Deputy Speaker,

I join other speakers in acknowledging that the Order of Australia is the highest national honour awarded to Australian citizens for outstanding contributions to our country.

Since being established by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1975, there have been 40,000 recipients of awards in the Order of Australia.

And I’m proud to be a member of the order, receiving the OAM on Australia Day 2006 for volunteer work for Timor.

Today we we celebrate the 1,047 Australia Day 2023 awards recipients.

I congratulate all the recipients of awards on Australia Day 2023.

And I’d particularly like to acknowledge all Territorians who were nominated and awarded.

They included Timmy Duggan who launched Hoops 4 Health in 2002, which has been assisting young Territorians and other young Australians.

Timmy has used basketball as a vehicle for connection and change.

Timmy is also the first NT National Basketball League player.

He has used his passion for sports to build kids’ resilience, including in youth detention centres such as Don Dale.

In fact, it was Timmy who first invited me to the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre to meet the kids.

Or take the remarkable story of Maureen Langdon, who was recognised for her services to nursing.

Maureen was the first full-time female ambulance officer in Australia.

She worked in the Territory for 48 years, including for the Northern Territory St John Ambulance service.

I also congratulate my friend Henry Gray for his services to education, that included teaching in Groote Eylandt, Nhulunbuy, and Darwin.

Henry said to me that he gave up possible inheritance of a family farm to enter teachers’ college as a mature age student in 1968 and he found educating young Australians such a fulfilling career.

Henry, you acquitted your responsibilities with integrity and kept a smile in your heart.

And I acknowledge Beverly McCormack for her services to remote nursing in Central Australia since 2006.

As well as Dr Sadhana Mahajani, who helped establish Darwin’s first community health centre in 1974, and kept on working out of a demountable after Cyclone Tracey.

I heard her interview on the radio and it was truly inspiring.

Another Territorian to receive the Order of Australia is Superintendent Peter Malley, who worked in NT Police including in Darwin and currently Palmerston for 20 years.

Peter has also been recognised for his service with an Australian Police Medal.

Finally, I want to pay tribute to Susan McCallum for her amazing service to veterans over decades.

Posted in Darwin as a radio operator in the Navy, she comes from a family of veterans from across the generations.

Susan now spends her time helping veterans navigate their compensation claims with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

She said she was overwhelmed to receive an Order of Australia and felt like she had not done much.

As a long-term member of Veterans Australia NT, I know how much she has done.

And veterans’ family members have called her to tell her how much her work has meant to them.

It is truly important and selfless work.

I’m proud of all the talented Territorians who were nominated and who were awarded an Order of Australia.

And I welcome the valuable work of the NT Committee that has broadened nominations to remote Territorians.

I also commend the Member for Blaxland Jason Clare who has reached out to all of us to nominate a teacher.

A great initiative.

In recognising excellence across all facets of Australian society, we help inspire all Australians to aspire to make their own lasting contributions to our national story.

Thanks Deputy Speaker.