125 stories for 125 years

Centenary Medal winners

The Centenary Medal commemorates 100 years of federation and acknowledges the challenges of the new century by recognising citizens and other people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government. Here is a selection of stories about recipients from within the Victorian pharmacy community.

Wilfred Amarant OAM, for service to the community
Wilfred graduated from the College in 1952 and worked as a pharmacist in Richmond until 1957. In 1957 he bought the pharmacy in Koroit and was there for 42 years. He conducted another pharmacy in Warrnambool from 1977 to 1987. His community work involved the management of the Koroit District Memorial Hospital, which later became the Koroit Nursing Home. He served on the board for 36 years; seven of those as president and four as treasurer. He was president of the Koroit cricket and football clubs and spent 21 years as a municipal councillor. That included 12 years as a councillor for the Borough of Koroit, two of those as mayor, and nine years with the Shire of Warrnambool. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia OAM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2004 for service to the community and to local government in Koroit.

Beverley Baxter, for service to business
As Branch Committee Member and Victorian Chair of the Women and Young Pharmacists Committee of the Pharmacy Guild, Bev Baxter has worked over many years to maintain the status of pharmacy and increase the participation of women in its ownership and leadership. As a community pharmacist and fifth-generation Victorian small business owner, she has also worked tirelessly to promote small business in her locality. Bev was named Leader Newspaper Glen Eira/Port Philip Small Business Award winner 2002, the first pharmacy state-wide to win such an award.

Michael Beahan, for services to Parliament and the community
Formerly the Director of Government Relations for the Guild, Michael Beahan served as a Senator for Western Australia in the Federal Parliament for nine years. He was chairman of the Senate for three years, a role that involved administering Parliamentary departments, managing 1200 staff and a budget of $100 million, representing Parliament overseas and welcoming international delegations to Australia. Prior to entering Parliament Michael was state secretary of the Western Australian Labor Party, a member the National Executive and chairman of the National Campaign Committee. From 1998 to 2001 he was the director of the Pharmacy Guild Western Australia and has always been a strong supporter of community pharmacy.

Dr Graeme Blackman, for service in providing leadership in the pharmaceutical industry
Dr Blackman has been involved in pharmaceutical research and consultancy since 1977, when he was appointed to the faculty of the College. From 1982 to 1986 he was Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and since then has been chairman and managing director of Institute of Drug Technology Australia Ltd. Dr Blackman is vice chairman and treasurer of Medicines Australia and chairman of the Leaders Group of the Commonwealth Government’s Action Agenda for the Pharmaceutical Industry. In 2003, he received the Royal Australian Chemical Institute’s Leighton Memorial Medal, awarded for eminent services to chemistry in Australia.

John Daffey, for service to Australian society and medicine
John was a community pharmacist for 35 years, an early member of the Chemart Board, a member of the Australian Community Pharmacy Authority and the Board of the College, president of the PSA (Vic branch) and national president from 2000 to 2001. He has been involved in many important team initiatives for the profession including the amalgamation of the College with Monash University, the whole profession effort that successfully argued for ownership and custody of the scheduled medicines before two separate COAG Reviews and the negotiations for the Third Guild Government Agreement. He still serves as a member of the Agreement Management Committee.

Elizabeth Delzoppo OAM (nee Panther), for voluntary community services to local government and welfare
Retired pharmacist Elizabeth Delzoppo has a history of involvement with community activities, including president of the Shire of Buln Buln, chairman of the Regional Boards of Education and Agriculture, CYSS/Skillshare, Westgrai Accommodation for the Disabled, PROCEED Continuing Education, Neerim South High School Council and as District and Divisional Girl Guide Commissioner. She is currently on the Board of Anglicare Victoria and a member of the Gippsland Anglican Synod. A recipient of the Order of Australia Medal, Beth is also a life member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.

The Hon John Delzoppo, for serving as speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
After working in partnership with his wife in a local pharmacy for 30 years, John Delzoppo was elected to the district of Narracan in 1982. He was a Member of Parliament for 14 years, holding the position of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1992 to 1996. John held a number of parliamentary positions including Shadow Minister for Transport, Local Government, Water Resources and Property and Services. Active in his local community, John was a Councillor for the Shire of Buln Buln for 20 years and is a member of the General Synod of the Anglican Church.

Craig Keating, for service to the Heywood community including through the hospital and sport
Craig has been a Board member of the local Heywood hospital for more than 15 years, undertaking chairperson and other executive roles. During that time the Board has overseen a $5.2 million redevelopment that included the building of a dementia ward, acute beds and the provision of a range of primary services. He has also been heavily involved in the local football and cricket clubs, including as president of the Heywood Football Club for 16 years and league delegate for 14 years. Craig and his wife Sue, also a pharmacist, have owned the Heywood pharmacy for over 20 years.

Joan Lindros (nee Bell), for service to the Geelong community through the conservation movement
Joan has been an activist for the environment for many years at regional and state levels. She has spent 12 years on the Council of the Victorian National Parks Association, and is president of the Geelong Environment Council. Previously, she served on the National Parks Advisory Council and the Western Coastal Board. In 2001 Joan was nominated for the Victorian Honour Roll of Women, acknowledging women who have made a major contribution to the community since Federation. That year, she also received the United Nations Association World Environment Day 2001 award. Joan works as a community pharmacist in Geelong and Queenscliff.

Ross Ollquist JP, for services to the Churchill community
Moving to Churchill in 1967, Ross Ollquist established the town’s only pharmacy and provided services to the community there until his retirement in 2002. Over the years he has been a Morwell City Councillor, and an active member of the Churchill Citizens’ Association, Lifeline LV, cooperating churches, Regional Consultative Committee, CFA, YMCA rowing, Apex and is now Paul Harris Fellow in the Rotary Club of Hazelwood. Ross was also instrumental in the funding submission, establishment and management of the Churchill Community Health Centre.

Elizabeth Ollquist, for services to the Churchill community
Elizabeth continues to work part time in the pharmacy she and Ross established 36 years ago. Her involvement with the local community has included honorary roles with the local kindergarten, school councils and the local swimming club, as well as volunteer work with the Latrobe Information and Support Centre and local primary schools. Elizabeth served as a Morwell City Councillor for over five years and was on the fundraising committee for the establishment of a 38-bed aged persons’ hostel, a cause that she continues to support through participation on its Board of Management.

Geoffrey Sussman, for service to gymnastics and sports administration
Geoff has been involved in Australian elite sport for almost 40 years. He was chairman of the Australian Diving Association for 10 years and diving manager of the Australian team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and is currently a member of the Australian Swimming Drugs Commission. For more than 17 years he has served as president of the Victorian Gymnastics Association, overseeing development of a $5 million dedicated centre and membership of more than 20,000. Geoff, cofounder of the Wound Foundation of Australia, is involved in research, clinical practice and lectures on wound management universities across Australia and New Zealand and is internationally recognised for his work in this field.

Dr Geoffrey Vaughan AO, for his outstanding service to medical and pharmaceutical research
He became a lecturer at the College in 1961 and was Dean from 1979 to 1986. He took the position as Director of the Chisholm Institute of Technology from 1987 to 1990. After the merger with Monash, he became Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University until 1992. From 1992 to 1996 he was National Manager of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Geoffrey was Chairman of the Cooperative Research Centres Committee from 1996 to 2005. He has been a Council Member for a number of government and corporate organisations. He is currently a Board member for the Victorian College of Pharmacy Foundation, a Member of the Industry Research and Development Board, a Director of the Institute of Drug Technology Australia Ltd and a Director of Cytopia Ltd.