Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to recognise some extraordinary people who live in the Hunter who were rightly recognised on Australia Day for their incredible contributions to our community and our nation.

Gerard McMillan from Singleton was awarded an OAM for his service to the community and to business. Gerard has been involved with the Singleton Diggers and was general manager from 1979 to 2020. He has been an honorary life member since 2020. He has also been part of the RSL and Services Clubs Association as a past state president and life member; the Club Managers Association Australia; the Licensed Clubs Association of Australia, now Clubs Australia; and the Registered Clubs Association of New South Wales. He was a district governor of Rotary International District 9670 and was an internal auditor. He was a member of the governance committee and a member of the Australia Day committee for the Singleton council.

Gerard has a strong involvement in the community and church, serving as the president of the Singleton tourism association and as national president of the Australian Catholic Cursillo Movement. He was a member of the finance committee for the Singleton Catholic parish, synod representative with the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and treasurer at Mercy Rest Home. He's got just a few thing on his plate!

Dr Gregory George Gambrill was awarded an AM in the general division for his significant services to science and to public health and nutrition. He was a member of the health star rating system technical advisory group from 2014 to 2016 and was the algorithm development lead. He has been a speaker at numerous health star rating symposia and consultations, including FoodLegal in 2017. He made a big contribution towards food regulation in Australia and New Zealand, being a member of the steering committee for front-of-pack labelling and an industry member on the technical design working group.

From 1981, Gregory was involved with the Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing Company Australia in roles ranging from process analyst and food scientist to group and corporate technical manager. Gregory has also been involved in fundraising efforts for the Black Dog Institute.

Congratulations to Geoffrey Sharrock from Fordwich, who was made a Member of the Order of Australia, AM, in the general division for his significant services to the mining industry and to the community. Geoff is a board member and chair of the Broke Fordwich Private Irrigation District. He    has been a member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy since 1968 and previously served as president. He has also been involved heavily with the Hunter Valley branch, initiating the Hunter student chapter, and was made an honorary fellow in 2017.

Geoff was a councillor on Singleton council from 2004 until 2008 and chair of the Redbank power station community consultative committee from 2004 to 2008, as well as being chair of the Broke Fordwich alliance community. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Singleton and the NSW Rural Fire Service in Broke, a volunteer at the Singleton Visitor Information Centre, deputy chair of Broke Fordwich tourism association, chair of tourism Singleton, a board member at the Hunter Region Tourism Organisation, a member of the Broke Landcare group and a member of the Broke water supply committee. He was a ministerial appointed member of the Upper Hunter Air Quality Advisory Committee in the NSW Environment Protection Agency, commissioner and member of the Mining and Petroleum Gateway Panel with the Independent Planning Commission, founder and inaugural co-chair of the research committee with the Australian Coal Association Research Program, chair of the editorial board of the Australian coal journal and chair of the OH&S committee of the Australian Coal Association, which is now part of the Minerals Council of Australia.

Congratulations to Darren Kearney, who received the Australians Corrections Medal. Darren has operated at several levels of Corrective Services in New South Wales over the past 34 years. He began his career in 1990 at Parklea prison, before being transferred to Maitland Gaol in 1992. When it closed, he transferred to the then Maitland transport unit, and has remained with the Court Escort Security Unit.

Congratulations to John Hedley, who received the Australian Fire Service Medal. John joined the Bulga brigade in 1974. He held roles such as deputy and senior deputy captain before his election as the Hunter Valley district group captain in 2001, a position he continues to hold.

Congratulations to all. Thank you for the contributions you have made to our community.