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

I rise to honour and congratulate the recipients of Queen's Birthday honours for 2021. In Higgins this year, I'm delighted to congratulate 35 recipients of Queen's Birthday honours, including 14 medals of the Order of Australia, 15 members of the Order of Australia and six officers of the Order of Australia. These recipients have contributed significantly both to their community and to our country.

Every year it's a long list in Higgins. I'd particularly like to congratulate Professor Stephen Davis on his AO for distinguished service to medical education, stroke research and the management of cerebrovascular disease; Ms Erika Feller AO, for distinguished service to the international community, the recognition and protection of human rights and refugee law; Mr Ian Hicks AO, for distinguished service to the community through philanthropic support for the arts, education and social welfare bodies; Ms Janine Kirk AO, for distinguished service to the community through leadership in advisory roles in not-for-profit organisations; Emeritus Professor Lester Peters AO, for distinguished service to medicine, particularly radiation oncology and professional medical groups; Emeritus Professor Alan Trounson AO, for distinguished service to medical science, in-vitro fertilisation and stem cell technologies. I'm pleased to say that I called Alan a colleague in my former working life, and he's done some amazing work over many decades to help families start when they've had difficulties with infertility.

It's wonderful to see the rich and diverse tapestry of Higgins well represented in this year's Queen's Birthday honours. Higgins constituents with an AM truly come from all walks of life: for child protection, presented to Mr Andrew Blode AM; interior design, to Ms Susan Carr AM; performing arts, to Mr Colin Cornish AM and Mrs Rose Downer AM; industrial relations, to Mr Michael Gay AM; and education for children with special needs, to Mr Anthony Thomas AM. Urban planning also gets a mention, with the award being presented to Ms Kathryn Mitchell AM, as does building and construction, for Mr Vallence Simonds AM. Constituent Mr Trent Smyth AM was honoured for service to motorsport; Ms Ricci Swart AM, for service to the media and film industry; Mr Charles Justin AM, for his work for museums; and Mrs Louise Gourlay AM, for her charity work. She has worked diligently to support the Ian Potter Foundation and my old alma mater, Melbourne Girls Grammar, where she was a substantial supporter of the new Artemis Centre. She was a school swimming captain, and I know she was delighted by the opening of this new building.

There's one thing we can count on in Higgins: overrepresentation in the medical and healthcare field. I'd like to congratulate Ms Helen Maxwell-Wright AM, who was recognised for service to diabetes research and child welfare; Dr Bryan Mendelson AM, for service to plastic surgery; and Dr Heather Mack AM, for service to ophthalmology. I'd also like to thank Mrs Yen Bui OAM for her service to the Vietnamese community in Higgins and, indeed, right across Victoria. Mrs Bui is always so enthusiastic in her dedication to serving and helping people. In fact, I've danced with Yen at Vietnamese lunar new year celebrations held in Ashburton. She's a great enthusiast for her culture and her community, and I really have loved working alongside her.

Whilst my electorate always features in the Queen's Birthday honours, not all of the action happens in Higgins, of course. I would like to make special mention of two extra people who live just outside of Higgins. One is Professor John Daley, who was presented with an AM for significant service to public policy development and to the community. Professor John Daley was the inaugural director of the Grattan Institute, and he has given a decade of his life to the intellectual leadership of this country. Congratulations for the recognition of that extraordinary work. I also recently met with Maree McCabe—now Maree McCabe AM—who is the CEO of Dementia Australia. I'd like to take a moment to congratulate her on her award for significant service to people living with Alzheimer's and dementia and to the aged-care sector. Her work in this space hits home to many who know all too well the pain of watching relatives suffering from this awful disease, as did my father.

I commend all of the Higgins residents and, indeed, all Australians represented in the Queen's Birthday honours this year. The Queen's Birthday honours reflect a lifetime of service of these many great people to our great country. I ask that the following list of recipients be included in Hansard because I'd like to put on the record the wonderful work they have done for my community and, indeed, for all of Australia.

House adjourned at 20:00