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

I rise today to congratulate two deserving men who have been honoured in the Australia Day Awards 2020. Dr Geoff Irvine received a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to the Chiropractic Association. He has previously been awarded Chiropractor of the Year by the New South Wales branch and awarded life membership. The second person I would like to congratulate is Corporal Lachlan Walker O'Kane, who received a Conspicuous Service Medal for meritorious achievement as a surveillance technician in Air Task Group 630 whilst deployed on Operation Okra from August 2018 to February 2019.

I would also like to give a great shout-out and congratulations to Colin Howarth, who has been named inaugural winner of the MidCoast Volunteer of the Year award. Colin deserves this award. He spends his spare time volunteering not only for the Bucketts Way Neighbourhood Group but also for aged-care services, the Cancer Council of New South Wales and Hunter New England health services.

I would also like to congratulate Alan Vaile, of Gloucester, who was awarded Local Citizen of the Year. He has dedicated many years to the RSL sub-branch as well as the New South Wales SES and the Gloucester Men's Shed.

I would also like to congratulate Halliday's Point Lions Club for their Australia Day awards ceremony. They awarded Local Citizen of the Year to Jan Kempe and Leo Fransen. (Time expired)