Eric Hutchinson (Lyons, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I take this opportunity to acknowledge the recipients at the recent Australia Day awards in my electorate of Lyons. The list is as follows. Mr Geoffrey Butler from St Helens, in the north-east of Tasmania—was awarded the Australia Medal. This is the second one for his family. His wife, Heather, was awarded the honour in 2012. Mr Butler was chairman of the St Helens Athletic Club and he continues as a board member of Medea Park. He is a volunteer at the St Helens Volunteer Ambulance Station, the Rotary Club of St Helens and the Break 0 Day Business Enterprise Board, and he was previously a Labor Party state president.

Mr John Beswick, from Deviot on the West Tamar, was also awarded the Australia Medal. John was a Bass Liberal MP between 1979 and 1988, a former deputy premier of Tasmania and held various portfolios, including forestry, employment and primary industry. He served with the Launceston City Mission, the North-Eastern Art and Craft Association, the Derby Development Association and the West Tamar Uniting Parish Church.

Laura Double, who I know personally, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal. Laura is a Campbell Town woman who started volunteer work in the community when her brother was involved in a serious car crash which resulted in a brain injury. She raised money to buy a jaws of life for Campbell Town district and for repairs to churches at both Campbell Town and Ross. She has ongoing involvement with the Midlands Pony Club.

Deborah De Williams was awarded the Australia Medal. Deborah is a Midway Point woman who has been fundraising for her community from a very young age. She became the first woman to walk a continuous lap around Australia to raise money for breast cancer.

Trevor Clark, from Exeter, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal. Since 1983, Trevor has volunteered for the Gravelly Beach Fire Brigade, and for years he has offered his time to organise the Exeter Show. He also helped to set up Exeter village market.

Graeme Mcdermott, from Oatlands in the Southern Midlands, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal. Graeme has been President of the Oatlands District Homes Association for a decade and has worked for many years with the Rotary Club of Oatlands. He is on the board of JobMatch, Lake Dulverton-Callington Park Committee and the Police Association of Tasmania.

Joan Barnes, from Longford, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for community service and for many other activities. Joan is a member of the Longford Garden Club, the Longford Show Society and the Longford Tennis Club. She volunteers at the local op shop and for Meals-on-Wheels and is also a counsellor in the Helping Hands Association.

Leila Nichols, from Nubeena, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her community service, especially during the January 2013 bushfires on the Tasman Peninsula, where, for nine consecutive days, she served meals to people who had lost their homes.

The former mayor of the Sorell Council, Carmel Torenius, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal. Carmel has been a tireless contributor to her community, including the Primrose Sands RSL, the Dodges Ferry Recreation Centre, the Dodges Ferry Sea Rescue and the South Eastern Regional Development Association. (Time expired)