Australia Day honours: Victorians make their mark in social justice, medicine and community service
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Oxfam Australia chief executive Helen Szoke says her Australia Day honour has emboldened her with the belief that social change is achievable.
Australia Day 2018 honours
Victorians on this year's list include:Professor Jeffrey Rosenfeld
Academic neurosurgeon and senior military surgeon. Expert in traumatic brain injury and bionic vision.
Professor Suzanne Garland
Physician, administrator and researcher. Emphasis on infectious diseases in reproductive and neonatal health.
Noel Robert Campbell
Former Australian Dairy Farmers president. Participated in international free trade negotiations.
Dr Mukesh Haikerwal
Former President of Australian Medical Association. Advocate for youth mental health.
Dr Roger Mee
Cardiothoracic surgeon. Completed the first paediatric heart transplant in Australia.
Belinda Clark
Cricket player, Australian captain, administrator, mentor for women in sport
Michele Timms
Former basketball player, Olympian, mentor for women in sport.
Richard Head
Recognised for service to alpine emergency search and rescue
Dr Szoke will be made an Officer of the Order of Australia today, in recognition of her career in human rights, anti-discrimination and the health sector.
She said the award would drive her to keep pushing for change, both in Australia and globally.
"There is a big job to be done and I think on any account, there is a pretty unsettled world at the moment," Dr Szoke said.
"[There are] issues that we really think will make big change and we are certainly on the ground in many countries offering long-term development and in our humanitarian response."
Dr Szoke's parents came to Australia as refugees and having a "funny name" and a "dad with bad English" gave her an early taste of what it feels like to be marginalised.
Her "first real job", she said, was in the 1970s in a community education role at working-class West Heidelberg in Melbourne's north.
Although it had nothing to do with global development, it taught her the skills she relies on today.
"I learnt a lot about the resilience of people," she said.
"I learnt a lot about just honesty and working with communities and I think that has really held me in good stead all my working life.
"Now if that translates to the global stage with the work of Oxfam, they were really important lessons."
Police officer driven out of the force, recognised with honour
Former Mildura police officer Denis Ryan's fight to bring a paedophile priest to justice in the 1970s cost him his career.
Today, Mr Ryan's efforts have been recognised with an Australia Day honour — he has been made a Member of the Order of Australia.
"I'm delighted, I'm honoured, that's my vindication," he said.
"But it is certainly not a vindication of the inadequacy of the Victorian police force.
"My family will be extremely pleased for me, my sons will be proud of me and my friends will be delighted."
The former senior detective gave evidence at the Royal Commission into child sex abuse of how his pursuit of Monsignor John Day was thwarted by what he called a "Catholic mafia" within the police force.
Despite Mr Ryan's efforts, Monsignor Day was never charged, but was eventually moved from the Mildura parish and banned from working with children. He died in 1978.
Victoria police officially apologised to Mr Ryan in 2016, compensating him with $90,000 a figure Mr Ryan labelled as "laughable".
