By Staff Writers
Three prominent volunteers from Perth’s Catholic community are among the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for their exceptional service and achievements.
Urban Developer Danny Murphy AM was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in the General Division for his significant service to urban development and the community, volunteer lawyer advocate Dr Betsy Buchanan OAM was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for service to the community through social welfare organisations, and Applecross parishioner Giuseppe Rocco Cinanni OAM was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community through a range of roles.
The 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours for Australia were announced on 14 June by Governor-General David Hurley. The list this year recognises 1190 Australians, including 84 WA recipients.
Giuseppe Cinanni OAM – known as Joe to his peers – has been a parishioner of St Benedict’s Church, Applecross, for over 40 years, holding roles as former Parish Council member and later Chairman, Building Committee member, and continuing church grounds maintenance volunteer since the late-2000s.
The Booragoon resident has held many roles and been a fundraiser or volunteer of numerous communities, including Perth Soccer Club (formerly the Perth Italia Soccer Club), Catholic Children’s Homes, Catholic Care WA (now known as Identitywa), Italian Village Nursing Home Fremantle, Italian Club Fremantle, Abruzzo/Molise Association, and Italian/Australian Businessmen Association.
Mr Cinanni has previously been recognised for his fervent support to bolster various areas of Perth’s community, including Italian Community Award (Italo/Australian Welfare and Cultural Centre, 2017), Peter Giorgi Clubman Award (Perth Soccer Club), Merit Award (Perth Soccer Club), Life membership (Perth Soccer Club), and Life Membership (Italian Club Fremantle).
“I saw team sport as a way of keeping young men fit physically, mentally, and maybe even emotionally,” he explained.
“My motto has always been: ‘whatever you do, do it well and do it now, because who knows what tomorrow brings … we just have to do good whenever we can’.”
Betsy Buchanan OAM has been a volunteer lawyer advocate at Daydawn Advocacy Centre for some 14 years. She is credited with setting up the first community legal centre in WA in 1976 and was a former advocate with Aboriginal Medical Service Derbarl Yerrigan.
In an interview with The Record, Dr Buchanan told the story of when she needed protection as a child growing up in the Wheatbelt town of Gnowangerup; it was the local Noongar women who looked after her.
She has worked tirelessly ever since to repay that kindness with more than 40 years of volunteering for the Indigenous community.
“The Noongar people have been great with reconciling, which is something the Catholic Church is committed to,” she expressed.
“I am not goal-orientated; I follow what the Noongar people do, viewing Christ in each person – that’s how I read the Gospel as a child. Also, because of the Gospel story when the disciples didn’t recognise the Risen Christ until they saw His wounds.
“Noongar people are so wounded, but their response to hurt has been Christ-like. We are all part of the history that was so traumatic for them,” Dr Buchanan added.
“They are prepared to meet you as a person in a very Christ-like manner of not holding a grudge. The image of Christ is a person with deep wounds, not a perfect person. Aboriginal people come to you and expose their wounds.”
Speaking exclusively to The Record, Danny Murphy AM said receiving the award had been a humbling experience.
“It is in these times you recognise the shared efforts of your work, particularly in my case with my wife Sue, who I have been blessed to work with over the past 40 years,” Mr Murphy said.
Hailing from Adelaide, Mr Murphy served as chair of the Perth Archdiocesan Property and Investment Committee and as a member of the Finance Council from 1993 to 2006. The Murphys moved to Perth in 1992 when he was working on developing Ellenbrook.
Mr Murphy re-joined the Archdiocesan Finance Committee in 2009 and served as Chair from March 2017 to September 2020.
During this latter period, Mr Murphy was instrumental in strategically shaping and delivering key aspects of the Archdiocesan Strategic Plan 2016-2021.
Mr Murphy’s commitment, expertise, strong leadership, and generosity of time have enabled the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth to implement a robust and future-focus series of strategic directions.
“This work has been my way of giving back to the Perth community,” Mr Murphy stated.
“In that time, I have served two Archbishops, which has been a pleasure, and met many wonderful people.”
The Hon Kim Beazley AC, Governor of Western Australia, will formally invest Western Australian recipients with the insignia of their appointments and awards at an Investiture Ceremony this September.