VALE – Dave Allen
Dave Allen – one of the pioneering fathers of management rights – passed away on 12 July.
Dave was involved in management rights as early as 1977 and his contribution, dedication and passion for the industry was enormous.
Victoria-born, Dave entered the Royal Military College at Duntroon in 1948 and emerged four years later with a Bachelor of Economics. So-armed he was immediately dispatched to Korea as an infantry platoon commander. During the war he was badly injured by a communist concussion grenade explosion.
It was the beginning of a distinguished military career that included service in the Malaya Emergency and the war in Vietnam. He also served with distinction in two secondments in Papua-New Guinea. For the latter he was on loan to the newly-independent PNG Defence Force as chief of staff from 1973 to 1977, during which time he was to become good friends with the then PM Sir Michael Somare.
In the year he went to Malaya, Dave met an army nursing sister who became his wife Shirley.
In 1977 he resigned from the army with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. This was due, in part, to the reaction of the Australian public to the forces returning from Vietnam – a situation that left him disillusioned and angry.
Around that time, Dave ran across an old friend he had served with in Korea who was selling real estate in Surfers Paradise. He also introduced him to a radical new concept – management rights. He acquired his first management rights that same year, taking on the River Park Towers in Surfers Paradise. This was followed by Kings Row Centre at Paradise Waters (1979), Carrington Court at Main Beach (1982) and, later, The Regent.
In 1979 Dave established Dave Allen Real Estate at Chevron Island that became a specialist agency for management rights selling contracts for above 3000 buildings during the 23 years he owned it before selling out to public listed company S8 Ltd in 2002.
His passion for the management rights industry saw him serve on the REIQ at local and state level including a period as state president. He also served as the REIQ representative to the state government for 20 years with considerable input into the drafting of real estate and management rights legislation, such as the Body Corporate & Community Management Act. He also set up the REIQ Resident Unit Manager chapter in 1983. He was responsible for setting up the Resident Unit Managers’ Training Course in 1983.
Dave was prominent in many other organisations like the Auctioneers & Agents Committee of the Department of Justice, the Home Unit Owners’ Association of Queensland and Accommodation Owners’ Association. His services to the REIQ saw him appointed as a fellow of the Australian body in 1990 followed by life membership in 2001. He is also a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Dave was, for many years, a contributor to Resort News, sister print medium of accomnews.
His services, especially in PNG, were recognised by Queen Elizabeth II bestowing on him the title Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1997.
In 1994 Dave met and married New Zealand-born Faye, a widow for more than 25 years, and a vibrant business woman in her own right.
Dave’s other love was the Brisbane Lions. No conversation with Dave exclude reference to, argument for or anecdote from the Brisbane Lions.
Dave Allen will always be remembered for his contribution to the accommodation industry of Queensland.
