Congratulations to the many and varied UNE alumni recognised for their contributions to professional and public life in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours. We applaud you all.
Bachelor of Arts and Asian Studies graduate, the Honourable Lieutenant General Cheryl Pearce AM CSC, added the AO (Military) to her impressive post nominals, for distinguished service to the Australian Defence Force and to international peace and security. She is currently the Acting Military Advisor for the Department of Peacekeeping Operations within the United Nations and was formerly Deputy Commissioner Ports and Enforcement in the Australian Border Force. Lieutenant General Pearce’s distinguished 35-year military career, which began when she was just 18, has also included operations service in East Timor and Afghanistan.
New Member of the Order of Australia (AM) recipients are:
- Professor Louise Chappell – for significant service to tertiary education, human rights and gender justice;
- Wayne Erickson – for significant service to tertiary education, rugby union and the community;
- Professor Graeme Harper – for significant service to literature, education and creative writing; and
- Dr Jonathon Howard – for significant service to tertiary education, and to conservation and sustainability.
Professor Harper completed his first novel while a Master of Letters student in Economic and Social History at UNE. He is now Professor of Creative Writing and Dean of the Young Honors College at Oakland University in Michigan, USA, and has published a wide range of fiction and academic monographs.
“I am humbled, inspired and challenged by the honour,” Professor Harper says. “It says a lot about the generosity of colleagues, and I recall with affection the calibre of my teachers at UNE. A big shout out to the late Professor Graydon Henning and the ever thought-provoking work of Emeritus Professor Chris Lloyd. I have many fond memories of Booloominbah.”
Seventeen UNE alumni received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), including two in the Military Division. Warrant Officer Class 1 Scott Caswell was recognised for meritorious performance of duty as a Master Gunner in the Australian Army, and Warrant Office Class 1 Wayne Davis for meritorious performance of duty as an Artificer Sergeant Major and as the Master Artificer Technician Electrical for the Australian Army.
Our other OAM recipients were:
- Dr Linda Broome – for service to animal welfare;
- John Cleary – for service to the community through the not-for-profit sector;
- Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Roderick Cooke – for service to the community through a range of organisations;
- Noline Cornhill – for service to the communities of Canberra and Forster-Tuncurry;
- Vicki Dunne – for service to the people and Parliament of the Australian Capital Territory;
- Linda Emery – for service to the community of Wingecarribee;
- Trent Jennison – posthumously awarded for service to community health, people with disability and social welfare;
- Peter Kinsey – for service to lifesaving;
- Paul Lemmon – for service to surf lifesaving;
- Neil McWhannell – for service to the community and the not-for-profit sector;
- Dr Robert Newby – for service to conservation and the environment;
- William Oates – for service to history preservation;
- Elisabeth Pickering – for service to secondary education and to the community;
- Brian Ralph – for service to secondary education; and
- Dr Richard Reid – for service to community through history preservation organisations.
In addition, Janelle Brooks has earnt the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) for distinguished service as a member of an Australian fire service, and Lieutenant Colonel Pete Tarling the Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) for meritorious achievement as the Brigade Major of 10th (Fires) Brigade.
Long-time director of UNE’s Archives and Heritage Centre William (Bill) Oates OAM was stunned to be recognised for his dedication to protecting the objects and historical record of the New England region.
Although Bill graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from UNE in 1984, the die was cast for a very different career when he began attending history lectures on the side.
“The distraction did not help my Economics grades but luckily UNE had other graduates, like [Reserve Bank Governor] Michele Bullock, to demonstrate the quality of the degree,” Bill says.
He went on to become an exam supervisor with the Armidale College of Advanced Education before working for UNE’s records department for almost a decade. But it was as UNE’s archivist – a position he held for 17 years – that Bill could poke his nose into just about every regional collection.
“I have always loved local history,” Bill says. “Our national history is made up of the stories of individuals, their relationships with one another, and local events. The big picture reflects the local one.
“As an historian, you have a job to interpret, but as an archivist you have a job to capture. The archivist must avoid any inherent bias and capture even the ugly stuff for future generations.”
Bill is patron of the Armidale and District Historical Society, a life member of the Glen Innes and District Historical Society, and was a volunteer with the National Trust at historic Saumarez Homestead. He also chaired the Australian Garden History Society’s Northern NSW sub-branch for nearly a decade.
“My outlook and skills were profoundly shaped by UNE – by talented educators and fellow students and later by the university archivists who mentored me,” he says. “I also met my wife of 42 years, Helen, while living at St Albert’s College.”
Bill’s current paid appointment is as a records assessor with the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development – still capturing archives – but he also remains an adjunct senior lecturer in UNE’s School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.
“When your hobby provides the basis for meaningful employment, good things happen,” he says.
We continue to compile our list of King’s Birthday Honours award winners. Please advise on anyone we may have missed by emailing alumni@une.edu.au
