Australia Day Honours List 2020: David Leece reveals the tales of a soldier and scientist
From slicing through jungle terrain in North Carolina to getting a PhD in the specialist study of plants, David Leece has done it all having worked as both a soldier and scientist. And this Australia Day the 77-year-old will become a member of the Order of Australia.
Northern District Times
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From slicing through jungle terrain in North Carolina to getting a PhD in the specialist study of plants, David Leece has done it all having worked as both a soldier and scientist.
And this Australia Day the 77-year-old will become a member of the Order of Australia in the general division for his significant service to the environment and defence studies.
The grandfather-of-five, who lives in Beecroft, kickstarted his career as a research scientist studying science at the University of Sydney.
Serving others and his country came naturally to Mr Leece. At the age of 17, he joined the Australian Army as a soldier and stayed in the military for 37 years.
As a citizen soldier starting out, he said it was “really exciting”.
“I really enjoyed the training. It never occurred to me to not become a soldier when I was young,” he said.
“I was born during WWII. And all the men I knew were in the services one way or another.”
“It seemed the natural thing to be a soldier.”
His career took him to Michigan and Washington D.C. on a 2.5-year secondment with the Australian Army. He worked for the United States Marine Corps (company C first battalion 24th marine regiment 4th marine division) while pursuing his PhD in phytophysiology.
“It was quite thrilling. It was stimulating. I was able to become involved in cutting edge science and become involved with the Marine Corps and represent Australia,” he said.
As an Australian working for the American marines in Michigan during part of the Vietnam War he said he had a lot of interesting conversations about Australia’s involvement.
He later met his American wife Priscilla in Michigan and they moved to Washington D.C. from 1969 where he worked at the Australian embassy for a year.
They returned to Sydney and had two children, Elizabeth, 48, and Stuart, 45 living in Carlingford before moving to Beecroft 19 years ago.
In Australia he established the discipline of ecotoxicology referring to the study of chemicals in the environment.
He was later instrumental in establishing the Australasian Society for Ecotoxicology which has now been renamed the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.
He was also executive director and chief scientist at the NSW Environmental Protection Authority in 1992-2002 and deputy commissioner of the Murray-Darling Basin Commission in 1990-2002 before becoming assistant commissioner of the Natural Resources Commission of New South Wales from 2004-08.
Mr Leece was also part of the first military delegation to visit China in 1982.
“The first night we were in Beijing we were guests of the deputy chief for the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army. He’s the number two in the Chinese military. That was quite an event,” he said.
“Then we were taken to a different city each lunch and dinner. We were thrown around china to meet people, we went to see a sea fleet, a staff college and naval shipyards.
“It was still early days for the diplomacy and the opening up of China.”
This Australia Day Mr Leece will be appointed a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for his service to the environment, defence and security studies to add to his collection after also receiving a public service medal in 2001.
“It’s a great honour. One never expects to get awards like this but when they come along, they are very much appreciated,” he said.
FULL HONOURS LIST RECIPIENTS IN NORTHERN DISTRICT
- David Ronald Leece – AM
- Phillip Wai-Shing Ng – OAM
- Robert Peter Selinger – OAM
- Diana Mahony – OAM
- Hassib Elias – OAM
- Samiul Joseph Sorrenti – OAM
- Peter Maniscalco – OAM
Other notable recipients of the order of Australia include Peter Maniscalco for his service to the Italian community in Hunters Hill.
He is president of the S. Antonia da Padova Protettore di Poggioreale Trapani Association which is a seat he’s held since 2003 and 1986-1955.
He is also co-founder of the S. Antonia da Padova Nursing Home. Mr Maniscalco has also received a string of awards for his service to the community including a recipient for the certificate of appreciation from the premier of NSW, the Honourable Gladys Berejiklian MP in 2017. He has also been knighted in Italy (Ordine della Stella d’Italia) since 2008.
Dr Samiul Joseph Sorrenti from Hunters Hill is a recipient for the Order of Australia for his service to orthopaedic and sports medicine. He has been an orthopaedic surgeon since 1986 and is currently a member of the Australian Academy of Medicine and Surgery and International Society of Arthroscopy, knee surgery and orthopaedic sports.
For contributing his medical skills in sports treatment, he has been a consultant physician and orthopaedic surgeon at Marconi Soccer Club and North Sydney Rugby League Football Club as well as sat as the president of Italian Rugby League from 2002-14.
Dr Sorrentia has also been knighted in Malta and is currently a volunteer at St John's Orphanage, Iringa in Tanzania.
Mr Hassib Elias is a recipient of the Order of Australia for his service to the Palestinian community of New South Wales. He has been the founder and president of the Palestinian Association of Australia since 1973 and is a current member of the Multicultural Advisory Committee of the City of Ryde. Mr Elias was also pronounced the Ryde Citizen of the Year in 2019.
Mrs Diana Mahony is the only woman who is a recipient of the Order of Australia in the Northern District area this year. Mrs Mahony from Oatlands has been recognised for her service to the community through charitable initiatives. She currently sits as the president and chairman of The Judith Hyam Memorial Trust Fund for Cancer Research.
Mr Robert Peter Selinger from Eastwood has also been recognised for his service to the community and education as a recipient of the Order of Australia. He has been a pivotal member at Rotary Club of Chatswood Sunrise for 21 years as the former director, secretary, president (2001-2002, 2011-2012, 2012-2013) and most recently treasurer before stepping down last year.
Mr Selinger has also served the next generation as a former teacher and principal at several schools in the area. Some highlights including being deputy principal and later principal at Chatswood High school in 2000. He was also head teacher at Drummoyne Boys High School, Ashfield Boys High school and St Mary’s High School.