Damian Drum (Nicholls, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On Monday last week, the latest recipients of the Queen's Birthday honours were announced. I would like to offer my most sincerest congratulations to those in my electorate of Nicholls who were recognised: Ken and Cath Birkett of Mooroopna, for their services to the Goulburn Valley community; Bill Church, for his service to the Yarrawonga community; Vivian Spilva, for her service to the Yarrawonga-Mulwala community; Denis Flett, for his outstanding public service to water management in Victoria; and volunteer firefighter Lesley Read from Seymour, who received the Order of Australia service medal. I would also like to congratulate Kay Hull, the federal president of the National Party, and Neale Daniher, who were both appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.

I would like to focus a little bit on the efforts of Neale Daniher and the FightMND cause that he has championed since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2014. Neale played and coached over 300 VFL/AFL games collectively, but it is off the field where he continues to make his biggest mark. Since his diagnosis and the founding of FightMND, he has raised around $50 million, and that is going towards finding effective treatment and, ultimately, a cure for motor neurone disease. I congratulate Neale on being made an Officer of the Order of Australia, and I am in awe of his ongoing efforts to find a cure for this horrible disease.