Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My community of Jagajaga is home to some truly remarkable people. It is a place shaped by volunteers, health professionals, educators, advocates and community leaders. These are people who quietly and consistently give their time and expertise to make life better for others. Each year our community is proud to see locals from Jagajaga recognised in the Australia Day Honours, and it's a privilege to acknowledge these individuals in this parliament. They do deserve to be recognised nationally.

This year, Marcus Wigan AM has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for his significant service to engineering, road safety and tertiary education. Marcus is someone I interact with frequently who takes a strong interest in policy, and I always appreciate our discussions. Jeffrey Borland AO has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to business as a labour market economist, to tertiary education, to microeconomic research and to public policy development. Ann Congleton PSM has been awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service in policy and service design, corporate resources management and operational service delivery. I had the pleasure of working with Ann at what was then the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, and I know firsthand the care she has for our communities and people who need support. Our congratulations to all our recipients. Your commitment, leadership and service are inspiring, and your work does make a real difference to our community and to our country.

I also want to acknowledge the many people in Jagajaga whose contributions do not come with formal recognition but are very important. We have people who are volunteering and people who through their vocations help to strengthen the fabric of our community every day. I am looking forward to recognising many more of these efforts at my annual Jagajaga Volunteer Awards in March. I also support broader efforts for us to continue to make sure women are represented in our national awards as well, and I am hoping to increase the number of women in Jagajaga who are recognised every year.

I also take this opportunity to recognise an extraordinary community leader who's contributed so much in Jagajaga, particularly to the Heidelberg West and 3081 community. After many years of dedicated service, Mick Geary is farewelling his role as Executive Director of Strategy and Impact at Holstep Health as he takes up a new role with Anglicare Victoria. Mick began his journey with Banyule Community Health, which is now Holstep Health. He began working in youth homelessness before progressing into senior leadership and serving as the CEO for eight years. Throughout this time, Mick's leadership, his vision and his steady stewardship have been instrumental. He had a pivotal role in guiding the successful merger with Merri Health to secure a stronger future for our local community health services, and I congratulate him and all involved on that. Mick's connections to our community health service and to the people it serves run deep. I know him as a leader of integrity, humility and compassion, with a genuine care for people and communities at the heart of everything he does. His advocacy for the 3081 community has made a lasting difference, and I know his impact will continue to be felt. You only had to walk into the Banyule Community Health building in Heidelberg West to see how Mick was greeted by everyone, how Mick knew everyone and how he knew what was going. He took time and care to invest in people's individual issues and concerns as well as community issues and concerns. Mick has been a valued colleague and a friend to me, to my predecessor in this House and, I know, to my state colleagues. I do want to thank him for his extraordinary contribution. I want to wish him every success and fulfilment as he begins the next stage of his work in service to the community. I know that his contribution in our community isn't done, but we will miss having him in this particular role at Holstep Health. I will miss walking into the building and seeing him, but I look forward to seeing what he achieves next and to continuing to work together for good outcomes for our community in the north-east of Melbourne.