Australia Day Awards

06 February 2018

I want to congratulate the Illawarra and Southern HighlandsAustralia Day award winners. In particular, from Shellharbour there was Kiki Cuda, who was the youngest everwinner of the Shellharbour Young Citizen of the Year at the age of 12, recognising her tremendous work forcharity.

There was Dave Williamson, otherwise known as Scooter Dave, who travels over nine kilometres eachday on his mobility scooter to help keep our community clean and tidy. From Wollongong, there was EbonyAustin, the Young Citizen of the Year, recognising her contribution to dance. A friend and colleague and localbusinesswoman Vicki Tiegs was awarded the Wollongong Citizen of the Year and joint Senior Citizens of theYear are David North and Annette Beaufils.

From the Wingecarribee Shire, I want to recognise Aunty Wendy Lotter, who spent 25 years working with the local community to strengthen links between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Young Citizen of theYear, 17-year-old William Koek, a Rotary member, has shown an outstanding commitment to his community atsuch a young age, particularly to those in need. There were many people from the district who were alsorecognised in the Australia Day Honours List, including Gordon Bradbery, Dr Gregory Clark, Captain John PhilipStevenson, Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Badcock, Don Briggs, Janice Jones, Paul Shanahan, Reverend FatherFrancis Tran and Jeanne Villani. They are great Australians and great ambassadors for our region. I recognise and
congratulate them all.