Maria Kovacic (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Order of Australia is a way of recognising the hard work and dedication that so many have provided to the service of our nation. Of those who were recognised in this year's honours, I would like to talk about two: Mrs Penelope Becchio OAM and Mrs Nasiba Akram-Haidari OAM, both from New South Wales. Penny is someone I have known well and come to call a friend through our shared time in the Liberal Party. A mother of three and a dedicated volunteer her whole life, Penny received a Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of her services to the community through a range of organisations. Penny is the embodiment of service and selflessness. In addition to her service to the Liberal Party, she has also been involved with Scouts NSW for more than four decades, and is currently serving as a state commissioner. Penny has had a love of arts, and since 2010 she has been a member of the Hornsby Art Prize Project committee, and has volunteered with the Hornsby Gang Show for over 20 years. Penny is also a person of faith and has served her parish, St Patrick's Asquith, since the 1980s. I give her my heartfelt congratulations.

Another one of the exceptional Australians who were acknowledged at this year's awards was Nasiba Akram-Haidari. Nasiba has led an extraordinary life and has dedicated it to the service of humanitarian causes. Nasiba and her husband fled the communist coup in Afghanistan during the late 1970s and came to Australia as political refugees. She went on to dedicate her life to the assistance of other Afghan refugees and refugee settlement services, including offering her home as a place of safety and shelter for hundreds across the past few decades. A foundation member and adviser for the Afghan Community Support Organisation of New South Wales, Nasiba has worked tirelessly for the benefit of her community. I congratulate her on her work. Thank you and congratulations to Penny and Nasiba.