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Judith Sise OAM who helps care for the Braeside Park wetlands. (Stewart Chambers: 482582)
Humble heroes Community champions speaking out for refugees and the environment have been lauded in the King’s Birthday Honours List released late on 8 June. Shabnam Safa and Judith Sise have been awarded Medals of the Order of Australia (OAMs) for their bold deeds in the South East region. Fueled by her own forced displacement, Safa has toiled for justice and a better system for refugees and migrants. Shocked by her OAM accolade, she says she’s been driven by a sense of “moral duty” and “calling” in her work with groups such as Centre for Multicultural Youth, Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia and the Australian Refugee Advisory Panel.
She hopes the award spotlights the contributions of people from refugee backgrounds who “do incredible things and achieve major success despite facing structural barriers”. “When you’re supporting refugees it’s not a feel-good phrase or charity work. “It’s recognising people’s humanity and building policies and systems that reflect shared humanity regardless of who you are and where you come from.” Meanwhile, former teacher Sise remains a tireless environmental champion with Friends of Braeside Park, Greater Dandenong Environment Group, Gardens for Wildlife and Field Naturalists Club of Victoria. “The hardest thing about caring for the en-
vironment is trying to change people’s perceptions,” she said. “People have to be willing to accept change and to think differently. What we do has repercussions for not just ourselves but our whole community. “I guess the biggest thing I would like to see is people thinking that we’re part of nature and biodiversity. We’re not above it.” Receiving an OAM reinforces the value of her work. “It makes me feel that someone’s seen what I’ve done. They believe in what I’m doing — and they want me to keep going. And I will. Absolutely.” More on the story, turn to pages 4 and 5
Shabnam Safa OAM says she hopes her award will spotlight the incredible work of refugees.
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LEGALISE CANNABIS VICTORIA MP FOR SOUTH-EASTERN METROPOLITAN REGION
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