Sally Sitou (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Every year Australia Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate extraordinary Australians who help to make our community the wonderful place it is. I want to recognise some of their contributions here today. Ellen Louie has been the Chairman of the Australian Nursing Home Foundation for over a decade and is recognised with an OAM. Her work has been fundamental in developing and running aged-care facilities across Sydney, with a particular focus on our older Chinese community. I've been able to visit one of these facilities in my electorate, the Bernard Chan Nursing Home in Burwood. It's a wonderful facility where older Chinese-speaking residents can eat familiar food, celebrate Chinese festivals and have care provided to them in their mother tongue.

The late Dr Gregory Kesby was posthumously awarded an AM for his significant service to obstetrics and gynaecology. An obstetrician by training, Dr Kesby's contribution to medicine spanned far beyond his clinical jobs at both the Royal Prince Alfred and King George V hospitals in Sydney. Dr Kesby maintained a number of senior roles on the Medical Council of New South Wales, the Australian Medical Council, the Medical Board of Australia and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. His legacy lives on through the many clinicians he helped to train and the many patients he treated.

Justine Perkins was awarded an OAM for her service to the community. Justine and her husband, John, turned a deeply personal tragedy into an initiative that would go on to have a joyous and profound impact on the lives of so many. The Perkins lost their daughter Olivia when she was just eight months old. She had a rare disease that cut her life far too short. As a way of challenging their immense grief they set up the Touched by Olivia foundation to help communities establish inclusive play spaces called Livvi's Place. There are now more than 20 Livvi's Place playgrounds around Australia, giving all children an opportunity to experience the joy and fun of playgrounds.

Jennifer Collins chairs the Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway in my electorate. She's been awarded an AM for her service to veterans and their families as well as her service to nursing. I can say firsthand what an extraordinary person Jennifer is, having attended the 80th anniversary of the Kokoda campaign at the memorial last year. I want to thank all of this year's recipients for their incredible contributions to our community.