Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It brings me great pride to celebrate the incredible achievements of many Goldstein residents who have been acknowledged in the Australia Day honours this year. The Australia Day honours of course are one of the pinnacles of Australian society and recognise people who have sacrificed and exercised charity and community support as well as success. We celebrate all of those things when we give out Australia Day honours and provide awards.

There are many in Goldstein who have been acknowledged this year in the awards: Associate Professor Peter Laurence McNicol AM, from Brighton, for his significant service to medicine, particularly in the fields of anaesthesiology, liver transplantation and transfusion medicine; Andrew John Plympton AM, from Brighton as well, for significant service to sports administration through governance roles, particularly to sailing and Australian Rules Football, the greatest code in the nation and the world, including as a board member for the Australian Sports Commission and executive board member for the Australian Olympic Committee; Ms Beryl Francis Campbell Foster OAM, from Brighton East, for her service to women in Victoria, including service to the National Council of Women Victoria, the League of Women's Voters Victoria, the Penguin Club Australia, and as a councillor on the Swan Hill City Council from 1969 to 1972; and Mrs Hatice Basarin OAM, from Hampton, who I know very well, for her long service to the preservation of Australian and Turkish military history, having co-authored a range of publications detailing the history of Australian and Turkish service in World War I. Congratulations, Hatice!

Mr Terence Black, from Black Rock, received an OAM for his service to veterans and families, having been secretary of the Beaumaris subbranch of the Returned and Services League of Australia Victorian branch from 2005 to 2015 and a member of the finance aid and audit committee of RSL Victoria from 2010 to 2016; Mr Don Joseph Cullen, from Black Rock, received an OAM for his service to the community through a range of roles, including chairman and founder of the Tibetan Village Project Australia since 2005.

Congratulations to Mr Michael Mace OAM from Ormond, for service to community theatre, including in roles with the Victorian Drama League; Mr Mark O'Leary OAM from Ormond, for service to choral music and education, including as founder, director and conductor of Young Voices of Melbourne since 1990; Mr Bruce Langford-Jones OAM from Beaumaris, for service to the building and construction industry and to golf, having served on the Housing Industry Association as a former president, vice-president and board member and as deputy chair of Golf Australia; Professor George Braitberg AM from Caulfield South, for significant service to medical administration and emergency medicine, education, health system design and to the community; Mrs Faye Haskin-Dubrowin OAM from Caulfield South, for service to interfaith relations and the community as the first female president and a member for 20 years of B'nai B'rith Victoria.

Congratulations to Mr Vincenzo Princi OAM from Brighton East, for service to football and to the community, including as president of the Hampton Dolphins Football Club since its formation in 2001; Mr David Thomson OAM from Brighton East, for service to education in the great state of Victoria and the community, having been a teacher at Caulfield Grammar School for some 36 years—and being 37 years old I can say that's almost a life sentence!—and a teacher in residence at Victoria University since 2005; and the late Mr John Siddons AO, for distinguished service to manufacturing, particularly to the mechanical and engineering sectors. I met his son Tony only a few days ago.

I also want to congratulate the other incredible citizens of Goldstein for their service and I give further congratulations particularly to Sergeant Arran Ferguson, who was announced Bayside Citizen of the Year in recognition of his outstanding commitment to law enforcement. The Glen Eira Citizen of the Year was awarded to Ian Butcher, acknowledging his 35 years of community service, particularly to the Bentleigh RSL where I got to know him. Finally, congratulations to the Glen Eira and Bayside councils' Young Citizens of the Year, Cara Morgan, who is a keen Scouts venturer; and Lital Weizman, an enthusiastic volunteer, particularly in the Sudanese community. Finally, congratulations to Millicent Roper and Stevie-Lou Answerth for their work in developing an inclusive culture at local Bayside schools, particularly focusing on LGBTI issues. To everybody who has been mentioned, congratulations on your wonderful work for our community.

See this speech in context