Australia Day honours revealed | SBS News

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TRANSCRIPT

Satwant Singh Calais was 16 years old when he fled from the deadly race riots in Malaysia in 1970.

Arriving in Hobart, alone, he had to navigate a new way of life; his family remaining in the southeast Asian country.

These early experiences ignited his altruism.

While at university, Mr Calais created a service to help others resettling in Australia.

“What we found was that a lot of them was lost when coming to a new nation, they had huge issues of culture, food, communication.’

He was inspired to found Sikh Youth Australia, now in its 26th year – earning him a Medal of the Order of Australia.

The volunteer-run group delivering programs and events across the country, nurturing and empowering youth to be proud of their heritage… while supporting them in adapting to life in Australia.

Mr Calais says the honour is for everyone who has supported the organisation.

“Australia is a very fortunate, lucky, lovely country here. It’s got a lot to give and we’ve got to give back to its development. It’s social cohesion.’

For OAM recipient Trun Dzung Le a sense of belonging began with opportunity.

Moving from Vietnam in 1982, Mr Le said he spent two years in a refugee camp before settling in Melbourne with his family.

“At that time there were about 10,000 people in that camp. And we were lucky, we had UNHCR they looked after us.’

Mr Le went on to found the Hollywood Nails Group, managing nail salons across Victoria which, in turn, helps scores of migrants and refugees through training and employment, providing dignity and stability.

And my goal, you know I trying to do something to contribute back to the country Australia. We call Australia home.’

Beyond business, Mr Le’s philanthropic reach extends into hospitals, aged-care homes and multicultural organisations.

Also playing a role in developing the country’s first Vietnamese Museum, which aims to preserve refugee stories and celebrate community.

There’s been OAM recognition too in the Top End.

Hong-Kong born Dr Felix Ho delivers healthcare to some of Australia’s most remote communities.

In his own time, he shapes the next generation of lifesavers through St John Ambulance.

From the age of 13, he’s offered a lifetime of service by volunteering for the first aid and emergency response organisation.

“We have 30 per cent of our population being Indigenous or identify as Indigenous, but they account for about 70 per cent of our hospital and health admissions and sometimes more in other areas. And discrepancies between their chronic diseases, their life expectancy is absolutely staggering. I’m so privileged to be able to work within health to make that small little difference.’

Darwin’s Francis Ahmat is known as ‘Doodle’, attributing that accolade to his family.

The local AFL and rugby league star also helps lead the Council for Aboriginal Alcohol program services.

Mr Ahmat says a friend of his asked him to join as a ‘favour’.

“30 years looking after people all the alcohol and all all that, someone said how come you last so long, and I said you don’t last long unless you enjoy it.’

For Melbourne neuropsychologist Dr Judy Tang, born to Chinese-Vietnamese parents, her motivation is to help people feel seen fully and authentically.

Through leadership roles across government and local organisations, she advocates for multicultural and LGBTIQ+ communities, working to ensure mental health services reflect the diverse identities of the people they support.

Ms Tang says an OAM honour recognises all the work that goes into volunteering.

“As I went on with education and I started noticing gaps around mental health what was missing in terms of servicing and supporting multicultural communities, there was a growing interest to see how we can support and service those gaps.’

In Australia’s country music capital… a legacy celebrated and honoured.

Tamworth’s Eddie Whitham passed away last year, but his impact is long-lasting.

Since the late 70s, he had supported migrants, refugees and asylum seekers integrating into their new community.

His advocacy was instrumental in ending the requirement for temporary visa holders to travel to major cities for medical checks.

And for her significant service to the community through social policy, and advocating for diversity and inclusion… Tanya Hosch, the first Indigenous person and second woman to join AFL’s executive ranks, is now recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia… or AM.

The AM recipient says greater education is moving treaty conversations forward.

“We talked about Australia had the first peoples as the oldest living continuous culture on the planet, and I think that’s referenced a lot now. And that might be a small thing in itself, but I think it’s a significant piece of education that’s been absorbed by a lot more Australians. All those conversations are important ones and I think we will always see change even if it takes longer than any of us would like.’

People from different walks of life… with a shared ambition of serving their communities.