Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognise one of the wonderful constituents of the electorate of Forde and acknowledge her efforts in receipt of her OAM. The Order of Australia is the highest national honour awarded to Australian citizens for outstanding contributions to our country and humanity. It was quite disappointing to listen to the previous member's contribution to this debate.

Since being established, there have been more than 30,000 recipients of this award. This Australia Day, one of those recipients was Forde's very own Robin Gallen. Robin was awarded the OAM for her service to community health. She is one of our region's finest examples of a person who serves the community with selflessness and dedication. Robin has been heavily involved in the local community since moving to the region in 1988. Her time as a girl guide instilled a passion for community spirit which followed her throughout her life—from her time as a teacher to her work as a diversional therapist in nursing homes throughout southeast Queensland.

Robin's involvement in the Forde community and, more broadly, the Logan community ranges from helping to establish the Logan Seniors Network to serving as the president of the Crestmead 40+ Club, being a youth leader at the Girls' Friendly Society, volunteering with Guide Dogs Queensland, assisting the RSL Care Talbarra community and contributing her time to the Saint Marks Anglican Church. At one point, she went on to work as a diversional therapy teacher and coordinated the Logan City Business Academy. More recently, she has served on the board of the Wesleyan Methodist Church at Logan and has volunteered at the Logan Entertainment Centre. It is always a pleasure, when you go to events at the Logan Entertainment Centre, to see Robin as part of the greeting team, so warmly welcoming everybody who is coming to attend the function.

Robin's hard work and commitment to the community has been recognised on many occasions locally. She was presented with the first-ever life membership award for her efforts with Diversional Therapy Australia; she was a founding member of the Queensland branch. She has received the prestigious Mayor's Spirit of Logan award from the city of Logan. In 2009, she also won the esteemed Most Active Senior award.

I am so proud to have somebody like Robin living in my community—somebody who goes above and beyond to help others. But more importantly, I am blessed to be able to call her a friend. Robin has always put her passion to help others at the forefront of everything she does. Her community spirit shines everywhere she goes. It was my pleasure to support the application for Robin's Order of Australia. Robin is a very deserving recipient, and I have no doubt that the people of our community of Forde feel enormously proud of her achievements and her involvement in our local community. Robin, thank you for everything that you do for the community of Forde and, more generally, Logan. Congratulations on your Order of Australia award.

See this speech in context