Jason Wood (La Trobe, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate Queen's Birthday honours recipients in La Trobe. Congratulations to Denis Cunningham AM, from Belgrave, on his work as an enduring and extensive educator who has filled executive roles with national and international language-teaching organisations. He has produced multiple publications, presentations and articles in English and French on language teaching, distance education, open learning, continuity, profiling, Linguapax, language rights, policy, cultural diversity, associations and French topics in 28 countries.

Congratulations to Marilyn Rowe AM, from Olinda, on her significant service to the performing arts, particularly to ballet, as an artistic director, administrator, internationally acclaimed performer and competition jurist. During Mrs Rowe's career, she performed with the Bolshoi Ballet, the Vilnius Ballet Company and the Riga Ballet Company and played leading roles in The Merry Widow in 1985 and A Galaxy of Stars in 1986.

Congratulations to Emeritus Professor Dorothy Scott OAM, from Emerald, on her significant service to the community, particularly to child protection and wellbeing, as an advocate for children's rights reform, and to education. Her list of services is so extensive that unfortunately I will not have time to cover them all today, but on top of all that she was heavily involved with the Ian Potter Foundation, the Myer Foundation, the Sidney Myer Fund, the ANZ Trustees advisory panel and the Tasmanian Early Years Foundation.

Congratulations to Geoffrey Fitzpatrick OAM, from Sassafras, on his lifetime of service to industrial and interior design. He was involved with so many organisations and educational institutions in many different capacities, including the Design Institute of Australia, where he was a Hall of Fame inductee in 2005; the Victorian Council; the Australian Design Alliance; the Independent Designers Association of Australia; and the Advisory Committee on Design, Victorian Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development.

Finally, congratulations to a friend of mine, former Councillor Karin Orpen OAM, from Ferntree Gully, on her service to local government and to the community of Ferntree Gully. These services include being mayor of Knox for an incredible three times and also serving for 19 years as a councillor. She has been involved with the City of Knox District Scouts, the Victorian Local Governance Association, the Knox Historical Society, the Ferntree Gully Cemetery Trust, the Knox and District Woodworkers Club and has supported the Upper Gully and Ferntree Gully CFAs. She has been a justice of the peace since 2007. She has been a great contributor to residents of Ferntree Gully. I would like to congratulate all of the recipients of Queen's Birthday honours, including Donalea Patman, who I have mentioned before. (Time expired)