former footballer remained active in public life and was instrumental in establishing the Melbourne Marathon Spartans, an organisation that honoured people who had run in the race 10 or more times. In a statement Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin paid tribute to the former politician saying he "leaves a massive legacy" behind. "Brian's achievements and accomplishments as a parliamentarian and minister should be more than notable enough on their own to deserve our recognition," he said. "However, they are only made more remarkable when you consider that for many years of his time in Parliament, Brian was also an active VFL player and coach." Kicking off his VFL career with Melbourne Football Club in 1954, he would go on to play in five premiership for the team, before winning best and fairest for the side in 1960. Melbourne Football Club president Brad Green said he had "left a lasting mark, not just on Melbourne, but on the game as a whole". Brian's football achievements speak for themselves, but his love for the club was jut as significant," he said. In a statement, the AFL praised his achievements and said he was "one of the greatest to have played". His daughter said "he ate and breathed footy". She said he had always been "very disappointed" about missing out on a sixth premiership after he was benched for playing for a university team against his coaches orders. He later went on to coach North Melbourne in 1971 and 1972, before entering the AFL hall of fame. "He wanted [AFL] to be on the International stage, so he was involved with making sure that football was made in other countries," Ms Dixon said. As player 9, Ms Dixon said the number would go on to be his lucky charm for the rest of his life. "On every birthday card, Christmas card, there would be nine kisses, nine hugs," she said. "It's a little freaky dad managed to leave us on the 9th [of July] ... I think in his own way he organised that." The father of six and grandfather of 11 spent his final decades in Jamieson, in north-east Victoria, living with Carmal Dixon, his wife of 22 years. His daughter said he spent his later years investing time in his grandchildren and staying connected to his former teammates.
WebMD
01-07-2025
- Health
- WebMD
COVID Vaccines for Adults: 6 New Findings on Boosters
booster this year, maybe two. That's what researchers concluded from the first real-world analysis after last year's recommendation that older adults – ages 65 and up – get the shot twice a year. Among adults of all ages, a single COVID booster provided added protection against serious illness, found the study, which included data for nearly 500,000 adults during the 2023-24 COVID season. For those ages 65 and older, a second dose offered even better protection against serious illness. The findings are important as the nation wrestles with questions about who should continue to get COVID booster shots (extra doses given after the first series). The CDC's vaccine advisory committee is expected to consider recommendations for the 2025-26 season in the coming months, but many leading professional medical organizations continue to recommend baseline vaccination and boosters for everyone ages 6 months and older. "While we know that vaccines used to prevent COVID in the U.S. were found to be of high value earlier in the pandemic, question remains as to whether this value is still present now that nearly all persons have some degree of immunity" through prior infection or vaccination, said Richard Martinello, MD, chief medical officer at Yale Medicine and an infectious diseases professor at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. "The results show that we should continue to recommend vaccination for our adult patients." Indiana University professor Brian Dixon, MPA, PhD, was one of the researchers who worked on the analysis. He called the results "the most up-to-date information on whether COVID-19 vaccines continue to protect adults against hospitalization and seeking emergency care, regardless of their prior vaccination status or infection with the virus." Here's what to know about the new study results, published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open: COVID boosters still give you a lot of extra protection. Adults who got a booster had a 24% reduced risk of going to the emergency room or urgent care for COVID, compared to people who didn't get a booster. Boosters also reduced the risk of hospitalization by 29%, and intensive care unit admission or in-hospital death by 48%. You ' re most protected during the two months after a booster. Vaccines reduced the risk of severe illness by 68% within the first 60 days. "It is best to get the booster in the early fall, especially if the 60 days will be during the period people visit with family around the holidays," said Dixon, who is also director of the Center for Biomedical Informatics at the Regenstrief Institute in Indianapolis. "Additional protections after 60 days can be discussed with your medical doctor." One booster reduced the risk of serious illness in older adults – but two boosters lowered it more. Among the 65-and-older crowd, those who got two doses had a 21% more reduced risk of needing urgent or emergency care for COVID, compared to those who only got one booster. Two doses also further reduced hospitalization risk by 18%. About 40% of the adults in the study were 65 or older. Younger adults may want to consider twice-yearly boosters as well – particularly if the usual fall COVID season ever shifts, Martinello said. "In my opinion, there is still a great deal of uncertainty on whether COVID will be a seasonal infection such as we see with influenza and RSV," Martinello said. If the virus turns out to be present year-round, "physicians will need to consider whether the recommendation for vaccinating every 6 months should be broadened." Boosters give you added protection even if you ' ve already been infected with COVID. Before the study, most people had some degree of immunity from past infection and/or vaccination against the virus. Even so, people who didn't get new booster shots were more likely to seek care for serious COVID illness sooner than people who got a booster. An annual COVID booster is about as effective an annual flu shot. Think of it this way: "The added protection from COVID boosters is similar to preparations one might do if a hurricane was approaching your home," said Dixon. "You might have a well-built house, but if you board up the windows and reinforce your doors, then your home is better protected against the high winds and hail. It makes sense to protect your house and yourself against anything that might cause significant damage."
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
‘Opened my eyes;' Mock crash shows students the dangers of impaired driving ahead of prom weekend
A local high school had its first mock crash in 15 years, highlighting the dangers of impaired driving. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] News Center 7's Xavier Hershovitz was there while Tecumseh High School students, looking forward to prom weekend, learned a very serious lesson. Catch his report on News Center 7 at 5:30 p.m. TRENDING STORIES: An Ohio woman vanished going to pick up her son; police just charged her husband Officers searching for 2 kids accused of robbing Riverside gas station Pop or soda? New carbonated drink shop invites customers to craft 'unique' beverages 'What you're about to witness is not just a demonstration. It's a harsh reality,' Brian Dixon, the Director of Facility and Safety at Tecumseh High School, said. The mock crash was a simulation, but it showed the real-life dangers of driving under the influence or distracted. We will update this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
