Each year, Australia recognises hundreds of people who make a significant contribution with awards in The Australia Day Honours list.
2015 is the 40 anniversary of these awards, and recipients have been rewarded for a diverse range of contributions and service.
Vision Australia would like to congratulate the following awardees for their work in the blindness and low vision field:
Member (AM) in the general division of the Order of Australia
Mr Micheal George Knipe, Hobart
Awarded for significant service to optometry through executive roles with professional organisations, and to the community of Timor-Leste. Mr Knipe was Chairman and President, Optometrists Association of Australia from 2010 to2011 and a national Committee Member, Optometry Giving Sight, since 2007.
Dr John Julian Smiles
For significant service to medicine as an ophthalmologist, and to international relations through eye health programs in Samoa. Dr Smiles was founder and visiting Surgeon at the Diabetic Eye Clinic, Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital, Apia, Samoa, since 1996.
Officer (AO) in the general division of the Order of Australia
Professor Denis Wakefield, Sylvania, NSW
Awarded for distinguished service to medicine, particularly in the field of ocular immunology and immunopathology, as a clinician, researcher and academic. Professor Wakefield established the first dedicated inflammatory eye disease clinic in Australia in the 1980s.
Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the general division
Mrs Terri Nathalie Adams, Mentone VIC
Awarded for service to the broadcast media as a volunteer radio presenter. Mrs Adams was a talking newspaper volunteer with Vision Australia’s Dandenong centre until 2012. In this role, she voiced an audio version of the Moorabbin Kingston Leader, to help community members living with blindness and low vision, access their local news. In 1998 she was made a Life Governor of the organisation for continuous service over 15 years.
Mrs Gwenyth May Carpenter, Ryde NSW
Awarded for service to lawn bowls. Mrs Carpenter was coach of the Australian Blind Bowlers Association from 1992 to1997. She attended the 1994 Commonwealth Games as a Carer and support person.
Mrs Margaret Anne Shimmin, Warrnambool, VIC
Awarded for service to the community of Warrnambool. Mrs Shimmin has been a volunteer for Vision Australia since 1987. During that time she has held various roles including talking radio and newspaper and coordinating the Warrnambool support group. All of these programs assist people who are blind or have low vision to stay connected with their community through social interaction or simply being able to access their local news in an audio format.
Mr Antony Reginald Todman, Quirindi NSW
Awarded for service to children with sight and hearing impairments, and to the community.
There are 613 recipients of awards in the general division of the Order of Australia and this year marks the 40th anniversary of the Awards program.
“Since 1975 these awards have drawn national attention to the personal efforts of individuals, made willingly, without thought of recognition or recompense,” said the Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable, Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd).