Profile

The only the Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia (IAPA) will be standing candidates for the NSW and Queensland Senate, and three candidates for the House of Representatives, including Brett Duroux for the Division of Page. Duroux a proud Yaegl, Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr man, is excited to stand up for his community. Brett is a fantastic communicator, with a genuine interest and concern for people and the environment, is campaigning to give his community a strong voice and leadership, and to promote respect for the land and encourage unity and equality. Brett says, “The locals of this area, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, are not being heard.”

Derek Hardman, a proud Baarkindji man of Broken Hill, will represent the Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia (IAPA) as he stands for the Division of Parkes in the 2022 federal election ... Derek has been a prolific leader and advocate for Aboriginal people for most of his adult life. An example of Derek’s down to earth, generous, and practical nature was demonstrated recently as Derek, with some other Indigenous Party executives organised the ‘Deliver-roo’ initiative during Covid lockdowns at Wilcannia.

A mother-of-two from Parkes has made the move to Orange to pursue a career in medicine to help address the doctor shortage in rural Australia. Ms Hannah Hawker tells of how she balances study and home life with two children as the University celebrates all its mothers ahead of Mother’s Day on Sunday 8 May.

Joan de Bondt. Each year, the Agricultural Societies Council of NSW (ASC) recognises the excellence, dedication, resilience and innovation of agricultural show volunteers across the state. The joint winners of the ASC Dedication Award for 2022 are June Lowry and George Rathbone from Wakool Show.

Gabrielle Duykers. A young Naracoorte wool classer has claimed top honours at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney. Twenty-year-old Sarah Haynes won the 2022 Australian Wool Exchange/TAFE National Graduate Woolclasser competition on April 12, making her the first South Australian to receive the prestigious award.

Born and raised in Shepparton, Brian joined the Army when he was just 16-years-old ... After returning to Australia and a couple of postings as a Major, Brian was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel before becoming Commanding Officer in March 1992 - Sixth Signalman Regiment in Simpson Barracks in Melbourne. Brian and his men were then sent on a secondment mission to Cambodia to assist the defence force with communications after a United Nations intervention.

Coleambally resident John ‘Wilko’ Wilkinson made his annual pilgrimage to Sydney for the city’s annual Anzac Day march. The New Guinea veteran is now 101 years old and the last one left of his unit, Australia’s PNG Battalions during World War 2 ... There were 567 Australians spread over the three battalions and Wilko is the last survivor.

Narrandera Aboriginal fashion designer Lillardia Briggs-Houston has made the cover of the illustrious fashion magazine Vogue Australia due out in early May. The front cover of the May issue featuring Aboriginal models and fashion designs shows model Magnolia in a dress created by Narrandera’s well known local designer.

We could all learn a thing or two from humble war hero Les Cook. The top-shelf gardener, proud dad and gym regular is still living his best life in a quiet suburb near the Canberra Hospital. Earlier this year I found myself in the nation’s capital at the historic Australian War Memorial and had a lightbulb moment – for Anzac Day this year I should write a piece on a World War II veteran.

Patricia Gill. Ollie Wakka, 81, joined the newly-established Denmark Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service in 1962, ‘because I couldn’t say no’ ... Ollie recalls how everyone turned up to a fire as they were dressed, there was no equipment except what brigade members brought along and members’ vehicles were used.

Kyogle’s Liesl Pederson spends her day at the front of the classroom teaching students at Casino Public School. But she has a dream that goes way beyond the classroom — she wants to sing.

Lynne Mowbray. The last couple of years have proved to be a trying time for anyone attempting to hold an event and organisers of the 117th Maclean Highland Gathering, were keen to make this year’s event, a great one. Maclean Highland Gathering Chief Peter Smith said that they were expecting a particularly good gathering this year and it did not disappoint.

For the 2022 Kempsey Show Young Woman of the Year Competition we have a fantastic array of young women entered across the three categories: seniors, teens and juniors.

Gavin Begbie has put his “heart and soul” into the Woodburn Amateur Boxing Club. He has been involved in the club for 12 years and has been club president for five. On March 1, floodwaters went over the roof of the club on Redwood Lane.

Born and raised in Lismore, 22-year-old Kashmir Miller is proud to be The Greens candidate for the seat of Page in the 2022 Federal Election. After experiencing the catastrophic floods which devastated Northern NSW, Ms Miller said during the past month locals have “watched the climate catastrophe arrive in our communities and our homes.”

Geoff Helisma. The joy of training is Tom Hancock’s secret when it came to taking on all-comers at the Australian Masters Athletics Championships held in Brisbane from April 1 to 4. The 85-year-old won every event he contested in ‘throws’ events for 85 to 90-year-olds.

Castlemaine local, Stefan Dannhausen, is set to become the Goldfields region’s answer to the Easter Bunny, having launched his new owner-managed business, Dimpex Import and Wholesale. Interested in starting out on his own but initially unsure what type of business he wanted to run, Stefan drew on fond memories of enjoying SCHO-KA-KOLA with his family as a child to come up with a business idea that allowed him to explore his German heritage.

Serena Kirby. Mark Parre is busy passing on his skills and knowledge to the next generation because, after nearly 30 years with the Shire of Denmark, retirement looms ... “The work is the greatest reward and when I revisit a site I planted up years before and see the diversity of flora and fauna it really makes my heart sing.”

Over 30 years ago Lockhart resident Jean Urquhart competed in the final of the State Rich Fruit Cake Competition held at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show and now this year her great granddaughter Grace Cox is following in her great grandmother’s footsteps.

Kye Mason of Cohuna represented Victoria at the 2022 Australian Track & Field Championships in Sydney last week. Competitors from across Australia and New Zealand converged on Sydney for the championships which were held from March 26 to April 3.

Emma Pritchard. After polling strongly in the 2019 Federal Election with more than 43000 votes, the Australian Labor Party’s candidate for the seat of Page Patrick Deegan has spoken of his confidence in gaining additional support and momentum ahead of the 2022 Federal Election.

Luke & Dani. For those of you who remember Pixie Hanson running laps of the airstrip before school (with Elsie, Millie, Ruby and Gale), or charging down Intermediate Hill, or blitzing the LHICS cross country race, you may have wondered why she was always moving faster than the rest of us.