Narellan evacuation centre

An evacuation centre has been set up at Narellan for people needing to leave their homes because of rising flood waters.

Police and emergency services are urging the community not to take risks in the current flood conditions.

The evacuation centre is at the Family & Community Centre, Queen Street, Narellan.

State Emergency Operations Controller, Deputy Commissioner Peter Thurtell, said emergency services are continuing to assist people isolated and impacted during this evolving situation.

“The State Emergency Operations Centre at Homebush has been stood up today and will provide real-time assistance and intelligence to emergency services in flood-affected communities,” Deputy Commissioner Thurtell said. “The centre provides a whole-of government approach to deliver resources and personnel into flood-affected areas which need assistance.”

Members of the public seeking emergency assistance during a flood or storm should call the NSW State Emergency Service on 132 500 or visit their website www.ses.nsw.gov.au.

OAM for late Dr Dunstan

The late Dr Richard John Dunstan has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List receiving an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his service to medicine as a paediatrician.

Mr Dunstan, formerly of Grasmere, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of liver cancer passed away on January 18, 2022 – more than 1000 people attended the well-liked doctor’s funeral.

He is survived by his wife Donna of 44 years and four children.

Mrs Dunstan said her husband “left a legacy he never expected to leave…it’s going to go on a long time.”

She said in his long career he had delivered and treated 30,000 children.

He was a paediatrician in Campbelltown for 35 years. He also worked with rehabilitation at Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick for 36 years and was instrumental in establishing The Kids of Macarthur Health Foundation, now in its 22nd year.

“The charity ensured that our children in Macarthur received the same treatment as children in other areas,” Mrs Dunstan said.

“Ric worked in Macarthur because he knew he could make a difference.He bulk- billed most people and made a conscious decision to make their life better.”

Mrs Dunstan said there is a Kids of Macarthur Medal named after her husband and a scholarship at Sydney Children’s Hospital also known as the Richard Dunstan scholarship.

She said her husband touched many lives and recounted the story of a young woman who studying medicine who recently received a scholarship named in her husband’s honour – she was delivered 28 weeks premature by Dr Dunstan.

Mrs Dunstan was unaware of who nominated her husband, but knows he would have been honoured in receiving the OAM.

“I think he knows; he said to me “I will always be around you”. He would have been very humbled. I am so proud of him and his family are so proud of him.”

Mrs Dunstan said along with his medical work he still found time to help in the community.

She said even when he was ill and undergoing treatment he still did telehealth consultations up until July of last year.

“He gave a good fight.”

She said the Kids of Macarthur Foundation will continue as Dr Dunstan would have wanted.

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.