Ben Morton (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to inform the House there were a number of Tangney residents and community leaders who were recognised as part of this year's Australia Day honours list within the general division of the Order of Australia.

Ardross resident, Commander Philip Leslie Orchard, a retired member of the Royal Australian Navy, was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to veterans and their families in Western Australia through his administrative roles. Commander Orchard was the chief executive officer of the Western Australian state branch of the Returned and Services League of Australia from 2011 to 2016. He's also been a board member and state secretary of the Western Australia state branch. I thank him for his services and contribution to our veterans and their families and congratulate him on this prestigious honour.

I'd also like to congratulate Wenda Packard who was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Also an Ardross resident, Wenda has been recognised for his service to aged welfare. She's well known in the community as the founding vice president and chief instructor of Prime Movers, which she has run since 1986. Prime Movers is a not-for-profit organisation which provides physical and cognitive exercises as well as social interaction for seniors. Wenda was previously recognised as the WA Senior of the Year for Sport and Recreation in 2004.

I would also like to recognise some of Tangney's business and education leaders. David Flanagan, the chair and chancellor of Murdoch University, which is located in my electorate, was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to the mining sector for a range of roles in higher education and the community. David is known for his work as a geologist and mining and mineral exploration pioneer in Western Australia. In 2014, David was named the Western Australian of the Year and Western Australian Business Leader of the Year.

I join the member for Fremantle in congratulating Philip House who was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to medicine as an ophthalmologist, and his service to eye surgery foundations and the international community of Timor-Leste. Philip, who is an outstanding ophthalmologist, had the Applecross Eye Clinic in my electorate. He's also known for his extraordinary contribution to outreach services, including 25 years of services to the Pilbara in Western Australia.

Finally, I'd like to congratulate someone who was a great mentor to me and who remains a mentor to me today, Brian Loughnane. Brian was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his distinguished service to parliament and politics through contributions to public policy and as Federal Director of the Liberal Party of Australia. Brian was born on 11 November 1957 in Geelong, Victoria. After completing his studies at La Trobe University in 1981, the year I was born, Brian worked for Shell Australia. But politics was his true calling and, after being appointed as senior adviser to the Minister for Small Business in the Kennett government, Vin Heffernan, in 1992, Brian held a succession of positions, including as chief of staff to Alexander Downer and later to John Howard in opposition. Following a stint as chief of staff to Howard minister John Moore, Loughnane was state director of the Victorian—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 17:11 to 17:26

As I was saying before the division, following a stint as chief of staff to Howard government minister John Moore, Loughnane was state director of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party from 2000 to 2003. Brian Loughnane was then appointed Federal Director of the Liberal Party and served as campaign director for the coalition parties at the federal election held in 2004, when the coalition returned with an increased majority. Brian was also at the helm for the 2013 coalition win. He retired as Federal Director of the Liberal Party in February 2016.

Brian Loughnane and I have worked together, Brian in the role of federal director and me in the role of state director of the WA Liberal Party. As you can imagine, despite our close friendship and mentorship, sometimes those two positions did come with particular points of difference—I would stand up for the best interests of Western Australia and Brian would, quite professionally, run a national campaign. But, through all of that, Brian has been a great mentor to me. He has also been a great mentor to my wife, Asta, who was working at the Liberal Party here in Canberra when I met her. I call Brian, as does Asta, a friend of ours. I'm so pleased that Brian has been honoured in this way. When I spoke to him, he said this honour is recognition of the hard work of many campaigners from the Liberal Party who helped contribute to the success of our party around the nation.

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