By Cam Lucadou-Wells
The time has come for the South East to get its “fair-share” of Order of Australia Honours.
In the past five Honours lists from 2021, residents in the seat of Bruce have been drastically under-represented.
The electorate, which includes parts of Greater Dandenong and Casey, was awarded 10 medals – seven OAMs, an AM, a Conspicuous Service Medal and an Australian Police Medal.
That’s just two medals per list – three times less than the Victorian federal electorate average.
Across 39 seats in Victoria, there were 1349 awards in the same period – an average of 34.5 per electorate.
Bruce MP Julian Hill has called for a campaign involving Greater Dandenong and Casey councils to better promote the awards.
“I’m shocked at just how underrepresented our community is in the Australian National Honours system.
“Every day of every year people in our community do extraordinary things. Yet do not get deserved recognition in the Order of Australian Honours lists.
“I suspect part of the problem is there are not enough nominations going in, and it’s also possible that multicultural communities and leaders are not being adequately recognised for their contributions.
“More effort is needed to ensure worthy nominations are being submitted highlighting the contributions of local people.”
He called on more residents to nominate “local heroes”.
“The only way to change that is to nominate local heroes for national recognition. You’ve got to be in it to win it!
“Let’s work together locally, speak up and nominate so we get our fair share and see more people from Casey and Greater Dandenong recognised with Australia Day Honours. Nominate, nominate, nominate!”
Greater Dandenong mayor Eden Foster said the statistics reflect a similar struggle for nominees in the council’s own Australia Day awards.
“We want our residents to be showcased. I’ve been trying to encourage our current award winners to nominate others for all of the great work that is happening.
“I think it’s the humility of the people in our community. They get on with the work they do with commitment and don’t think about being nominated.
“We have to get thinking about who has made significant impact or been a big game-changer in our lives.”
Cr Foster said there was a lot of “unstructured” volunteering that was unheralded.
“We have one of the lowest rates of (reported) volunteering.
“ But some of the time, it’s your mums and dads volunteering at sports grounds or local agencies but it might not be officially recognised.”
Nominations for Order of Australia honours can be made via an online form.
Just include a short case on the nominee’s outstanding qualities, service for others, their fields of excellence and lists of other awards.
Up to four referees can be listed.
Details: gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awards/nominate-someone-award
