Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Moreton Australia Day Awards have become a proud feature of the south side of Brisbane's community calendar for nearly a decade. We had a wonderful ceremony on Australia Day, held for the first time at the Sunnybank Performing Arts Centre. These awards are all about celebrating the spirit of volunteerism in our community—sadly, something that we do not see as much of as we would like and as much as Australia needs.

Each year we have a number of Moreton Australia Day Award recipients—and I will talk about them for as long as I can, but I do have limited time—and, importantly, we also announced the Sir James Killen Award for the volunteer of the year. We were fortunate to have Lady Benise Killen attending again to present the award named in honour of her late husband and former defence minister, Sir James Killen. This year the very worthy recipient of the Sir James Killen Award was Mrs Janeth Deen. Janeth, a former teacher, has been volunteering for over 40 years and shares her time among a vast number of community organisations, including the Muslim Charitable Foundation and the Mt Gravatt Historical Society. Janeth also works with refugees and migrants and each week provides meals to the homeless. I am so privileged to have Janeth in our community. She is a very deserving recipient of this award and was so acknowledged by Lady Killen.

The other many Moreton Australia Day Award recipients this year were: Trevor Armstrong, from the Pennywort Bushcare and Oxley Creek Catchment Association; Sergeant Jim Bellos—who almost does not need a special recognition—from the Queensland Police, who does incredible work, particularly with young Australians and the migrant community; Genise Benz, from the Archerfield Airport's Friends of God's Acre; Elijah Buol, from the Queensland African Communities Council, a local guy and dedicated member of the Queensland African Communities Council, who has done so much to help promote multiculturalism, with a particularly strong focus on African youth—and I am very proud to call Elijah a friend; Collette Crossley, from the Acacia Ridge Community Centre Foodbank; Pamela Dale, from the Probus Club of Sherwood; Hema Dissanayake, from the Acacia Ridge Community Centre Foodbank, who does great volunteer work with people who are undergoing stress; Lucian Goonetilleke, from the Brisbane Ekibin Lions Club; Barry Harding, from the Stephens RSL Sub Branch; Annette Harper, from the Oxley Girl Guides; Rebecca Hughes, from St David's Neighbourhood Centre; Helen Hynd, who does some garden rescue work; Hajira Kelly, from the Friendship Group of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church; Chien Hao Lei—better known as Eddie Lei—chair of the World Arts & Multi-Culture group who do great work; Colin James Lelay and Pamela Ann Lelay, from Brisbane Ekibin Lions Club; Maggie Lu, from World Arts & Multi-Culture, who do great work in terms of citizenship ceremonies and beyond, bringing culture to the south side; Wayne Lucas, from Stephens RSL Sub Branch; Anieka McDonagh, from Rackley South Swimming Club; Vicki Mitchell, from Relay for Life, Cancer Council; Protais Muhirwa, from Active Refugee and Migrant Integration in Australia; Dr Greg Nelson, most well known as the principal of Sherwood State School but who also does great work with the Sherwood Neighbourhood Centre; Helga Parl, from Fairfield Writer's Group—always have a soft spot in my heart for writers' Mili Qicatabua, from Omega International Church; Sera Roqica, also from Omega International Church; Kelli Scott, from the Lions Club of Kuraby; Robyn Solomon, who also does great work at St David's Neighbourhood Centre as vice-chair of the management committee; Denise Skelton, from the Red Cross and Probus Club; Craig Tobin, from Craig Tobin Aquatics—who I say a special hello to for his great service to the community not just during the times of the 2011 floods but on and on, and I wish Craig and his family all the best in the future endeavours; Jessica Walker, from Yeronga State High School, who consistently demonstrated outstanding community leadership in spearheading the campaign to have Mojgan Shamsilipoar released from dentition, which was a huge effort and an amazing win for our community—well done, Jessica, and all of your team that you represent; Audrey Wise, from Yeronga Meals on Wheels—who would not like to be recognised in parliament but should be for her great role; and Danny Yeo, from the Lions Club of Brisbane Chinese and many other volunteer groups that I do not have time not mention.

Unfortunately, time prevents me from mentioning all the others. But to Reverend Heather Griffin, Loni Mills, Yani Mills, Ruth Ross-Peer and so many others volunteers in Moreton: thank you for the great work that you do. And thank you again to Lady Benise Killen for the work that you do in recognising the work of our volunteers.