23 days ago
2
1
Posted On: September 27th 2026, 05:24 am
Australia captured his father. He came here anyway and built a life of service.
The Deputy Mayor of The Hills Shire Clr @fpdemasi Frank De Masi was recently elected unanimously to the role for a record 3rd time. But his story begins with his parents. His father was an Italian prisoner of war, captured by Australian forces during World War II. In 1950, as a young single man, he came to Australia with 1 suitcase.
Podcast link in comments.
He spent much of his youth fighting. Frank’s mother had been orphaned in Italy. Single women couldn’t travel to Australia on the ships then. She visited a church in Italy alone and married Frank’s father by proxy. She arrived here in 1952.
Frank’s parents worked incredibly hard and instilled in their children an ethos of compassion, generosity and service. There was little time for relaxation. Frank helped his parents after school.
He feels he had disappointed his father. Frank didn’t do well at school. He didn’t go straight to university. Years later, after marriage, he gained his tertiary qualification, just to prove to his father that he could.
What began as a temporary job at Australia Post became a remarkable chapter. Frank was later asked to lead Australia Post’s involvement in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Paralympics, meeting medal-winning athletes and presenting plaques featuring stamps produced within 24 hours of Australian gold-medal victories.
He went on to establish post offices in Stanhope and Kellyville, building businesses that grew substantially. Yet the lesson from his parents remained - serve others.
Frank is involved in the Red Shield Appeal and supporting people experiencing disadvantage, homelessness, language barriers and addiction.
Through it all, his Italian heritage remains deeply important to him, including his role as a patron of Italian opera. Frank says that while it is important to maintain your roots, we should respect Australian values and live in harmony with each other.
It is not where your story begins, but what you choose to do with it.
#alive905fm #communityradioaustralia #italiano #italianmusic #australiapost
The Deputy Mayor of The Hills Shire Clr @fpdemasi Frank De Masi was recently elected unanimously to the role for a record 3rd time. But his story begins with his parents. His father was an Italian prisoner of war, captured by Australian forces during World War II. In 1950, as a young single man, he came to Australia with 1 suitcase.
Podcast link in comments.
He spent much of his youth fighting. Frank’s mother had been orphaned in Italy. Single women couldn’t travel to Australia on the ships then. She visited a church in Italy alone and married Frank’s father by proxy. She arrived here in 1952.
Frank’s parents worked incredibly hard and instilled in their children an ethos of compassion, generosity and service. There was little time for relaxation. Frank helped his parents after school.
He feels he had disappointed his father. Frank didn’t do well at school. He didn’t go straight to university. Years later, after marriage, he gained his tertiary qualification, just to prove to his father that he could.
What began as a temporary job at Australia Post became a remarkable chapter. Frank was later asked to lead Australia Post’s involvement in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and Paralympics, meeting medal-winning athletes and presenting plaques featuring stamps produced within 24 hours of Australian gold-medal victories.
He went on to establish post offices in Stanhope and Kellyville, building businesses that grew substantially. Yet the lesson from his parents remained - serve others.
Frank is involved in the Red Shield Appeal and supporting people experiencing disadvantage, homelessness, language barriers and addiction.
Through it all, his Italian heritage remains deeply important to him, including his role as a patron of Italian opera. Frank says that while it is important to maintain your roots, we should respect Australian values and live in harmony with each other.
It is not where your story begins, but what you choose to do with it.
#alive905fm #communityradioaustralia #italiano #italianmusic #australiapost
Comments (1)
23 days agotheturningpoint777
Podcast link. https://omny.fm/shows/the-turning-point/clr-frank-de-masi-2026-09-26
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