Mahmoud Daher
Published: 31/12/2009
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»» Famous Australian Lebanese
Arrived in Australia on October 24th 1970, with only $15.00 in his pocket and no family or friends. His first job was in Mascot in a meal factory like many other immigrants that helped build this country, meant being up by 4.00 p.m. and travelling by train and then walking half and hour in rain hail or shine. After four months he want to work in the Northern Territory to build an Aluminium refinery. There was no town and only bush land. He continued to work there for 2 years in harsh conditions of 40 degrees before being promoted to supervisor crane operator and began working all over Australia.
In 1974 he began fundraising in Mackay Qld for the building of Lakemba Mosque. It was from then on that he began assisting the Lebanese community behind the scene no matter where he was in any way, such as establishing a Muslim association and a broadcasting service.
On the 1st September 1975 he received Australian citizenship in MacKay Qld. In 1976 he married and settled down in Bankstown NSW. He began operating taxi’s managing a service station and was involved in land and property transactions. On the 12th of December 1986 the then treasurer Paul Keating named him “most respected businessman in Bankstown”
The most significant accomplishment was raising six children, one that is a computer analyst, 2 are lawyers, and one in business management, and the younger two have yet to finish school.
