Milne mettle earns highest recognition
FORMER Greens leader Christine Milne has been awarded one of the top honours in today’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.
The environmentalist politician and activist has been made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her service to the Australian and Tasmanian parliaments and her domestic and global contributions to the protection of the natural environment.
“It is rare that dedicating your life to activism to protect the natural environment is regarded as worthy of recognition,” Ms Milne said.
“There have been very few environmental activists recognised. I hope it will be reassuring to other activists that the community does value what they are doing. Very often they are denigrated. This is saying to them that the work they’re doing is valued.”
Ms Milne was the leader of the Australian Greens from 2012-2015 and leader of the Tasmanian Greens from 1993-1998.
She was the first woman to lead a political party in the Tasmanian Parliament, in 1993.
Ms Milne said she was proud of her contributions to gay law reform and state and national gun law reform fol- lowing the Port Arthur massacre, and to energy and climate policy.
“Securing the clean energy package is a highlight of my career,” Ms Milne said.
“It’s a gift that keeps on giving. All the work we did on it was in the face of extreme opposition.
“It’s never easy bringing about change, or being a third party that is progressive in Australian politics.
“It’s been really difficult at times standing up for the environment under enormous threat.
“We stood up against the coal seem gas and coal industry, we took a huge amount of flak from the vested interests in the fossil fuel industries. We have continued to speak out.”
Ms Milne is now Australian Ambassador of the Australian Greens, ambassador of the 100 per cent Renewable Energy Campaign of the World Future Council in Germany, patron of the Smart Energy Council in Australia and an advisory board member of America’s Climate Accountability Institute.
Her campaign for the protection of New Caledonia’s coral reefs as a World Heritage site was successful this year.
“I’m still working on a whole lot of campaigns. I am very passionate about address- ing climate change,” she said.
“Optimism is a choice. It doesn’t mean you’re not aware of the challenges.”
Women outnumbered men being awarded the top honour, Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).
Swimming legend Dawn Fraser, Federal Court judge Catherine Branson and former Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation deputy chair Erica Smyth were also recognised.
Ms Fraser was recognised for her “eminent service to sport, through ambassadorial, mentoring and non-executive roles with a range of organisations at all levels”.