Parramatta's Australia Day Honour roll

Seven Parramatta and Holroyd identies have made it onto the Australia Day Honours list this year.

1. TOM UREN

Tom Uren has been appointed a companion of the Order of Australia for his service to the Parramatta Park Trust and welfare of veterans.

He is one of only four people appointed to the honour this year.

Mr Uren, who was the federal member for Reid for 32 years, has been recognised for his contribution to the welfare of veterans, improved medical education in Vietnam and the preservation of sites of heritage and environmental significance.

The former Guildford resident spent 20 years campaigning for prisoners of war to receive additional financial support in addition to the veterans’ pension.

The Prisoner of War Recognition Supplement was introduced into the 2011 budget.

Mr Uren was a prisoner of war working on the Thai-Burma railway in WWII.

‘‘I had my 22nd, 23rd and 24th birthday in prison camps,’’ he told the Sun in 2011.

‘‘The brutality of what we went through is indescribable.

‘‘You’d go out and see some of your mates and they’d aged 50 years in a day.’’

Mr Uren was the prisoner of war representative at the 68th anniversary of the Thai-Burma Railway, Hellfire Pass in Thailand in 2011.

He has been chairman of the Parramatta Park Trust since 1997.

There were 571 people honoured on the 2013 honour list in the general division.Tom Uren has been appointed a companion of the Order of Australia for his service to the Parramatta Park Trust and welfare of veterans.

He is one of only four people appointed to the honour this year.

Mr Uren, who was the federal member for Reid for 32 years, has been recognised for his contribution to the welfare of veterans, improved medical education in Vietnam and the preservation of sites of heritage and environmental significance.

The former Guildford resident spent 20 years campaigning for prisoners of war to receive additional financial support in addition to the veterans’ pension.

The Prisoner of War Recognition Supplement was introduced into the 2011 budget.

Mr Uren was a prisoner of war working on the Thai-Burma railway in WWII.

‘‘I had my 22nd, 23rd and 24th birthday in prison camps,’’ he told the Sun in 2011.

‘‘The brutality of what we went through is indescribable.

‘‘You’d go out and see some of your mates and they’d aged 50 years in a day.’’

Mr Uren was the prisoner of war representative at the 68th anniversary of the Thai-Burma Railway, Hellfire Pass in Thailand in 2011.

He has been chairman of the Parramatta Park Trust since 1997.

There were 571 people honoured on the 2013 honour list in the general division.

2. ANTHONY KHOURI

Anthony Khouri has been awarded an order of the Medal of Australia for his service to the community through multicultural organisations.

The Parramatta resident, who has been honorary consul of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in Sydney for 16 years, jokes that you would think he was a man with an identity crisis.

The Parramatta resident was born in Lebanon, raised in Australia, is a devout Maronite Catholic and represents the third largest Muslim country in the world.

‘‘And it’s been a joy,’’ Mr Khouri said.

As a representative for the Bangladesh community Mr Khouri liaises with the government communicating the interests of people of Bangladeshi origin.

‘‘We have a very big Bangladeshi community [about 45,000],’’ Mr Khouri said.

‘‘They are fantastic people for Australia — they take care of their family and business and they’re very proud Australians.’’

Mr Khouri was also a founding member and former chairman of the Centre for Middle East and North African Studies at Macquarie University, president of the Mejdlaya Association Australia and patron of the Bangladesh Forum for Community Engagement to raise funds for a cancer hospital in Bangladesh.

He is also a member of the Diocesan Development Council, Maronite Catholic Community where he’s an active contributor to major events like World Youth Day.

Mr Khouri said he was humbled by the recognition of his work and said he had a passion for Australia.

‘‘I consider it a great honour but I do feel there are people who are more deserving than I am,’’ Mr Khouri said of receiving the award.

‘‘My commitment to this country is absolute.

‘‘I’ve travelled the world and there is truly no place like Australia — it is God’s country,’’ he said.

3. NANCY SERG

Nancy Serg has enough certificates of appreciation for her volunteer service to the Maltese community of NSW to wallpaper a room.

The Baulkham Hills resident received an Order of Australia Medal today for her efforts.

‘‘It’s an amazing feeling — I’m still trying to get to grips with it,’’ she said.

Mrs Serg nee Borg started work with the Maltese community in 1965, a year after she migrated to Australia from Malta at age 18.

‘‘We assisted with whatever was needed in the community at the time,’’ she said.

‘‘People who couldn’t read or write ...used to bring letters to us to read and we’d refer them to the appropriate authority — solicitors, government departments or waterboard.

‘‘We all learnt on the job and did everything to the best of our ability.’’

Mrs Serg has since emceed community, theatrical and cultural events in English and Maltese, educated the community on health and available services, and led the Merrylands Maltese Seniors Group and others.

She served on a mental health support group committee at Parramatta’s Diversity Health Institute, and helped to obtain funding for Maltese aged day care services in Baulkham Hills and Blacktown.

4. PHILLIP RUSSO

Former Parramatta councillor, Phillip Russo, has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division. 

The two-time deputy lord mayor said he was deeply moved and privileged to be recognised for his long service to local government and the community of Parramatta. 

“It was a most unexpected and lovely surprise,” Mr Russo said. 

Mr Russo, who is a life member of the Australian Labour Party, suspects he was nominated by former Parramatta lord mayor John Haynes and Bruce Gale, the former chairman of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) Advisory Committee.

Currently the president of the Doyle Ground Park Committee, Mr Russo said it is a sense of social justice that has motivated him to serve the Parramatta community for many years. 

“I like to be involved with good people who work for a common cause and for the community,” he said.

Mr Russo also also acknowledged the ongoing support of his wife and four children.

“I couldn’t have done any of it without the total support of my wife Margaret and my family.” 

5. JULIANA NKRUMAH

Living Legend Award winner Juliana Nkrumah of Quakers Hill has been made a member of the Order of Australia for service to women and refugees today.

She works as a coordinator of  NSW Police Force’s Multicultural Community Liaison Officer Program in Parramatta.

Prior to this, Ms Nkrumah was the assistant manager of the Refugee and Network Support team in the multicultural services branch of Centrelink. 

She has been an advocate in the women’s movement since 1989 and was involved at the local, regional and international levels.

‘‘I feel humbled and privileged as the award is one of the highest in Australia,’’ she said.

‘‘I have a husband who shared my passion. This award is as much for him as well as for my children, those have journeyed with me and the people of Blacktown.

‘‘My award also sends a message in our multicultural society that  recognition is given to people regardless of their background.’’

6. WANDACITA DAY

Every cause needs its champion, and workers from the 1970s trade union movement will never forget the name Wandacita Day.

Ms Day, of Northmead, was formerly recognised for her work with Labor Council Trade Union with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division.

The award will come as no surprise to her former Woolworths colleagues who described Ms Day as ‘‘a woman who would speak up when nobody else would’’.

Her campaign to modernise the Woolworths workplace resulted in the company changing its views on unsafe working conditions and provide women with equal pay in line with male employees.

Ms Day who was originally hired as a payable clerk said her campaign all started after her employer refused to replace a faulty desk chair.

‘‘I protested and took Woolworths to the Industrial Relations Commission where they agreed to provide safer working conditions and raise female wages by $27.50 a week,’’ Ms Day said.

A highly successful career with Federated Clerks Union followed before Ms Day retired in 1991.

She kept herself busy after retirement by becoming a foundation member of the Computer Pals in Holroyd program and served as treasurer for the Parramatta Eisteddford Society for 10 years.

7. KEITH WARNOCK

Former Holroyd Council mayor Keith Warnock has been recognised for his tireless community work with an award of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division.

Mr Warnock was nominated for an OAM in recognition of his 35 years of service to the Holroyd community.

The Northmead resident is a founding member of the Rotary Club of Holroyd and served as an independent Holroyd councillor between 1974 to 1991.

In 1984, Mr Warnock was elected Holroyd mayor and used his time in office to a assist a range of community groups including Holroyd Community Building Society, Merrylands Co-operative Housing Society and Charles Wentworth Hospital - where he was an honorary director on the board of advice.

Mr Warnock said he thoroughly enjoyed his community work over the years which enabled him to meet a ‘‘good cross-section of the public’’.

‘‘Holroyd has been good to me and I’ve been proud to do something in return,’’ Mr Warnock said.

Following his retirement Mr Warnock became involved with the Probus Club of Holroyd where he’s served as group’s assistant treasurer.