Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1) acknowledges the Order of Australia is the highest national honour awarded to Australian citizens for outstanding contributions to our country or humanity at large;

(2) notes that since being established by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, there have been 40,000 recipients of awards in the Order of Australia;

(3) recognises and celebrates the 1,047 Australia Day 2023 awards recipients, including 736 awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia for meritorious, distinguished and conspicuous service;

(4) further acknowledges community members recognised through Australia Day 2023 Local Citizen of the Year Awards; and

(5) congratulates all the recipients of awards on Australia Day 2023.

I would like to acknowledge and thank members of my community who received Australia Day awards in the Clarence Valley. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend these awards. Peter Dougherty was awarded an OAM for his service to the community of the Clarence Valley. Susan Chapple was awarded an Emergency Services Medal for her service to the community of Grafton. Meghanne Wellard was awarded a Public Service Medal for astounding public service in the recovery of the Department of Education's Rural North community following the flood crisis. Citizen of the Year went to Adam Wills for his work in growing Grafton's two theatres and increasing collaboration. He is a great mentor and helps students further their studies. Young Citizen of the Year went to Nicole Cowling for her commitment in helping a number of community organisations, such as helping to organise the Highland Gathering dance section and assisting young women entrants. Peter Martin received the Local Hero Award. Peter devotes many hours to croquet, such as mowing lawns, weeding, organising working bees and such. The 24 Grafton Army Cadet Unit was awarded the Community Achievement Award for helping at many different community events—dragon boat events and the Jacaranda Festival to name a few. Thank you and congratulations to all those winners.

I would like to acknowledge members of my community who received Australia Day awards in the Richmond Valley. The Citizen of the Year award went to Mark O'Toole for his courage and selfless acts during the 2022 flooding natural disaster. He also secured donations for the region and distributed them. Iris Hobbins received the Young Citizen of the Year award. A young member of the Evans Head Casino Surf Club, she is a natural leader and a mentor to other young girls. Teena Redman was Volunteer of the Year for her steadfast commitment to the success of the Evans Head Casino Surf Club. She was secretary, radio officer and so much more. Chantelle Davis was the Young Volunteer of the Year for her commitment to the community in the 2019-20 fires and the 2022 floods, protecting and saving lives. Joseph Mohammed is the Sportsperson of the Year for outstanding performance in rugby union at both club and representative levels over many years with the Casino Bulls Rugby Union Club, and he has coached many teams. Clayton Wilkinson is Young Sportsperson of the Year. He is an incredible role model and an inspiration to others within the Casino swimming club and wider community, and represented St Mary's Catholic College at country, state and national level. Ben West was awarded the Community Service Award for supporting youth in the Richmond Valley for many years, arranging sporting and social activities. Thank you and congratulations to all of those worthy winners.

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate members of my community who were recognised at the Kyogle Australia Day Awards recently. Pamela Campbell was awarded an OAM for service to the community of Kyogle. The Citizen of the Year award went to Lyndelle Saville. She has contributed to various community clubs over many years, and was the first female member and secretary, for five years, of the gun club. The Senior Citizen of Year is Peter Constable, who has served in executive roles in many community organisations, dating back to the 1960s. Junior Sportsperson of the Year went to Brayden Howlett, who has represented Kyogle in junior state and national golf competitions. He's been a caddy kid at the Australian PGA for some of the world's top ranking golf professionals. Senior Student of the Year went to Larni Ingram for being an excellent role model for other students, with an exemplary application to her studies whilst finding time to help in fundraising for community organisations as well. The Young Citizen of the Year went to Oliver McCormick, who was an outstanding role model for students as School Captain at Kyogle High School. Congratulations to all those worthy recipients.

I'd like to acknowledge and congratulate members of my community who were recognised at the Woodenbong Australia Day Awards recently. Citizen of the Year went to Christine Reid. Christine has been director of the Woodenbong preschool for 40 years. She's been involved with nearly every Woodenbong community organisation since 1982. Sportsperson of the Year went to Lachlan Hannant for competing at a state level in junior rugby league, touch football, junior golf, futsal, athletics, swimming and shooting competitions. Senior Citizen of the Year went to Jim Parker, who is a member and active volunteer in numerous committees. The Young Citizen of the Year went to Maddison Riley, who represented the club at many interclub events. She's also been recognised for her volunteer work at the club. The Business/Service of the Year award went to the Woodenbong Pharmacy for being at the forefront of providing information and advice to minimise the spread of COVID during the pandemic. Congratulations to all those worthy recipients.

Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there a seconder for the motion?

Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I second the motion and reserve my right to speak.

Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Deputy Speaker, and I'd like to congratulate you for being selected to join the Speaker's panel. May all members of the House listen to your rulings and learn from your wisdom.

I join other members this morning in acknowledging that the Order of Australia is the highest national honour awarded to Australian citizens for their astounding contribution to our nation. Of course, there is a military division in the Order of Australia as well. Since the order was established by Her Majesty the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, there have been 40,000 recipients of awards in the Order of Australia.

I am proud to be a member of the Order, receiving the Order of Australia medal on Australia Day 2006 for volunteer work for Timor-Leste. It was very humbling, and I continue to work for our nation in a variety of roles to honour membership of the Order and to serve Australians.

Today we celebrate the 1,047 Australia Day 2023 award recipients. I congratulate all of those recipients, and I'd particularly like to acknowledge all Australians who were nominated and awarded. One of those recipients is Timmy Duggan, who launched Hoops 4 Health in 2002. For over 20 years Timmy has been assisting young Territorians and other young Australians, and he's used basketball as a vehicle for connection and change. Timmy is also the first National Basketball League, NBL, player from the NT. He has used his passion for sports to build resilience in our young kids, including at our youth detention centre in Darwin, the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre. In fact, it was Timmy who first invited me to join him to go into Don Dale to spend time with young Territory kids, and he has done powerful work to help them get on the right track.

Take the remarkable story of Maureen Langdon, who was recognised for her services to nursing. Maureen was the first full-time female ambulance officer in Australia. She worked in the Territory for 48 years, including for the Northern Territory St John Ambulance service.

I also want to congratulate my friend Henry Gray for his services to education, which included teaching in Groote Eylandt, Nhulunbuy and Darwin. Henry said to me that he gave up a possible inheritance of a family farm to enter teachers college, and he was a mature age student in 1968. He found educating young Australians and young Territorians to be such a fulfilling career. Let me say to you, Henry, that you acquitted your responsibilities with integrity. You made such a difference to those that you educated, and you kept a smile on your heart. Well done, mate.

I acknowledge Berverley McCormack for her services to remote nursing in Central Australia, since 2006, as well as Dr Sadhana Mahajani who helped establish Darwin's first community health centre, in 1974, and kept on working out of a demountable after Cyclone Tracy ripped through our city. I heard her interviewed on radio recently. It was a truly inspiring story. Another Territorian to receive the Order of Australia is Superintendent Peter Malley, who worked in NT Police, including in Darwin, and currently in Palmerston, for 20 years. Pete has also been recognised for his service with an Australian Police Medal. Well done.

Finally, I want to pay tribute to Sue McCallum for her amazing service to veterans over decades. Sue was posted, in Darwin, as a radio operator in the Navy. She comes from a family of veterans, across the generations, and she's been spending her time, over the last decades, helping veterans to navigate the compensation system with the Department of Veterans' Affairs. She has been volunteering for Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia NT, Veterans Australia NT and Mates4mates. Sue said she was overwhelmed to receive an Order of Australia. She felt like she had not done so much, and that's so true of many humble people receiving these awards. But, as a long-term member of Veterans Australia NT, I know how much you have done, Sue. Well done. It's truly important and selfless work.

I welcome the valuable work of the NT committee for the order and encourage people to nominate exceptional Australians.

Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member and call the member for Dawson.

Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Deputy Speaker Payne, and I offer my hearty congratulations on your appointment as well. I rise today to support the motion, by the member for Page, which highlights the great work of those people who have received awards this Australia Day.

Australia Day is a day we come together to celebrate our great nation and all that it has to offer, whether it's going to the beach to play cricket or gathering with family and friends for a barbie. It's also a day that highlights the great work given from people from our communities and awards them with recognition. Around our nation, many community champions received Australia Day awards. In my electorate of Dawson, there are more than 40 I would like to acknowledge in this place. I would like to take the opportunity to give a shout-out to these amazing people who put so much of themselves and their time into our communities. I think it only appropriate to see them recognised for their efforts. As it is in most areas, these awards range from volunteer acknowledgements, environmental awards, sporting achievers, citizens of the year and the prestigious Order of Australia medal. However, they all acknowledge one thing: how dedicated and selfless our people are.

In Mackay, there are seven people who received awards: Sergeant Nigel Dalton, Citizen of the Year, Keira Brown, Jody Burrows, Alison Richardson, Brenda Windsor, Connor Parish, Dr Judith Wake and the Pioneer Valley Machinery Preservationists Society. These people are all heavily involved in the Mackay community, in a major way, through sporting groups, not-for-profit organisations and so much more.

In the Burdekin, the recipients were Gerald Henaway, Zavier Wood, Brent Dingle, Kate Casswell, Ricky Gudge, Margaret Taylor, Desley Musumeci, Joan Andersen, Michelle Darker, Flo Downing, Maureen Perry, Judy Peterson, Beth Wall, Keith Kiloh, Aileen Jones, Eliza Worlein, Jarrod Langford, Makayla Pirrone, Kiera Wiseman, Ellyana Mugica and the committee of the Burdekin Race Club. The Burdekin is truly a better place with these ladies and gents around. The dedication and drive they have for their region is something they should all be proud of.

In the Whitsundays, the awardees showcased were: Marlene Reiffel, Lisa Stanley, Graham Smith, Mac Rogers, Anne-Marie Kehres, Kids at the Beach Childcare Centre and the Bowen Neighbourhood Centre. There are so many opportunities to get involved in the Whitsundays and these recipients truly took it upon themselves to get in amongst what the region has to offer.

In Townsville, the northern part of my electorate, awardees acknowledged were: Peter Shefford, Kobe Chun-Tie, Darren Randall, Allan Jefferson, Maree McClelland, Zoe Chester and Dr Adam Smith. The Townsville region is a beautiful part of Queensland, and these seven recipients have truly made the most of their tropical city. I was lucky and honoured to be able to travel around the electorate on Australia Day to witness some of these recipients receiving their awards. A huge congratulations to all Australia Day award recipients.

I'd also like to make mention of the hundreds of residents around my region who were nominated for an Australia Day Award. As we all know, there can be only a certain number of people who win the award, but all these nominees put in hours of their time, sacrificing their time and energy for the betterment of our region.

There's one last person I'd like to acknowledge—Mr Ronald Bassan OAM. Ronald signed up for the military when he was 17. He was an artilleryman from 1954 to 1975. Ronald was recently awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his distinguished military service and the contribution to Mackay's community as a civilian. He has been loyal to our nation his entire life. He celebrated his 21st birthday in a Malaysian jungle camp while deployed. What a trooper! Mr Bassan, a local legend up my way, deserves every accolade he receives. Thank you for your service and congratulations.

Throughout 2023 I'm excited to see even more community events starting up or returning after COVID, and more locals getting involved.

Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

CHELL () (): We'll make it a trifecta as I too congratulate Deputy Speaker Payne on her elevation—much deserved—to the speaker's panel. I thank the member for Page for moving this motion, and I join him in celebrating the 1,000 or so Australia Day 2023 awards recipients, including 736 awards in the general division of the Order of Australia for meritorious, distinguished and conspicuous service. In particular, I acknowledge Order of Australia recipients for 2023 from my own electorate of Lyons.

I offer my sincere congratulations to the very Hon. Margaret Reynolds AC. Margaret was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the people and parliament of Australia, to social justice, gender equality and Indigenous rights, to local government, and to the community. I know Margaret well; she lives in Richmond in my electorate. Despite having been a senator for Queensland for some years, she has moved to the beautiful isle. This award is truly well-deserved.

Margaret served in the Senate for Queensland from 1983 to 1999. She was Local Government Minister from 1987 to 1990 and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Status of Women from 1988 until 1990. Margaret's achievements during her distinguished career as an activist, educator, and author are also too numerous to mention, but I will single one out. For six years she led the Friends of the ABC from her home just outside of Hobart in Tasmania and did a wonderful job representing that fantastic organisation and its importance to this nation. To this day, Margaret and her wonderful husband, Henry, are very active members of the local community in Richmond as well as nationally. Suffice to say, I am thrilled that Margaret Reynolds has been recognised for what continues to be a lifetime's work as an activist and advocate.

I also recognise Mr Roger Self OAM, awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community of the Tasman Peninsula. Roger is a stalwart of this wonderful community, serving on the Tasman Council for more than a decade, including as mayor from 2005 until 2007. He was and continues to be active in several community organisations, including the Rotary Club of Tasman Peninsula, the Tasman Lions Club, and the Eaglehawk Neck Action Community Taskforce. I can tell you that the Eaglehawk Neck Action Community Taskforce is a small but very active group doing really important work for that part of my electorate. Roger, I take this opportunity to thank you for your service to community and congratulate you on this well-deserved recognition.

I'd also like to take a moment to congratulate recipients of Australia Day awards awarded by local councils across Lyons last month. I've set it in this place before and I'll say it again: the people of Lyons are talented, hardworking and committed to their local communities. Once again, there are far too many achievements to mention them all, but I'll try to get through as many as I can—and I've got 12 councils in my electorate. Congratulations to Glamorgan Spring Bay Council Citizen of the Year Helen Gamble, Break O'Day Council Citizen of the Year Diane Harris, Central Highlands Council Citizen of the Year Ron Sonners, Derwent Valley Citizen of the year Justin Benson, Kentish Council Citizens of the Year Kentish Doug and Lesley Begg, Northern Midlands Council Citizen of the Year Maureen Shadbolt—I had the great pleasure of spending some of the day with Maureen—Southern Midlands Council Citizen of the Year Tony Collis, Meander Valley Council Citizen of the Year Iain Mackenzie, Sorrell Council Citizens of the Year Jessica Ffrost-Boyd and Craig Boyd, and Tasman Council Citizen of the Year Arnold McShane.

Brighton Council will announce its citizen of the year at a ceremony in February, having elected to have its awards later in the year, as is absolutely its right to do, and Clarence City Council, I understand, doesn't have such awards and is reconsidering whether to have such awards at all. Of course, this is a big thing in a free country like Australia. Councils are now free to make their own decisions about how to hold their citizenship awards. I think that's only opportune and right in a free country.

Congratulations to every nominee and award recipient. I congratulate everybody involved and thank them for their service to their community.

Andrew Gee (Calare, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What makes our country communities such great places to live are the local residents who, through their tireless efforts and achievements, make such an enormous contribution to our region and our nation. Today it's an immense honour to recognise some of the exceptional recipients of Australia Day awards in the Calare electorate. In Cabonne, for Borenore/Nashdale, Citizen of the Year was Phil Tyack. For Canowindra, Citizen of the Year was Peggy Nash and Young Citizen of the Year was Emily Thomas, who is an up-and-coming young hammer thrower. Cudal Citizen of the Year was Jennifer Ryan, and Young Citizen of the Year was Sam Thomas. In Cumnock, Citizen of the Year was Amanda Schulz—good on you, Schulzie—and Young Citizen of the Year was Angus O'Brien. In Eugowra, Citizens of the Year were Ben and Jess Stanley, and Young Citizen of the Year was Sabina Heinzel. In Manildra, Citizen of the Year was Dick Honan. In Molong, Citizen of the Year was Wendy McNab and Young Citizen of the Year was George Betts. In Mullion Creek, Citizen of the Year was Paul Culverson and Young Citizen of the Year was Eleanor Roe. In Yeoval, Citizen of the Year was Murray Parker, and Young Citizens of the Year were Douglas Philipson and Katie Letcher.

The Cabonne Sportsperson of the Year was Juliette Mills, and the Cabonne Youth Ambassador was Tengis Meiklejohn. In Lithgow, the Member of the Order of Australia went to Associate Professor Dr John Dearin AM for significant service to medicine and to community health in Lithgow. Citizen of the Year was Kay Adams, Young Citizen of the Year was Christian Broome, Young Volunteer of the Year was Lauren Trounce and Open Volunteer of the Year was Bill Evans. The Heritage Conservation Award for this year went to Donna White.

In Oberon the Medal of the Order of Australia went to Dr Ian Pfennigwerth OAM for service to military history. Citizen of the year was Kathy Sajowitz—well done, Kathy—Young Citizen of the Year went to Daria Olney, Sportperson of the Year went to Grace Yeo and Volunteer of the Year went to Greg Bourne.

Citizen of the Year in the Mid-Western Local Government Area went to Craig Bassett. Well done, Basso; he's our 2MG and local legend. Young Citizen of the Year went to Kirilee Besant. The Glen Johnston Memorial Award for Arts and Music went to Cheryl Murray and Theresa Therese. The Mid-Western Regional Council Sport Award went to Jessica Reynolds. The Volunteer Services Award went to Martin and Priscilla Weyermann.

In Wellington the Citizen of the Year was Jennifer Wykes, Senior Citizen of the Year was Shirley Drysdale, Young Citizen of the Year was Chloe Shanahan. Young Sportsperson of the Year was Ronnie Tandy-Bell, and the Community Service Award went to Melissa Whitton, Jeffrey Amatto, John Newton and John Whiteley. I was honoured to be in Wellington for their Australia Day celebrations on Australia Day evening.

In Blayney, the Citizen of the Year went to Gwenda Stanbridge. The volunteers of the year went to Edward Prosper and Darrin Yates, and the appreciation awards went to Jan Roberts and Babette Bradley.

In Bathurst, the Medal of the Order of Australia went to Sister Mary Comer OAM for service to the community of Bathurst. Also a Medal of the Order of Australia went to Barry Purdon OAM for service to the Bathurst community. The Australian Corrections Medal went to Jason Schnepf ACM, and the Australian Fire Service Medal went to Maurice McMillen AFSM. The Public Service Medal went to Janet Bingham PSM for outstanding public service recognising and maintaining the Aboriginal cultural heritage of the Bathurst region. The Citizen of the Year went to Melissa Baker, the Jo Ross Memorial Award went to Cathy Hale and the Bathurst Regional National Trust Heritage Award went to Alan McRae and also to Lee Steele.

In Orange, Dr Susan Blinkhorn received a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to medicine as a psychiatrist. The Orange Citizen of the Year was Pip Waters, and the Young Citizen of the Year went to Annabelle Van Wyk. The Local Legend Award went to Linda Williamson.

I congratulate and thank all of our wonderful award winners and honours recipients and also pass on the appreciation of our region for all they do for our communities. These awards are richly deserved recognition, and we are all very proud of them and all that they have achieved.

Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Dunkley.

Peta Murphy (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Deputy Speaker—and can I say I'm so pleased to see you sitting in the chair. I am very glad to have this opportunity to acknowledge some of the community servants in our community. These are the people who have received Australia Day Order of Australia awards and Citizen of the Year awards from the Frankston City Council and the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council.

We had five people in my local community honoured in the Order of Australia general civilian division this year. For significant service to tertiary medical education, Emeritus Professor Paul McMenamin of Mount Eliza was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia. Professor McMenamin has been emeritus professor of anatomy and development biology at Monash University since 2020, and his service to tertiary medical education means that he is a very worthy recipient of this honour. For distinguished service to medical research in the field of haematology, to tertiary education and to the promotion of science, Professor Michael Berndt of Mount Eliza has been awarded the Officer of the Order of Australia. He has been a John Curtin Distinguished Emeritus Professor since 2018. We in our community know, as do people across Australia—more so perhaps than anyone realised before 2020—how important it is to have people like Professor McMenamin and Professor Berndt, who promote science, who serve tertiary education to educate our future scientists and who work in areas where medicine and medical research save lives.

For service to the community through a range of organisations, Mrs Jean Gilbert of Mount Eliza was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. Mrs Gilbert has volunteered with Toorak College, St James the Less Anglican Church in Mount Eliza, the Peninsula Home Hospice Women of Action biennial luncheon and many more. She is such a stalwart of the community. For service to veterans, Mr Kevin Hunter of Frankston was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. He has been on the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia's Victorian branch as a state welfare director for 25 ongoing years. As a patron of the Frankston branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia, I thank him and everyone else for the work that they do. He has made many veteran welfare contributions and served in the Army and Army Reserves for almost 30 years, receiving recognition for his service in Vietnam with several medals.

For service to the community, particularly through the church, Mr Ricky Painter of Langwarrin received a Medal of the Order of Australia. He is a senior pastor at Gateway Church Australia and a co-producer of the Good Friday Family Festival, a terrific festival that occurs on the Frankston foreshore. I'm very proud of our two police officers who received a meritorious award: Commander Martin O'Bryan, for 42 years with the Victoria Police, and Detective Leading Senior Constable Paul Roberts, who has served 37 years with Victoria Police.

The 2023 citizens of the year awards in Frankston were a terrific event. The Citizen of the Year was Warwick Exton, who is an amazing 100-year-old, cheeky man, who I have spoken about in the chamber before. His contributions to the community are outstanding, and his book, Action Sweetwater Creek, is a great historical record of some very important environmental work in our community. Young Citizen of the Year, Jack Lyons, is right now incredibly tired because he has almost finished running 50 marathons in 50 days to raise money for those experiencing homelessness. It's a feat that I think is actually unimaginable, and he is amazing for having done it.

The Community Group of the Year, that I am an ambassador for, was the Women's Spirit Project, which grew out of a grassroots community initiative established by women for women within Frankston. Jodie Belyea is a woman who is incomparable; she has such a drive and passion to serve our community and to help women who are vulnerable or in need. It is so well-deserved for everyone who was part of the Women's Spirit Project.

The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council's Young Citizen of the Year was Josh Berry from Mount Eliza, who is collecting 50,000 pairs of socks so that every one of the 23,000 homeless people in Victoria can have two pair each. What a contribution and dedication to the community! Congratulations, everyone.

Alicia Payne (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.