OAM: Former Fairfield mayor Ken Chapman awarded Australia Day honour

Four people who call Fairfield home - including the mayor at the time of Australia’s only political assassination - have been recognised by the Governor-General in this year’s Australia Day honours.

Ken Chapman. Taken when he was the president of the Cabramatta Chamber of Commerce from 2015 to 2018.

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Kenneth Chapman, former mayor of Fairfield City and a volunteer to a panoply of causes over almost 50 years, has been awarded an Order of Australia for his service to the community of Cabramatta.

Mr Chapman was one of four locals recognised with the Australia Day honours this year by Governor-general David Hurley.

“My family was all brought up in local government, to believe in certain things like putting back into the community,” Mr Chapman, 77, said.

“It’s something I’m proud of.”

Former Mayor Ken Champan has been awarded an Order of Australia medal. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu

He first served Fairfield Council as an alderman for three years from 1971, before returning as a councillor for eight years from 1991.

His stint as mayor in 1996 came after then Labor MP John Paul Newman was shot twice in the head outside of his home.

“He was my boss,” Mr Chapman said. “The murderer (Phuong Ngo) … wasn’t arrested until 1998. They didn’t intimidate me.”

Ken Chapman at the grave of murdered Labor MP John P. Newman on the first anniversary of his death.

Mr Newman’s death remains the only assassination of a political figure in Australian history.

Mr Chapman also helped wrestle Cabramatta from the teeth of a heroin crisis. Government support followed Mr Newman’s murder in the form of increased police officers and the installation of a CCTV camera network in Cabramatta that cost $400,000 a year to operate.

“I did as much as I could (to help Cabramatta and its image),” Mr Chapman said.

“In 1997 I brought Alan Jones for a citizenship ceremony. He gave us a good wrap the next day.”

Ken Chapman with Cabramatta Neighbourhood Watch members when he was mayor.

His work in local government is surpassed by his contributions as a volunteer. He has volunteered for the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal since 1973, the Cabramatta Rotary Club since 1985, and the Cabramatta West Neighbourhood Watch since 2009.

He is also the vice president of the Cabramatta Chamber of Commerce, after serving as its president for three years from 2015.

“I’m proud of these things, I like to step forward and help where I can,” Mr Chapman said.

“I’m only a poor person, but you can only do what you can do.”

Mr Chapman around the time he was the Mayor of Fairfield. Picture: Matthew Vasilescu

Mr Chapman was one of four people from Fairfield City to be awarded an Order of Australia medal this Australia Day.

Other OAM recipients include Fairfield West’s William Cruwys for service to veterans and their families; Canley Heights’ Krystyna Cyron for service to the Polish community of NSW and; Bonnyrigg’s Qazi Ahmad for service to the Muslim community and interfaith relations.