'Making a difference' - Community members honoured in King's Birthday Honours

Diana Roberts, Neville John Kelly, and Cameron Guy Arnold were all awarded an Order of Australia Medal today.

Three police officers who served in the region have also been recognised.

Superintendent Scott Richard Tanner, Detective Sergeant Michael Barry Smith, and Detective Chief Inspector Cameron James Whiteside have received the prestigious Australian Police Medal as part of the King's Birthday 2024 Honours.

The Governor-General David Hurley announced Honours and Awards for the 737 recipients, which incuded awards in the Order of Australia (General and Military Divisions), meritorious awards and recognition for conspicuous service.

"I would like to congratulate all those recognised in today's Honours List. Some names are well-known, but the vast majority are not - they are people who work tirelessly and selflessly to make a difference in our community," the Governor-General said.

"Through today's recognition we shine a light on their efforts, the impact they have and the difference they make. On behalf of all Australians, I thank recipients for their service and congratulate them on their recognition.

"This is my last Honours list as Governor-General. Presiding over investiture ceremonies and having the opportunity to meet so many diverse recipients in our honours system has been a tremendous privilege. Learning their stories has been inspiring and makes me enormously optimistic for our future.

"The honours and awards system belongs to all Australians and, by nominating people for recognition in the Order of Australia, we all have a role to play. I have been steadfast that the Order must reflect the diversity of our community - I am pleased by the progress we have made over the last five years. For it to continue, and it must, we need people to take the time to nominate people that inspire them."

In addition to the 493 recipients of awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia (6 AC, 15 AO, 131 AM and 341 OAM), today's Honours list includes:

Recipients will attend investiture ceremonies at Government House in their respective state or territory in coming months to receive the insignia of their award.

This list also includes 34 Australians recognised for their contribution in support of Australia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These individuals will also be included in an ongoing and permanent COVID-19 Honour roll.

Amongst the local recipients are:

Diana Roberts has been recognised with an OAM for services to the Nimbin community.

Ms Roberts was a co-founder of a number of organisations in Nimbin. From a Lismore councillor to working with the Nimbin Chamber of Commerce, she has made a positive impact on her community.

Nimbin Chamber of Commerce

Local Government

Nimbin Community Centre

Northern Rivers Catchment Management Board

Nimbin Environment Centre

Nimbin Wastebusters Recycling Group

Stoney Chute Bush Fire Brigade

Community

Neville John Kelly has been awarded an OAM for service to the community of New South Wales.

Mr Kelly has been involved with Labor Party branches across the region, been on the board at Lismore Base Hospital, and served in Local Government.

NSW Labor Party

Lismore Base Hospital

Community - Other

Cameron Arnoldhas been recognised with an OAM for service to tourism, and to conservation.

Business NSW

Destination North Coast NSW

Tourism and Conservation

Byron Shire Council

Northern Rivers Tourism

Professional

Awards and Recognition include:

Detective Sergeant Michael Smith joined the NSW Police Force on June 25, 1987 and commenced at Penrith Police Station in general duties.

In 1989, he transferred to the Penrith Highway Patrol where he undertook road policing duties with passion.

In March 1990, he transferred to the Lismore Highway Patrol, and in May 1993 to the Lismore Police station conducting general duties.

He commenced investigative duties with the Lismore Detectives Unit in October 1993.

In 1996 he moved to the Northern Region Major Crime Squad, followed by the Major Crime Squad Drug Unit at Lismore. In 1997 transferred to the Ballina Criminal Investigation Unit.

In February 2004 he joined Richmond Target Action Group, where he led a team of junior police targeting serious crime across Richmond Police District.

He was promoted to detective sergeant in March 2004.

In June 2009 he transferred to Richmond Police Department Drug Unit, and in December 2012, Detective Sergeant Smith assumed the role of the Investigations Unit team leader at the Ballina Detectives Office.

Detective Sergeant Smith has also been performing Regional Tactical Policing duties as a member of the Tactical Operations Regional Support Unit (formerly State Protection Support Unit) for over 28 years.

Throughout his career, Detective Sergeant Smith has received numerous commendations and recognitions for his leadership and brave actions, such as his role in responding to a shark attack on a 32-year-old bodyboarder at Lighthouse Beach, Ballina.

He also personally conducted numerous rescues during the 2022 Lismore Floods, showing outstanding actions and exceptional leadership in taking charge of police and emergency services and orchestrating the evacuation of elderly residents from retirement villages, including palliative care patients.

His dedication to duty under extremely hazardous conditions during a high-risk operation in Mullumbimby, as well as his exceptional service and unwavering commitment during Strike Force Durkin have been recognised with the awarding of Commissioners Unit Citations.

Detective Sergeant Smith embodies the ideal officer within the NSW Police Force. His remarkable blend of experience, dedication, leadership, and integrity exemplifies the very essence of our organisation's values and mission.

Superintendent Scott Tanner joined the NSW Police Force on January 24, 1993 and performed general duties at Newcastle, Wallsend, Grafton, Nymboida, Manilla, Gunnedah, Coonabarabran, Dubbo, Armidale and Lismore police stations. He has spent much of his career in regional NSW in general duties, including lock up keeper roles.

In 2003 he was promoted to sergeant at Gunnedah Police Station before further promotion in 2010 to duty officer at Coonabarabran Police Station. He was promoted to superintendent in 2018 and became the commander at New England Police District before transferring to his current position in 2020 as the commander of Richmond Police District.

As a proud 'country cop', Superintendent Tanner has always devoted himself to being a strong part of the fabric of the country towns he has worked and lived in. Superintendent Tanner also spent a number of years in tactical policing as an operational member of the then State Protection Support Unit as well as the Operational Support Group.

In 2022, one of the most significant flooding events in Australian history took place at Lismore where Superintendent Tanner was the commander.

This unprecedented event resulted in over 2500 people being rescued and six people tragically losing their lives in a 24-hour period.

Superintendent Tanner was the local emergency operations controller and managed this large-scale event during the emergency and over the following weeks, which saw many people isolated and unaccounted for. His leadership during this time, was of the highest standard.

Superintendent Tanner went on to assist Deputy Commissioner Lanyon APM in the recovery efforts for this disaster situation where over many months they repatriated or moved thousands of residents to safe and secure accommodation, engaged government and led other agencies in the process of bringing towns back to business as usual. He became the go to person for mayors, ministers and the public alike.

Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Whiteside joined the NSW Police Force on April 28, 1989 at Casino Police Station in general duties, then moved to Mudgee Police Station in 1994 performing the same duty.

In 1997 Detective Chief Inspector commenced plain clothes duty at Mudgee Police Station and was designated a detective in 1998.

He was promoted to detective sergeant in 2001 and to detective inspector in 2012.

Between 1998 and 2017 Detective Chief Inspector Whiteside investigated and led several significant homicides and serious and complex crimes.

He was appointed State Rural Crime Coordinator in 2017 and now coordinates 63 officers across 28 regional locations.

Detective Chief Inspector Whiteside developed Operation Stock Check within NSW, which, due to his strong working relationships with other law enforcement agencies, has now been extended to become a national operation.

This operation is a high visibility operation preventing and disrupting the movement of stolen livestock within Australia and contains a training program to teach all police officers how to conduct a livestock carrier inspection and relevant legislation pertaining to movement of stock.

Detective Chief Inspector Whiteside is currently an executive member of the International Society for the Study of Rural Crime and the only serving law enforcement officer on the executive.

He is a member of the advisory board for the Centre of Rural Criminology (CRC) at the University of New England (UNE) and has forged a significant relationship with UNE and in particular the CRC sharing and linking the world of academia to practitioners in the field of rural crime.

In July 2022, he was invited and attended the 75th Annual International Livestock Identification Association Conference by the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Special Rangers which was held in Fort Worth Texas.

He presented on the experience, success, and capability of the Rural Crime Prevention Team in respect to policing rural crime in NSW.