David Bradbury (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I recently had the pleasure of attending a civic reception at which the title ‘Honoured Citizen of the City of Penrith’ was bestowed upon a great woman, Freda Whitlam AM. Freda has devoted the best part of her life to education, her faith, her community and the pursuit of social justice. As a gifted leader and passionate educator, Freda served as the Principal of the Presbyterian Ladies College at Croydon from 1958 to 1976. After settling in the Penrith area in the 1970s, Freda could see the pressing need for expanded educational opportunities for residents in Sydney’s west and soon became one of the most prominent advocates in the campaign that led to the establishment of the University of Western Sydney.

In 1985, Freda became one of the first women to hold office as the Moderator of the New South Wales Synod of the Uniting Church. As a fervent believer in lifelong learning, Freda helped to found in 1990 the Nepean-Blue Mountains-Chifley Chapter of the University of the Third Age, which runs courses for older Australians who refuse to let their age stop them from learning. In 1987, Freda was given one of the country’s highest honours when she was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her service to education and the community. Freda joins Ron Mulock AO, Faye Lo Po’ AM and Peter Anderson AM as an Honoured Citizen of the City of Penrith. Freda Whitlam AM is a remarkable woman and a great friend of Penrith. This award is well deserved and I thank her for her contribution and her friendship.