David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Last week's Queen's Birthday honours list saw a number of wonderful people recognised for their tireless work in our community. In the Hastings Valley, Associate Professor Kevin Alford was awarded an Order of Australia Medal, as were Meg McIntyre and Virginia Hunter Cox. In the Manning Valley, Nancy Boyling was awarded an OAM, as was Chris Dempsey, while George Hoad was named a Member of the Order of Australia. On the Great Lakes, Coomba Park's Felicity Carter received an OAM, and in Vacy Janet Lambert was awarded an OAM. In Bolwarra Heights, Edward Thornburrow also received an OAM. Congratulations to them all.

I've known Associate Professor Kevin Alford for over three decades. Kevin Alford's exhortation resulted in me leaving a position that I had been appointed to at the hospital in Southport on the Gold Coast. Instead, I and Charlotte, my wife, and our three-month-old moved to Port Macquarie, all because Kevin Alford was such a persuasive fellow. Kevin has worked 39 years at the Port Macquarie Base Hospital and before that at the Hastings District Hospital, which was the first hospital I was appointed to as a fully fledged gastroenterologist. Kevin was a force of nature. He encouraged many other young specialists to move to Port Macquarie. Both Kevin and I became examiners for the College of Physicians, with the aim of establishing a training program for registrars at the new Port Macquarie Base Hospital. We were also involved in the setting up of the University of New South Wales Rural Clinical School, which went on to be a full medical school, based from year dot to year 6 in Port Macquarie.

Kevin has many strings to his bow. He has also been involved in serving the Durri Aboriginal medical clinic in Kempsey and as well as being a senior lecturer and then an associate professor at the University of New South Wales. We were both of the same mind that regional medical training would give better medical graduates, registrars and residents training because regular medical things are seen in big country hospitals. It's a perfect training ground.

I'd also like to mention Meg McIntyre, who for years has been a wonderful sports physio in Port Macquarie. She has been a huge fundraiser for the Great Victorian Bike Ride. She participated in the Commonwealth Games as the physio for the Australian women's hockey team. She was Deputy Director of Physiotherapy Services for the Sydney Olympics and worked in the polyclinics there. She has been a physio to the Australian cricket team as well as Chief Physiotherapist at Port Macquarie Base Hospital. She has been a great advocate for multiple sclerosis. She has been a huge community educator about that disease and has fought for funds to investigate and research that as well.

Nancy Boyling in Wingham as had numerous community roles: Meals on Wheels, the Anglican parish and the Red Umbrella Project, which raises funds for farmers and their families in drought stricken areas.

Virginia Hunter Cox from Wauchope has done amazing things for children's education and libraries around the local community. She has also been a volunteer in the Wauchope Show Society and a volunteer for the drug and alcohol team. She has been part of the Hastings Camden Haven Schools Teacher Librarian Network and also volunteered at the Kempsey Library.

Christopher Dempsey from Manning Point was a stalwart for various cricket clubs in Old Bar and Roselea and also the Manning Junior Cricket Association.

Janet Lambert has been so busy down in Vacy in the Red Cross, the Rural Fire Service, Meals on Wheels and the Vacy School of Arts. She had a 50-year long service medal.

Edward Thornburrow from Bolwarra Heights has done an amazing amount of work to advance the catering career of many people in many institutions. 'Catering' is his middle name. He has taught so many institutions how it should be done.

I forgot to mention my old friend George Hoad from Killabakh. He is 'Mr Garden' himself. He has been President of the Garden Clubs of Australia and the Killabakh Garden Club, a judge of bonsai and potted plants in the Wingham Show and the Taree Show, a monthly columnist in gardening, owner and host of Winchelsea Gardens in Killabakh and a great friend of Great Dixter gardens in the UK. He has had an amazing gardening career. (Time expired)

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