Three Euroa electorate residents, Sandy Mackenzie of Avenel, Kathleen (Kathy) Grigg of Euroa, and Pat McNamara of Nagambie, were among the 1192 Australians celebrated in the King’s Birthday 2023 Honours List.
Both Mr Mackenzie and McNamara were appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in part, for their services as long–standing Nationals politicians, while Ms Grigg received hers for significant service to financial governance, tertiary education, and to the agricultural industry.
Nationals Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland said it was fantastic to see residents receive recognition for their commitments to industry and the local community.
“I want to congratulate Kathy Grigg, Pat McNamara, and Sandy Mackenzie on receiving these well-deserved awards,” Ms Cleeland said.
“As long-time contributors to our local area, these recognitions are a testament to the hard work and time they have all committed to our region.”
Ms Grigg has long-standing ties to the local community, holding a role as community representative for Euroa Health.
In this role, Ms Grigg has campaigned for the hospital’s ongoing financial success and dedicated years of service, advice, and expertise.
The Honours List citation for, Mr Pat McNamara, states the Nagambie resident received his Order of Australia for “significant service to rowing, to the Parliament of Victoria, and to the community through a range of roles”.
Mr McNamara was a Nationals Party MP in the Victorian Parliament for 1982 to 2000, and from 1992 to 1999 served as the Victorian Nationals leader and deputy premier of Victoria.
Before his career in state politics, he worked in farming and real estate, and worked in local politics as a Goulburn Valley shire councillor from 1974–1978 and president from 1977–1978.
Mr McNamara has also had a long association with rowing.
According to Rowing History Australia, after serving as Nagambie Rowing Club captain during the 70s and 80s, he served as Rowing Australia president from 2000–2009, Commonwealth Rowing Association president from 2001–2005 and Oceania Rowing Association chairman from 2010–2014.
He also served as Rowing Victoria president from 2015–2017 and is presently a Rowing Australia Victorian councillor and sits on the Rowing Victoria awards and remuneration sub–committee.
Mr Sandy Mackenzie received his award for “significant service to the people and Parliament of Australia, to education and to conservation”.
Mr Mackenzie was a federal MP, serving as the National Country Party member for Calare in New South Wales from 1975 to 1983.
Mr Mackenzie wrote that after his career in politics, he was involved with Landcare at a local, state and national council level.
He spent six years on the board of the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority and represented Landcare Australia at the Prime Minister’s Summit on Drought, as well as in 2020 presenting to hearings of the Fire and National Disasters Inquiries.
He joined the Australian Council for Children and Parenting in the early 2000s.
