Sunday, January 26, 2025

Meet the public servants recognised in the Australia Day awards

 Michael Tink, a son my former PAC Chairman received well deserved Intelligence Medal. Andrew Tink is a  gentlemen and a scholar to boot a great storyteller.

 To thinking Andrew, the importance of books was best expressed by the Scottish philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881)

   In books lies the soul of the whole past time, the articulate
 and audible voice of the past when the body and material 
substance of it has altogether vanished like a dream.


Meet the public servants recognised in the Australia Day awards

 By Brittney Levinson 26 Jan  2025


Canberra's COVID-19 surge centre drew fierce criticism in the years after it was built, but one public servant who worked on the project says she is incredibly proud of what was achieved in such little time

"I don't think there's ever a time in my career [again] that I will see the lightning-fast decisions that were made with the best evidence that we had at the time," she said.

Jen Sloane is among the ACT and federal public servants who have been recognised in the 2025 Australia Day awards. Read on for the full list of all public servants listed in the 2025 Australia Day Honours list.
Ms Sloane's role in supporting the ACT government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including planning the Garran Surge Centre within seven days and delivering it in a month, has earned her a Public Service Medal.
She was surprised and humbled to receive a medal, but she said the recognition validated the long hours she spent working and away from her family, including her young children.
Some of the ACT and federal public servants who have been recognised in the Australia Day awards.
Some of the ACT and federal public servants who have been recognised in the Australia Day awards. 
Initially built as an emergency department for COVID patients, the surge centre eventually served as a vaccination and testing centre.
Ms Sloane recalled it as a chaotic and overwhelming time but said it ultimately showed what could be achieved when people came together in an emergency situation.

Australia Day Honours 2025

Order of Australia, Meritorious awards & Military awards