House debates

Thursday, 26 June 2014

Statements by Members

Mitchell Electorate: Queen's Birthday Honours

1:34 pm

Photo of Alex HawkeAlex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

I rise to acknowledge the special contribution of the members of my community who have been recognised in the 2014 Queen's Birthday honours. Within Mitchell, we are particularly blessed to have people of the calibre who have received honours in this year's awards, including Professor Carolyn McGregor AM, for significant service to science and innovation through healthcare information systems. It was a pleasure to hear from her very proud parents straight after the announcement. Professor McGregor attended Baulkham Hills North Public School and Muirfield High School and currently lives in Canada. She is a leading expert in health informatics, pioneering a computer program that monitors the health of patients. It is currently being adapted to monitor the vital signs of astronauts during NASA's planned manned mission to Mars in 2030.

Conjoint Professor Greg Leigh AO received his award for distinguished service to the deaf and hard of hearing. Of course, we have the RIDBC in my electorate.

Many people will know Ray Warren as a famous rugby league commentator. He received an OAM for services to sport, but there is also his great charity work. I have spent most of my life listening to Ray Warren, as I think many people here in this chamber and in the community have. We probably owe him a great debt for his great service to sport and charity.

Also receiving awards were John Trlin OAM, for service to the community through driver awareness education programs; Carmel Moriarty OAM, for nursing, particularly in the field of cystic fibrosis; Don Roberts OAM, for service to the sport of rowing; Lynton Bradford OAM, for service to the community of Castle Hill, particularly in the area of seniors' computing; Larry Bolitho OAM, for service to local government and to the community, an award his family most appreciates; and Robert Ryan OAM, a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division, for services to the wool industry.

I congratulate them all. They are fantastic Australians.