The Australia Day 2019 Honours List recognises 1127 Australians across a diverse range of contributions and services in fields including professional endeavours, community work, Australia’s Defence Force and Emergency Services.
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This year is the largest Honours List since the Order of Australia was established in 1975.
Here are the Illawarra’s Australia Day 2019 Honours recipients:
Jillian Broadbent – Companion to the Order of Australia
University of Wollongong Chancellor Jillian Broadbent has been named a Companion to the Order of Australia.
Ms Broadbent was recognised for her outstanding contribution to the university and her leadership in the business world.
“I’m very nationalistic, so I’m very honoured and proud to be receiving the AC,” she said.
George Kolsky – Member of the Order of Australia
Long-time Illawarra resident George Kolsky, 83, has been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia.
He was recognised for significant service to youth through Scouting in a range of leadership roles, and to the community.
Mr Kolsky has had a lengthy association with Scouts Australia (NSW), including being chair of the Region Executive Committee since 2007; Deputy Chief Commissioner from 2004-2007; and Region President and Delegate to the State Council from 2004-2012.
Sharon Bell, Julie Steele and Judy Raper – Members of the Order of Australia
University of Wollongong academics Julie Steele, Sharon Bell and Judy Raper have each been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia.
The AM recipients were acknowledged for their work in the traditionally male-dominated STEM field.
Professor Bell, who is now Western Sydney University deputy vice-chancellor, said women were virtually invisible in the sciences when she first started studying.
Sarah Brooke Miller – Member of the Order of Australia
Professor Sarah Brooke Miller has received an AM for significant service to the performing arts through research, education and advisory roles was Professor Sarah Brooke Miller.
Professor of Performance at University of Wollongong Prof Miller has been the Head of School of Arts, English and Media since 2013 and was associate dean in the Faculty of Law, Humanities and Creative Arts from 2011 to 2013.
She was chair of the Centre for Research in Entertainment, Arts, Technology, Education and Communications Review, Edith Cowan University in 2011.
With the Australian Council for the Arts she was member of the Women in Theatre Research Project in 2012, member of the Theatre Board from 2005 to 2008, member of New Media Arts in 1996, member of Hybrid Arts Committee in 1994 and member of the Drama Committee from 1991 to 1993.
Other roles she has held include being advisory member of Excellence in Research Australia, Australian Research Council in 2015 and 2012.
Director of the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts from 1994 to 2006.
Director of the Performance Space in Sydney from 1989 to 1993 and editor and writer fro Real Time Arts from 1994 to 2004.
Her awards and recognition includes recipient of theSidney Myer Performing Arts Facilitator's Award in 2003.
Danna Nelse – Medal of the Order of Australia
Community service worker Danna Nelse has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community through social welfare organisations.
Ms Nelse said she was honoured to receive the “unexpected” accolade.
She started her career as a youth worker before coming a mother and is now a community development manager at the Rail Neighborhood Association.
Alan Hardy – Medal of the Order of Australia
Shellharbour’s Alan Hardy has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to aged welfare.
A former primary and high school teacher between 1962 and 2000, Mr Hardy started as a volunteer with Warrigal in 1984 and went on to be treasurer between 1995 and 1998 and then chairperson from 1999 to 2016.
Gregory Keir – Medal of the Order of Australia
Humble Barrack Heights resident Gregory Keir has been recognised for his service to veterans and their families this Australia Day.
Mr Keir has been dedicated to helping veterans, war widows and their children through his work with the Wollongong and South Coast Legacy organisation, which extends from Helensburgh to Bega.
“I am a veteran. I served in Vietnam,” he said. “I served there for 11 months in 1971.
Mark Harris – Medal of the Order of Australia
Mark John Harris has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to the mining industry.
Mr Harris started working in the mines in 1968.
He became the safety and rescue trainer at the Southern Mines Rescue Station in 1980.
Sister Rita Fitt – Medal of the Order of Australia
Caring for students and their families comes naturally for Sister Rita Ann Fitt.
The family liaison officer and pastoral care coordinator at St Mary Star of the Sea College gets a kick out of helping students and families in their time of need.
The Wollongong resident’s service to secondary education has seen her awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia.
Laurie Matthews – Medal of the Order of Australia
Corrimal’s Laurie Matthews is being awarded an OAM for his service to youth with social welfare organisations.
He founded Caretakers Cottage in 1977 and has been the chief executive ever since.
The former NSW Department of Youth and Community Services’ caseworker has been on the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies and St Laurence House boards and is presently on the board of Y Foundation and Southern Youth and Family Services in the Illawarra.
Gerald Brown – Medal of the Order of Australia
Barrack Heights resident Uncle Gerald Brown has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the indigenous community of the Illawarra.
He was pleased to receive the honour, because “my thoughts are that we don’t have enough of our Aboriginal Elders, people that do good community work, recognised for the work that they do – volunteer work and things like that”.
Stephen Strange – Medal of the Order of Australia
You won’t see Stephen Strange on patrol between the red and yellow flags any more, but that doesn’t mean the surf lifesaving veteran has lost his passion for the community organisation.
You’ll still find the 71-year-old, from Minnamurra, working behind the scenes and regularly visiting the surf club he’s been a member of for more than 40 years.
Mr Strange’s service to surf lifesaving, which spans decades and multiple tiers of the organisation, has seen him awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia.
Dean Smith – Australian Police Medal
Detective Superintendent Dean Smith has a work ethic equal to the very best in the NSW Police Force.
It’s what the citation for his newly-awarded Australian Police Medal says, but the veteran officer will tell you the accolade is more about the men and women who work alongside him, and that his focus is on giving the community “the best police force that we possibly can”.
Superintendent Smith, now Lake Illawarra Police District commander, joined the force in 1988.
