MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education)
Incorporated pursuant to order of Council of 7 September 2021:
I rise today to express Western Victoria’s pride in the 30 residents who received Australia Day honours.
Foremost among them are Eve Kantor and Mark Wootton of Hensley Park, who became Officers of the Order of Australia, recognising their longstanding work in sustainable and regenerative agriculture, and their philanthropy. They helped launch Australia’s first climate organisation, the Climate Institute, in 2005, and played a key role in ICAN—working for the abolition of nuclear weapons—which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017.
Portarlington produced two OAMs—Jenny Wills for her lifelong work in promoting gender equity, especially in local government and with a current focus on the City of Greater Geelong, and her community work, such as advocacy for positive ageing and provision of aged-care services based on choice and human rights. Jenny was already an inductee on the Victorian Honour Roll of Women (2008).
Graham Gibson, Victorian Senior of the Year 2009, has been a very active advocate of cycling as a health and social benefit for older Victorians, founding—along with his wife, Moira—Port Pedallers 15 years ago. Active in numerous spheres of community life, Graham has renovated bikes for charities and bushfire victims, as well as putting his philosophy of ‘there’s a bike for everyone’ into practice.
Mount Pleasant’s Madeline Townsend was awarded her OAM for her work in conservation and looking after the environment, and for her important work in fostering volunteerism not only as a way of benefitting our community, but also for the positive contribution that volunteering can make to people’s lives.
I congratulate all who received awards and thank them for their work.
