Katie Allen (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

) ( ): I'm pleased to see so many constituents in the Higgins community recognised in this year's Australia Day Honours List. This year there were 20 award recipients in Higgins—women and men who have served our community with dedication and distinction. These are women and men who have given back to the community in myriad ways. The Australia Day Honours List each year provides a wonderful opportunity for all Australians to recognise the importance of the people who go above and beyond to make a difference in all of our lives.

One of the many honour awardees I would like thank is Rabbi Dr John Levi, AC, who has been elevated to the Companion of the Order of Australia, a merit of the highest degree in service to Australia. Rabbi Levi was honoured this year for eminent service to Judaism, through seminal roles in religious, community and historical organisations; to the advances of interfaith understanding, tolerance and collaboration; and to education. It is no surprise that I'm standing here today to speak of Rabbi Dr John Levi's service to Australia; a service to the country is ingrained in the Levi family tradition. Rabbi Dr Levi is in fact related to Nathaniel Levi, who also served our country as the first Jewish state MP, going back all the way to the 1860s.

While reading a complete list of Rabbi Dr John Levi's accomplishments would keep us here until nightfall, I did want to highlight his previous work as rabbi for Temple Beth Israel. And he is one of the founders of the King David School in Higgins, a wonderful Jewish school brimming with the leaders of our future. In fact, I was delighted to spend time in a Q and A session with some of the fine senior students at The King David School, in my electorate. We know that the future is bright with students like these.

I was also pleased to see a number of incredible medical professionals honoured for their important work, including Dr Brenda Shanahan, AO, for her distinguished service to medical health research, as well as to the business and finance sectors, corporate governance and philanthropy. Dr Shanahan really has done it all. I also want to thank and congratulate Professor Amanda Fosang, AM, for her significant service to medical research in the field of arthritis and to international societies. In fact, I've seen Amanda in action myself as she's a former colleague at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute. I'm delighted that her outstanding contribution to improving the lives of those who suffer from arthritis is being recognised and celebrated in this way.

This year's honours list includes recognition for significant services to water polo at the elite level, awarded to Higgins constituent Ms Jeanette Gunn, AM. And an honour was awarded for service to botanic gardening and ornithology—the study of birds—to Dr David Plant, OAM. He has a fitting name for his achievement in gardening! My electorate was also represented in the Australia Day Honours List with an award for significant service to veterinary science and equine welfare granted to Dr John McCaffrey, AM.

Congratulations to the work of Amanda Mandie for her contribution to charitable organisations. Amanda is a director of Koala Kids. Koala Kids is a volunteer organisation which provides small things that make a difference to children and young people, from birth to 25 years, their families and healthcare team during cancer treatment. Koala Kids provides quality entertaining, engaging and creative activities to families in their homes and in hospital, designed to engage children and young people to relieve the boredom associated with cancer treatment. They also work very closely with social workers and childcare therapists to develop and provide therapeutic items that distract children during invasive and painful treatments and procedures in hospital. Importantly, Koala Kids is about filling the gaps in care and not competing with current services. Finally, the Australian Police Medal was awarded to Sergeant Jonathan Payne, APM. I thank Sergeant Payne for his service.

I commend all of the Higgins residents—and, indeed, all Australians—represented in the Australia Day Honours List this year and express my deep appreciation for their valuable contributions. I seek leave for the following list of Higgins recipients be tabled in the Hansard.

Leave granted.

List of recipients:

Rabbi Dr John Simon Levi AC

Ms Brenda Mary Shanahan AO

Professor Amanda Jane Fosang AM

Dr Gregory Julian Goodman AM

Miss Jeanette Lillian Gunn AM

Mr Peter Stuart Marshall AM

Mr Philip David Mayers AM

Dr John Phillip Mccaffrey AM

Ms Jill Harrison Smith AM

Mr Lino Domenic Bresciani OAM

Dr Carmel Crock OAM

Ms Elizabeth James OAM

Mrs Amanda Mandie OAM

Mr David William Plant OAM

Mrs Megan Ruth Rynderman OAM

Mr Neil Howard Samuel OAM

Mr Patrick Francis Tehan OAM QC

Associate Professor David Rowan Webb OAM

Mr Rodney John Whyte OAM

Sergeant Jonathan Patrick Payne APM