Australia Day Honours: Four from Penrith, Blue Mountains

From a mental health advocate to somebody who works with war vets and widows, four people from Penrith and the Blue Mountains have been recognised in this year’s Australia Day honours list.

Pam Rutledge and Eric Easterbrook were two of the four people from Penrith and the Blue Mountains recognised in the annual Australia Day Honours List.

Four people from Penrith and the Blue Mountains have been acknowledged for their service to the community in the annual Australia Day honours list.

Our highest honour went to Ms Pam Rutledge, of Woodford, who was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia.

Ms Rutledge, 74, has been the deputy Mental Health Commissioner at the Mental Health Commission of NSW since 2019, the culmination of a long career as a public servant.

She started as a public servant in 1972, and worked her way up to director role sat the Premier’s Department and Department of Housing.

Pam Rutledge was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for her 'significant service to people living with disability or social vulnerability'.

“I did my training as a social worker when I was very young,” she said. “It’s a great education to learn about the ways people work, and how you can contribute to improving people’s lives and wellbeing.

“It comes from the commitment to human rights and wellbeing that my family gave me as a child.”

Ms Rutledge ended in the mental-health sector, and was part of some “important reform”.

“That became a lifelong passion – we learn so much from people with a lived experience,” she said.

“Things have been so bad for them, many have suffered terribly, and we need to find the right support when they need it.

“We still haven’t got it quite right, and while there’s a lot of great things that have happened to build better services, we still have too many people falling through the cracks.

Emu Plains resident Eric Easterbrook was awarded an OAM for 'service to the community, particularly to war widows and their families'.

“I’ve been involved in that space (since retiring) as a member of the Mental Health Tribunal and a deputy commissioner.”

Ms Rutledge said she was “humbled” to receive the honour.

“I’ve been really lucky to be able to have opportunities and to work with fantastic teams of people, and to have the privilege of undertaking reform,” she said.

Emu Plains resident, and current vice-chairman of Legacy Australia, Eric Easterbrook was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for service to the community, particularly to war widows and their families.

Mr Easterbrook has been a member of Legacy since 1981 after serving in the air force in Vietnam.

“I was in Wagga when I came home from Vietnam, and one of the people at a mess dinner approached me and asked why I wasn’t a Legatee,” he said.

Wallacia's Jody Grima was acknowledged for her 'outstanding public service to the community through Service New South Wales'. Picture: Service NSW

“I joined Legacy and have been in several roles ever since.”

The 70-year-old veteran said he was “emotionally shocked” when he heard the news of his medal.

“I like to think the only reason I’ve been honoured is the great team I’ve been involved with,” he said.

“The head of the first team is my wife, she’s been exceptionally supportive and involved in her own volunteer work.

“Without the teamwork of our staff, I wouldn’t be able to achieve the work I do with our widows, widowers and their children.”

Ms Rosemary Morrow of Katoomba was also awarded an Order of Australia Medal for service to permaculture, and Wallacia’s Jody Grima was honoured for “outstanding public service to the community through Service New South Wales”.