Thornbury’s Dimity Hawkins appointed Member of the Order of Australia

Nobel Peace Prize winner Dimity Hawkins, a co-founder of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, has been recognised at this year’s Queen’s Birthday awards. Find out who else was honoured today.

Dimity Hawkins and Dave Sweeney are co-founders of International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Picture: David Smith

An internationally recognised campaigner against the use of nuclear weapons has another accolade to add to the pool room after being appointed to the Order of Australia.

Preston’s Dimity Hawkins was made a Member of the Order for her service as an advocate for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.

In 2006 Ms Hawkins founded the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), a coalition of non-governmental organisations from 100 countries.

In 2017 ICAN and its founders received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ms Hawkins said receiving an AM was a “huge honour” and she felt overwhelmed by the recognition.

She has spent the past two years as a campaigner for ICAN and will return to the board this year.

“There's no getting away from it. Until we get rid of nuclear weapons I’ll always be doing it,” Ms Hawkins said.

Also involved with the Medical Association for Prevention of War and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Ms Hawkins said every single person she had worked with deserved an award too.

She is completing a PHD at Swinburne University on the impact of nuclear testing in the Pacific.

Ms Hawkins is completing a PHD on the impact of nuclear testing.

Ms Hawkins was one of six from Darebin to receive Queen’s Birthday honours.

OFFICERS OF THE ORDER

Thornbury’s Dr Megan-Jane Johnstone was appointed an Officer of the Order for her service to the nursing ethics and patient rights.

Although she started her career as a clinical nurse Dr Johnstone said she moved into teaching and research because important nursing decisions, such as end of life treatment, flew completely under the radar.

“I did what I thought was necessary and that was to make visible to people outside of nursing the extraordinary ethical issuesthat nurses had to grapple with,” she said.

MEMBERS OF THE ORDER

Northcote’s Robert Skinner was appointed a Member of the Order for his service to water management.

Mr Skinner said he was humbled by the accolade.

“You spend time doing things you love doing and getting an award for it is the icing on the cake really,” he said.

Mr Skinner has spent his career improving water management around Australia but said he was most proud of his work securing a safe water supply for some of the poorest and most marginalised people in the world.

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Alphington’s William Apple was appointed a member of the order for his service to the superannuation sector and to trade unions.

Mr Apple joined the trade union fight for better pay, improved conditions and rights for people with disabilities when he moved to Australia from Canada.

He thanked the unions for giving him the opportunity to improve people’s lives and get jobs for hardworking people.

“You do it for the members, you do it for the workers,” he said.

MEDALS OF THE ORDER

Northcote’s Ian James was awarded a medal of the order for his work in music rights and publishing, and Bundoora’s Ada Wilkinson was awarded a medal of the order for her service to youth through scouts.

@richardapearce