Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to congratulate some of my constituents in O'Connor who are very worthy recipients of the Order of Australia Medal. The strength of a community can often be measured in its volunteers—those who are willing to give more than they take for the betterment of their fellow citizens. In O'Connor, we saw three tireless contributors recognised for their years of community service. Alice Rule has been a pillar of the Albany community for more than six decades since she moved to the Great Southern from Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Perhaps the most notable of Mrs Rule's many contributions to the Great Southern is her role as a founding member of the Keep Albany Beautiful Committee in 1971. In a relationship with the committee that has spanned more than 40 years, she has held almost every executive position and earned life membership. Mrs Rule has been a long-serving supporter of the sporting community in Albany, most prominently with local hockey and football leagues. She has links to various charities from the Salvation Army to the Red Cross and has volunteered for Meals on Wheels. But those acknowledgements barely scratch the surface of Mrs Rule's community work.

Mrs Rule was not the only recipient in Albany this year; the same honour was awarded to Mrs Marion Sewell. This was not the first Australia Day that saw an honour bestowed upon Mrs Sewell. Five years ago, she received the Premier's Active Citizenship Award. Mrs Sewell is a long-serving volunteer for the St Vincent de Paul Society and has devoted many years to the Albany Holy Family Catholic Church, as a member of the choir and in the teaching of scripture. She has also turned her attention to the preservation of local history, the importance of which cannot be understated. Since 2005, Mrs Sewell has been involved with the Albany Regional Family History Society, including stints as treasurer and family research officer. Her sense of community has been ever present and felt far beyond Albany. Mrs Sewell received the Tambellup Meritorious Award in 1990.

Further north in the WA Goldfields, Mr Ian Kealley received a medal for his efforts in the preservation of our natural environment. Mr Kealley's name is well-known in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, where he worked for the Department of Parks and Wildlife for more than 30 years. He has managed the regional branch, under its various badges and titles, since 1987. Mr Kealley helped establish the framework for the joint management of Indigenous protected areas throughout the region. He has spent decades working in this field with the Spinifex people in the east, right through to the Martu traditional owners in the far northern Goldfields. Mr Kealley is a founding member of the Goldfields Speciality Timber Group and the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Urban Landcare Group.

I would like to, once again, formally acknowledge the efforts of these outstanding citizens. The community is indebted to each of you for your service over many years and I am confident in saying your respective communities would not be the same without you. We thank you for your service.

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