Fiona Scott (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with much pride that I rise today to acknowledge the work, passion and dedication of some of our most remarkable local citizens, acknowledged on both the Penrith City Council's honours list and the Australia Day Honours List. Firstly, I would like to recognise Emu Plains resident Barbara Mitchell. Barbara was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her incredible service and dedication to the international community of Bangladesh through a humanitarian medical program. By day, Barbara works as a nurse, but since 2007 Barbara has organised a self-funded team of medical professionals to travel to Bangladesh. There they perform life-saving surgeries on young children whose families cannot afford to pay for some of these much-needed transformational operations. So far, they have performed 639 operations, including for cleft palates and for children who have suffered from severe burns or have had foot deformities.

Today I also stand to acknowledge the work of Mark White. Mark has been awarded an OAM for his dedication and service to the Museum of Fire, as well as the preservation of fire vehicles. Mark's commitment to the iconic Penrith tourist attraction has seen the organisation become one of the premier museums of its type anywhere in the world.

I would also like to acknowledge David Bentham, who has won an Order of Australia Medal for serving on the board of the NRMA and for his role as a councillor in the neighbouring hills district.

I would also like to acknowledge the citizens recognised by Penrith City Council—in particular Penrith Citizen of the Year David Currie. David was an inspiration for and a champion of people with a disability. A local for 70 years he, for many decades, has devoted his time to several charities and to campaigning for the rights of people with a disability.

The Penrith Young Person of the Year, Max Fenton, is a passionate campaigner helping the young disadvantaged in our community. Max is a wonderful young man.

Our Sports Person of the Year, Tahlia Tupaea, plays representative tennis, loves basketball and is a star on the athletics field. She is the second youngest debutante ever in the Women's National Basketball League.

Our Penrith Local Hero, Lesley Smith, is a respected volunteer with the Rural Fire Service.

Local Appreciation Awards were also awarded to five wonderful, exceptional citizens: to Sally Wawn, for generously volunteering her time and skills to help our local sporting and community groups; to Sudanese-born Abaker Athum, for his creativity as a hop-hop artist in generating opportunities for young people in St Marys; to Dr Om Dhungyel, for his ongoing work within the Bhutanese community; to Dr Alexis Leones, for her many cultural events; and to Sally Reedy for her volunteer work with St John Ambulance and the State Emergency Service.

I congratulate these wonderful citizens. (Time expired)