Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm so proud of the six outstanding residents who were recognised on the 2026 Australia Day Honours List for their selfless service to communities right across my Gilmore electorate. Eurobodalla Meals on Wheels president Phillip Armstrong of Broulee was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the community. Mr Armstrong has been a member of the Moruya Rotary Club since the year 2000 and, through his roles as treasurer, president and foundation chair, has been involved with drought relief and bushfire recovery efforts. He is a former district governor for Rotary International District 9710 and was named Rotarian of the Year for 2019-2020, the organisation's highest honour. A former international chair and board member of Campbell Page Australia, Mr Armstrong is also a former CEO, state board member and life member of Banksia Villages and has been involved with age and community services in New South Wales and the ACT.

Now a resident of Rosedale on the far South Coast, William Baker was awarded an OAM for his service to the community of Queanbeyan. A retired lawyer, Mr Baker is the President of Treehouse Queanbeyan, a charity that supports children with developmental delay or disability, and he founded the Treehouse family fund. He was a founding member and former president of the Queanbeyan Business Council and has held executive roles with the Telopea swimming club, Triathlon ACT and the New South Wales Country Children's Services Association. Mr Baker was chair of the selection committee for the Sydney Olympics Australian triathlon team and has been involved with many children and youth organisations.

Decorated former police officer and Rotarian Kenneth Hutt of Berry was awarded an OAM for his service to the community. A member of the Berry Rotary Club, foundation director and former international director, Mr Hutt went above and beyond—literally—to raise funds for Rotary's End Polio Now campaign. The Berry adventurer reached dizzying heights by paragliding at locations around the world, including Mount Everest in the Himalayas and the Lobuche Peak in Nepal. A member of the Sports Aviation Federation of Australia, his efforts featured in the 2022 Fly from Everest documentary. Mr Hutt's incredible dedication secured him a swag of rotary awards, including the Paul Harris Fellow and the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal with Indian Ocean clasp.

Margaret Snelling of Kiama was awarded an OAM for her service to hockey, but her contributions go way beyond the hockey field. Mrs Snelling was a player, committee member, umpire and coach with the Kiama Hockey Club for more than 40 years and was made a life member of the Kiama Ladies Hockey Club in 1991. She is a life member of Illawarra South Coast Hockey, played for the New South Wales veterans ladies team and shared her passion with young players, kicking off Minkey, mini hockey, in the 1970s. Mrs Snelling dedicated 65 years to Kiama's Saints Peter and Paul Catechist Ministry, where she coordinated the parish knitting group and taught scripture at local schools. And she was a delivery driver with Kiama Meals on Wheels for 50 years.

The fifth OAM for Gilmore was awarded to Shane Wicks from Gerringong. The retired New South Wales ambulance paramedic is a life member and former captain of the Gerringong Rural Fire Brigade. He has been a flood rescue operations officer with the New South Wales State Emergency Service. And he is the President of Surf Life Saving New South Wales's South Coast Branch. A volunteer and life member of the Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club, Mr Wicks keeps locals and visitors safe on our beaches, and he takes his paramedic experience onto the field as Gerringong Lions rugby league club's medical support officer. He also provides important mental health support for young people in our community. Mr Wicks has been awarded the National Medal, the National Emergency Medal and the New South Wales Public Schools Parent of the Year.

Kiama's Mitchell von Borstel was honoured with the Australian Corrections Medal. Mr von Borstel began his career at the Long Bay Correctional Complex in 2007, and he has risen through the ranks to senior assistant superintendent at the Security Operations Group, where he engages in high-risk interventions and critical-incident responses at sites across New South Wales.

Congratulations and thank you to these six sensational Gilmore residents.

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