Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today I want to pay tribute to Reverend Frank Duffy of Corlette from my electorate of Paterson, who was awarded the Order of Australia medal in the Queen's Birthday honours list this week. Reverend Duffy is a deacon of the Anglican church and was recognised for his work with veterans and their families. Reverend Duffy sees his role as a deacon as providing a link between the church and our community. He was ordained in 2007, and much of his ministry has been supporting veterans and their families—but this was a job he was doing long before that. Reverend Duffy has been a member of the RSL for 30 years and is the second of four generations in his family to serve in our forces. His father served in Papua New Guinea during World War II, and Reverend Duffy himself carried out compulsory national service from 1957, which saw him complete military training to be 'at the ready' should conflict break out. His son and his grandson are now serving in our Navy.

Reverend Duffy joined the RSL in 1987 while living in Penrith. He became a welfare officer and began visiting veterans when he lived in Coffs Harbour, a service he continued when he moved to our beautiful Nelson Bay. Reverend Duffy is part of the Nelson Bay RSL sub-Branch welfare team, who visit 100 or so veterans in their homes, hostels and hospitals to check on their welfare. It is often only for a chat, but it makes the world of difference to these veterans. Reverend Duffy is also the welfare chaplain for the Nelson Bay RSL sub-Branch and the National Service and Combined Forces Association—good on you, nashos. He and his wife, Yvonne, attend All Saints Anglican Church in Nelson Bay. Congratulations, Reverend Duffy, on this fantastic honour.

I would also like to pay tribute today to a group of Maitland people who were, yesterday, inducted into the Maitland City Hall of Fame. The hall of fame was started last year by the Maitland City Council, and this week's 19 inductees take the total number to 44 people being recognised. It is not just about sport; although, of course, sport does run deep in the Maitland DNA. Recipients were also recognised in the arts, academia and public service. Yesterday's recipients were swimming champion Councillor Henry Meskauskas; internationally-renowned artist Nell; distinguished engineer and academic Sue McNeil; respected educator Janette Grossmann—and I welcomed some students from Maitland Grossmann this morning—Dr John Fraser and John Robert Hinder; William S Pender, hardware merchant and expert beekeeper; rugby league greats Bandy Adams, John 'Whacka' Graves, Noel Pidding, Jim Morgan, Terry Pannowitz and David Trewhella; David Power, Olympic medal-winning distance runner; cricket legend Harold 'Mick' Hinman; golfer Barrie Baker; former mayor Noel Unicomb; alderman Duncan Sim; and Reverend Thomas Pierce, preacher and editor of the Maitland Mercury. Congratulations.

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