Far North‘s Robert Thompson, Gerald Turpin, Brett Devine awarded Australia’s highest honours
From leading communities and scientific breakthroughs to keeping streets safe, three Far Northerners have been recognised for their efforts in supporting their local communities.
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From leading communities and scientific breakthroughs to keeping streets safe, three Far Northerners have been recognised for their efforts in supporting their local communities.
Mornington Island councillor Robert Thompson, Cairns-based ethnobotanist Gerald Turpin and Detective Senior Sergeant Brett Devine have been officially recognised for their dedication and service as part of the Australia Day Honours List.
Robert Thompson: OAM General Division
Now in his fourth term as a councillor on remote Mornington Island, Mr Thompson is a respected elder and leader in his community.
Despite starting his career working in cattle stations around The Gulf and Cape York at 19-years-old, Mr Thompson’s heart has always been for his local community.
“I had to go away and do cattle work and spent three years away then got back to (Mornington) Island again and I did some work on a cargo ship carrying food from Thursday Island round The Gulf,” Mr Thompson said.
After working on cargo ships for three years with his older brother, Mr Thompson went back to The Gulf were he began working in council jobs in Normanton, before returning to Mornington Island.
“Mornington Island was my home … and I wanted to help the people here, show them (they could) pick themselves off the ground and show the government that we could do things. And we done all right,” he said.
Now in his fourth term as councillor, Mr Thompson said he was looking forward to seeing through future projects in the health, education and travel sectors.
“There are a lot of things to do here like education, health and other projects that goes around the community here, getting another aerodrome runway, and besides all that, I’ve got people to look after,” he said.
“I’ve got to get advice to a lot of people who don’t have a father and I feel great doing things like that.”
After receiving the news he had been awarded the OAM, Mr Thompson said he couldn’t quite believe it.
“I’m still shivering in my belly. I haven’t told the whole community yet, a few people know that have been listening to the radio. I’m still shaking,” he said.
“It’s a very big step for the people up here and it’ll give more pride to the community.
Gerald Turpin: Public Service Medal
Studying the relationship between plants and people is at the forefront of ethnobotanist Gerald Turpin’s research.
As a proud Mbabaram man from the Atherton Tablelands, Mr Turpin has been recognised for his research in environmental science and helping to preserve Indigenous cultural knowledge from clans and communities around Australia.
“I always explain (ethnobotany) as botany is the study of plants, ethno is the study of people and culture, so I research the relationship between plants and people and we focus a lot on the bush tucker and bush medicine aspect of it,” Mr Turpin said.
Mr Turpin, who manages the Tropical Indigenous Ethnobotany Centre at the Australian Tropical Herbarium, in partnership with James Cook University, Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation and CSIRO, said looking at the link between plants and people was not only important for preserving Indigenous culture and knowledge systems, but also provided a space for reconciliation with western society.
“The Tropical Ethnobotany Centre … is a place where (elders) can have their knowledge recorded and stored in a safe place they can access,” he said.
“We do a lot of promoting Indigenous knowledge which is a set of knowledge systems other than western science and find a way for the two to work together.”
Mr Turpin said working towards a common goal was a great way for both sides to learn from and respect each other.
“I work with a lot of different people from western science and find that working together you get to know each others knowledge systems, respect each other and make great relationships that way,” he said.
“When you’re focused on a certain project and share your knowledge about yourself and other people in your culture, I find reconciliation happens a lot in that way.”
Detective Senior Sergeant Brett Devine
After serving the Far North for almost four decades, Detective Senior Sergeant Brett Devine has been awarded an Australian Policing Medal.
After starting his career with the Queensland Police Service in 1986, he was officially sworn in as a police officer in 1987.
A QPS spokesman said Sgt Devine had served his entire career in Far North Queensland from Cairns to Cape York, Torres Strait Islands and the Atherton Tablelands.
“Detective Senior Sergeant Devine has been a frontline operational police officer his entire career,” the spokesman said.
“He has extensive policing experience throughout communities in the Far North, including Aurukun.”
Sgt Devine began working as an investigator in the Cairns Drug Squad in 1993 and achieved his detective’s appointment in 1998 while performing duties in the Cairns Criminal Investigations Branch.
He has also worked on Thursday Island and became the Officer in Charge of the Mareeba Criminal Investigation Branch in 2006.
“He is widely recognised as a mentor and supportive leader who encourages innovation by investigators under his stewardship and has been integral in the development of junior officers in the field of criminal investigation,” the spokesman said.
“Detective Senior Sergeant Devine is renowned as a conscientious, committed, tenacious and meticulous investigator.
“He has remained committed to community safety throughout his career and has a passion for working with First Nations communities.”
Originally published as Far North‘s Robert Thompson, Gerald Turpin, Brett Devine awarded Australia’s highest honours
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