Local hero receives OAM

Rosemary Kariuki’s service to multicultural community has been acknowledged in the Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours List with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM). It’s another recognition for her work in assisting women from non-English speaking backgrounds adapt to their new country and flee domestic violence.

The Oran Park resident in 2021 was named Australia’s National Local Hero.

Ms Kariuki’s humbled and surprised by the award, but even on a long-weekend took time out to assist a woman fleeing a domestic violence situation. She said the work never stops, “even on her days off”.

Her belief is that “we all need to give back to the community and extend our hand to neighbours and not to tire from doing good.”

Her own story is harrowing having fled tribal clashes and domestic violence in her native Kenya. When she settled in Australia in 1999 she transformed her suffering and loneliness into compassion for the migrant communities she found here.

It was that experience that inspired her to help other migrant women experiencing similar feelings – especially those women who feel isolated, have no transport and speak little or no English.

“No one talked to me, everything was new. It was like a culture shock,” Ms Kariuki said.

To cope she started visiting the elderly in nursing homes and her community involvement widened.

These include: A film ‘Rosemary's Way’ 2020; Co-Founder, African Women's Dinner Dance, since 2006; Contributor, African Women's Group; Volunteer, The Migrant Resource Centre, Auburn, and; Volunteer, Agape International Church, current.

She was humbled and surprised to receive this year’s recognition. It’s been a very busy few years for the multicultural community liaison officer who first started assisting migrant women more than 15 years ago at Parramatta local area command before transferring to Campbelltown a few years ago.

“I am humbled and surprised,” she said when she learnt of her inclusion in this year’s honour’s list.

MPs returned

Well done to all the candidates who put up their hand in the 2022 Federal Election.

With a large number of first preference votes counted, Hume, Macarthur and Werriwa have been retained by the incumbents.

Liberal Angus Taylor has been returned as MP for Hume; Labor’s Dr Mike Freelander has also been returned in Macarthur and Labor’s Anne Stanley in Werriwa.

Hours until voting closes

With hours before voting closes for the 2022 Federal Election, many of the candidates have been out and about and supporters helping out hand at a number of polling places.

The incumbents and candidates also casted their votes at different polling sites within their respective electorates.

Unfortunately, there are a few places not serving the ‘democracy sausage’. In some places queues are long, but moving steadily under ominous clouds.

For Hume independent, Penny Ackery, who is not well, she chose to limit her interactions, but has wished her volunteers well at the booths and will be zooming in at the after event. She will be voting via phone today. Campaign manager Matt Murfitt and son Jack Steele were visiting volunteers.

Labor’s Greg Baines with his wife Jen voted at Buxton and was later spotted at one of the booths in Wollondilly visiting volunteers.

Hume Liberal incumbent, Angus Taylor voted at Goulburn-Mulwaree High School.

Macarthur Labor incumbent, Mike Freelander also put in his vote at Tharawal Aboriginal Health Service Airds.

At the end of pre-polling on May 20. The number of votes cast were as follows.

Hume electorate there were 42.5 votes cast in early voting centre – 31.3 per cent pre-poll and 11.2 per cent postal.

Macarthur – 39.5 per cent, 29.1 per cent pre-poll and 10.5 per cent postal votes

Werriwa – 37.1 per cent, 25.8 pre-poll and 11.3 per cent postal.

Pre-poll votes is a total of votes taken by each division, but not necessarily for the division.