Alex Gallacher (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to put some remarks on the table about the Australia Day honours list in which 844 Australians were recognised. In announcing the list, the Governor-General said:

On behalf of all Australians, I congratulate everyone recognised in the Australia Day Honours list.

The individuals we celebrate today come from all parts of our great nation and have served the community in almost every way conceivable. They're diverse and unique but there are some common characteristics, including selflessness, commitment and dedication.

Recipients have not put their hand up to be recognised. Most would consider the achievements that they are being recognised for to be 'ordinary' or just what they do. Therein is the great strength of our system—recipients in the Order of Australia have been nominated by their peers, considered by an independent process and, today, recognised by the nation.

The sum of these contributions speaks to our nation's greatest strength—its people.

I want to put that on the record. I know there's been a lot of debate about the day, and I don't want go anywhere near that, but I do want to single out one recipient of an Australia Day award: Mr Kym Leslie Callaghan. He has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. It's for service to local government and the community of Elliston.

Mr Callaghan was chairman of the District Council of Elliston from 2014 to 2018 and was involved in the establishment of the Wirangu Reconciliation Monument in 2018. He was deputy chairman in 2014 and an elected member since 2010. He served on the Mid West Health Advisory Council for five years. He established the Elliston Men's Shed, among many, many other achievements. These are people who work selflessly in far corners of Australia and dedicate their entire activities to community health, wellbeing and involvement.

One of the great achievements of Mr Callaghan was the Elliston Coastal Trail. The walking trail goes for 14 kilometres along a stunning coastline—a tourist icon, if you like. Getting that project to finality was not without some difficulties. Along the way, and despite much discussion and disconcertment, he managed to establish a reconciliation monument which actually recognised an awful massacre in 1849, where a group of what were considered 'natives' in those days were driven off the cliff. I attended the opening of that monument with Senator Pat Dodson, and I'm sure that he will concur that that was one of the most memorable occasions in my time as a senator. It's a really remarkable, stunning monument which changes with the light, as it would; it's a marble statue. The council workers look after it in a most diligent way. It's revered and respected.

Coincidentally, I had known Kym in a previous incarnation of work. He was a TWU delegate at Armaguard and a self-funded retiree who went to the Elliston area. He lives at Sheringa, not far from Elliston. He found himself with a bit of time on his hands and put it to very, very good use. He is an enormous contributor to that area. I think that is the real key to the Australia Day awards. These are people who don't seek recognition. Kym doesn't know I'm speaking about him today. He will know tomorrow, but he doesn't know today, and I'm sure he'd enjoy a quiet beer after the contribution tonight. But I just want it on the record here, these people are what makes the fabric of Australia tick: selfless people who do more than they need to do, who reach out to people, who look for opportunities to heal, who look for opportunities to build recognition and build reconciliation. None of that work was easy on Mr Callaghan. None of that work was easy on him. Senator Dodson and I were there to witness that glorious weekend where the community came together and celebrated the memorial. The Dusty Feet Mob from Port Augusta came down and sang and danced in that area, and brought a tear to most people's eyes. Well done, Kim. Keep up the good work!