Thursday 26 January:
AM Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia
Mr Roydon (Roy) Masters AM,now living in Victoria, and long associated with Wests. Awarded for service to sport through executive roles with the Australian Sports Commission, to the sport of Rugby League football, and to journalism.
An inaugural Board Member of Australian Sports Commission in 1984, Roy served on the ASC until 2008. He was the Chair, Active After-School Communities Sub-Committee, and Chair for the Drugs in Sport Committee. Under his Chairmanship the Aussie Sport program was initiated.
Roy is more widely known as a rugby league coach and journalist. Coaching Western Suburbs 1978 -1981, then St George 1982-1987. In 2009 he was awarded Coach of the Century, National Rugby League.
A senior journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald, Roy has covered ten Olympic Games and five Commonwealth Games.
“I feel delighted and greatly honoured by this award,” Roy told Burwood Scene. “I think the award is to do with the work for the Australian Sports Commission, and as a coach.”
As one of Australia’s most respected sports writers, what memories stand out in ten Olympic campaigns?
“One of the greatest joys was in 1994 in Lillehammer, watching the short track speed skaters win Australia’s first Winter Olympic medal,” Roy said. Then he went quiet for just a second or two. “That was a great day.”
Mrs Rosalind Strong AM, Drummoyne;a former school principal and Assistant Director-General for the NSW Department of Educationawarded for service to women through the United Nations entity for gender equality and the empowerment of women, to the arts, heritage and education sectors, and to the community.
A founding member of the White Ribbon Day Campaign in 2003, Mrs Strong has been involved in the establishment and structure of UNWomen Global National Committee and President of UNIFEM Australia from 2005-2008. She has also served as an International Women's Day Coordinator and was the Chair of Museum and Galleries NSW 2004 - 2010 and a Director of the NSW Heritage Office 1996-2002.
OAM Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division
Sister Maria (Mary Bridget) Casey OAM,of Croydon, awarded for service to the community as Postulator for the Canonisation of Mary Mackillop, and to the Catholic Church in Australia.
Sister Maria, in conjunction with Father Paul Gardiner, has made signficant contributions to the international recognition of Australia's first Roman Catholic Saint, Mary MacKillop. The process began in the 1920s, resulting in the the beatification, in 1995 under the leadership of Father Gardiner from the 1980s. Sister Maria, appointed vice-postulator by Father Gardiner in 2001 worked with him to prepare for the recognition of Mary MacKillop as a saint for the whole world; in other words, her Canonisation. Sister Maria prepared a dossier outlining evidence of the recognition of Mary world-wide and presented it to Pope John Paul II at an audience in 2003 and an updated version to Pope Benedict XVI in 2008. Sister Maria undertook the extensive procedural processes required to establish the case for the Canonisation with the Holy See. Pope Benedict XVI approved the Canonisation of Mary MacKillop to Sainthood on 19 February 2010.
Ms Marie Sullivan OAM,ofRhodes awarded for service to the community, particularly through the Macquarie 2010 Bicentennial Celebrations.
A Committee Member for theMacquarie 2010 Bicentenary Celebrations Inc, NSW Government, since 2009 and Founding Chair, Macquarie 2010 Bicentenary Celebrations Committee, 2003-2009. Ms Sullivan is a Senior LegalCounsel forMLC and NAB Wealth, and Legal Director, XED Film and Media Pty Ltd.
Dr Appupillay Balasubramaniam OAM,of Homebush, forservice to the Hindu community in Australia.
Founding Chairman, Hindu Council of Australia, 1998-2009 and the Australian Hindu Representative, Dialogue on Interfaith Co-operation, Community Building and Harmony, 2004, 2006 and 2008.Also
Founding President, Sri Venkateswara Temple Associationand Founding Member for many Hindu organisations; Abaya Karam, Abayakharam Australia, Ceylon Tamil Association of NSW,Ganesha Visarjan Committee, Sri Lanka Association of NSW, Sydney Tamil Manram, Sri Mandir Society, Carnatic Music Circle, Sydneyand Trustee, Sri Venkateswara Temple Education Building Fund.
Dr Bala (as he is known) runs his medical and dental practise in Homebsuh and has been a member of the Rotary Club of Strathfield, since 1976.
Mr Raymond WilsonOAM,Strathfield awarded for service to the sport of golf, and to the community through a range of charitable organisations.
Forty years as the club professional at Strathfield Golf Club, supporting fundraising events, raising over $40,000 since 2006. Strathfield Rotary club member since 1989, and President Elect Nominee 2011. Also auction organiser for the Rotary Charity Golf Day and Dinner for ten years raising funds for the Trish Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. Ray was named as Citizen of the Year, Strathfield Municipal Council, 2009.
