Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker Leigh, congratulations on your appointment. It is with great pride that I rise to offer my congratulations to this year's Australia Day honours recipients and, in particular, to those in the Canberra community. There are many outstanding Canberrans who have received awards and I would like to take this opportunity to mention just a few. First, I make special mention of the late Dr John Buckingham. Dr Buckingham was posthumously recognised for his outstanding service to medicine, particularly the care of women undergoing treatment for breast cancer here in Canberra. He is sorely missed and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sue.

I also congratulate David Parker, who was recognised for his service to public administration and to Kidney Health Australia and people with kidney disease. I was on the board of Gift of Life with David. He is a kidney recipient and he is an outstanding public servant and outstanding community member. Prue Power was recognised for advocacy for community health and nursing. Carol Woodrow was recognised for her service to the performing arts, youth theatre and the development of Australian women playwrights. Ross Barrett was recognised for his contribution to the building and construction industry. He was recently acknowledged by the Canberra Business Council for his great work in the community. Congratulations to Louise Blue, who was recognised for her service to children and young people with disability. Brian Cook was awarded for his service to conservation and the environment. Michael Edwards was recognised for his service to the protective security industry through training programs. Stanislaw Kowalski was recognised for his service to the community through organisations supporting multiculturalism and the Lone Fathers Association.

Ursula MacDermott was yet another worthy recipient for her service to the community through the ACT Neighbourhood Watch Association. Dennis Page was honoured for his contribution to our community and for his service to business and the people of the ACT. Noel Tarbotton was also recognised for his huge contribution to our community and young people through Scouts Australia. Julie Tongs, who is well known around Canberra for her tireless campaigning for the rights of Indigenous Australians, was awarded for her work as the CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service in my electorate. It is a great service for the Indigenous community in Canberra and around the region. I recognise Sheila Thompson for her outstanding contribution to our community as a chief church organist and musical director. There are also those who have been honoured for their service to our armed forces, and I congratulate them as well, particularly Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm McGregor, who is a friend of mine and was recognised for his service to the Australian Army as Director of the Land Warfare Studies Centre.

As you can see from this shortlist, Mr Deputy Speaker, there are many Australians and many Canberrans out there who are doing exceptional work across a broad range of services and industries. Congratulations to all the recipients of this year's Australia Day honours, particularly those Canberrans, and I encourage members to promote these awards particularly among their multicultural and Indigenous communities.

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