Dr Sue Wareham OAM

THE CHIEF MINISTER’S MESSAGE

I am delighted to announce the inaugural winner of the Chief Ministers Rotary Peace Prize. The purpose of this award is to recognise an individual or group that has or has contributed to a more peaceful Canberra community.

To recognise this service to the community, the Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin has donated $1,000 US to the Rotary International Foundation and named the recipient a Paul Harris Fellow. The award is named after the founder of Rotary, Paul Harris, and the donation to the Foundation is to support Rotary’s peace and humanitarian activities around the world.

The person receiving this inaugural Chief Minister’s Rotary Peace Prize is Dr Sue Wareham OAM. Sue joined the Canberra community in 1978. She has raised her family here and worked as a GP for over 30 years, which included running her own medical practice in Giralang from 1989 to 2011. Throughout her nearly 40 years in Canberra, she has campaigned tirelessly for peace.

She was one of the early members of the ACT branch of the Medical Association for Prevention of War and has been the Coordinator of the ACT branch since the late 1980s.  She has held the position of National President of the Medical Association for Prevention of War from 1997 to 2005 and from 2007 to 2009 and re-appointed for another term this year. She was appointed as Regional Vice President of the International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War from 1996 to 2000 and remains on the board of that organisation.

Sue was a founding member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, launched by Medical Association for Prevention of War in 2007. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this year and she remains on the board of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. She also has a prominent role in Australians for War Powers Reform which was convened in 2012 and is also the convenor of the No Airport Arms Ads campaign.

Sue was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in the General Division (OAM) in 2006 ‘for service to the community and to the peace movement, particularly through the Medical Association for Prevention of War’.

Her main campaign advocacy has focused primarily on:

• The abolition of all weapons of mass destruction, and the need for a nuclear weapons-free defence for Australia;
• The need for reductions in military spending and the arms trade;
• The prevention of armed conflict;
• Reducing warfare’s worst excesses, such as landmines and cluster munitions, environmental damage, and displacement of populations; and
• Promoting other justice and environmental causes. 

As we stand before the Canberra Rotary Peace Bell we can think of no more suitable candidate than Dr Sue Wareham to receive this award. Congratulations Sue.

Gordon Ramsay
on behalf of the Chief Minister of the ACT

Robyn Martin

THE CHIEF MINISTER’S MESSAGE

Robyn Martin is a Kamilaroi woman from Collarenebri, North Western NSW and has been living in the Canberra region for the past 36 years. She is an active member of the Canberra and Queanbeyan Aboriginal community,

Robyn is the Manager at Beryl Women’s Inc.  This is the oldest existing women’s and children’s domestic violence refuge in Australia, it was established in 1975.  Robyn has worked at the service for 19 years. Beryl provides trauma informed, therapeutic support, and safe housing to women and children escaping domestic violence. Robyn represents all women, including having a strong focus on Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander women and women from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background.  This is regardless of financial situations, background, religion, nationality, age. 

Beryl women’s inc. offers accommodation, case management, school holiday programs, parenting groups, children’s groups and many other supports/ resources that access the service.  Beryl also works with clients as part of an outreach program.  Many women continue to return to Beryl after exiting the service as it is a place where they have been able to rebuild their lives and it is a safe place for them to return when challenges or issues arise that may impact on their stability.

Robyn is proactive and passionate on the issues concerning the most vulnerable women in the ACT by challenging structure which oppress and systems which impact on equitable service delivery and outcomes for individuals.  Robyn is an invaluable leader and a strong advocate and very highly regarded by her peers both within the Aboriginal and wider community.

Robyn has dedicated herself supporting women and children escaping domestic and family violence in the Canberra region. She has worked in the women’s sector for the past 27 years, firstly at Gunyah Women’s Housing in Queanbeyan and currently at Beryl Women Incorporated.

In addition to her work at Beryl Women Inc. Robyn is on the Our Booris Our Way steering committee, the Domestic Violence Prevention Council and Chair of Gugan Gulwan. Robyn was named ACT Woman of the Year in 2015 and ACT NAIDOC person of the year in 2012. Today she also becomes a Paul Harris Fellow in recognition of her work to promote peace in the home. A donation of $1,000 US has been made in Robyn’s name to the Rotary International Foundation. This is the major charity of Rotary International and has led the charge to rid the world of Polio.

Robyn continues to be an inspiration to all that know her.

Andrew Barr
Chief Minister of the ACT

21 September 2019

David Savage

THE CHIEF MINISTER’S MESSAGE

It is with pleasure that I announce that this year’s recipient of the Chief Minister’s Rotary Peace Prize is David Savage.

In mid-1999 David was part of the small United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNAMET) which was sent to East Timor to facilitate the voting process and to advise the Indonesian Police on security amidst growing violence.

It was the bravery and resilience of the East Timorese people, supported by the small unarmed United Nations mission, which ensured that the vote could occur. However, the ballot result led to the Indonesian Military unleashing a well-planned campaign of violence throughout East Timor, which could only be addressed by an international military force. UNAMET was unarmed and without any military or armed response or support.

Later David wrote his book “Dancing with the Devil”, a personal account of policing the East Timor Vote for Independence, as an Australian Federal Police Officer. Answered by Fire is a two-part television film based on David’s book dealing with the 1999 East Timor conflicts.

David was seriously wounded, losing a leg, and almost killed by a 12-year-old suicide bomber on March 26, 2012. At the time David, aged 49, was the first AusAid staff member wounded while serving in Afghanistan and is believed to be the first serious Australian civilian casualty.

At the time David was serving as part of a mixed civilian and military unit called a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) that was assigned to the Chora Valley to help rebuild infrastructure. The PRT was returning from a visit to the District Governor when, about 100 metres from home, the 12-year-old boy dressed in white calmly walked into the patrol. An explosive device strapped to his torso was then detonated, hurling David and two US soldiers metres across the road and leaving a 12 metre high plume of white smoke.

David has battled with his injuries since 2012 and has tried to lead a normal life. We recognise him today for his efforts in both East Timor and Afghanistan and for his dedication to the cause of peace in the world.

A donation of US$1,000 has been made in David’s name to the Rotary International Foundation. The Foundation is the major Charity of Rotary International and this year the donation has been directed to The Annual Fund, Peace Building, and Conflict Resolution. David is also being recognised today as a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International and the Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin.

David continues to be an inspiration to all who know him.

Andrew Barr
Chief Minister of the ACT
21 September 2020

A Chorus of Women

THE CHIEF MINISTER’S MESSAGE

On behalf of the ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr and the members of the Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin, It is with pleasure that I announce that this year’s recipient of the Chief Minister’s Rotary Peace Prize is  ‘A Chorus of Women’.

Since a Chorus of Women’s first song was witnessed in the Australian Parliament on 18th March 2003, the day Australia’s intention to invade Iraq was announced, this group has given voice to matters at the heart of our community. Performing at over 100 public occasions since then, their repertoire of original songs and spoken text has encouraged integrity, compassion, respect and humanity. Their contribution is deserving of the 2022 Chief Minister’s Rotary Peace Prize.

Andrew Barr
9 May 2022