Lutherans honoured in Australia Day list

LCA members Dorothy Hamilton, Bernie MacKenzie and The Honourable Warren Truss have been recognised in the Australia Day 2019 Honours List.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Truss, who worships at Hervey Bay on Queensland’s Fraser Coast, has been made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for eminent service to the Parliament of Australia, particularly in the areas of trade, transport, agriculture, and rural and regional development. The leader of the National Party of Australia from 2007 to 2016, he is a former federal minister for Customs and Consumer Affairs; Community Services; Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Transport and Regional Services; Trade; and Infrastructure and Regional Development. He was previously awarded the Centenary Medal for service as Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Mr Truss is also a former State President of the Lutheran Youth of Queensland.

Mrs Hamilton received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to music, and to people who are blind or have low vision. A member at St Johns Southgate in Melbourne (see pages 12-13), she was a music teacher for many decades of both blind and sighted students and has been a long-time transcriber of music into braille for Vision Australia. She is a former church council member, choir member and musician at St Johns. She also was a finalist in the Victorian Senior of the Year award in 2013.

Mr MacKenzie, who sings in the Cairns Choral Society in Far North Queensland and at Trinity Lutheran Church there, has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to education. A former high school principal, he was on the Council of Peace Lutheran College, Cairns, and its chairperson across 10 years until 2018. Mr MacKenzie was also a founding member of the North Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra. Among his other awards are a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Queensland Secondary Principals Association; Cairns Citizen of the Year Award; and the Centenary Medal for service to the local arts and entertainment industries.

The congratulations of the church are offered to these recipients and any other members honoured with awards.