The dedication and commitment of long serving Museum of Australian Democracy volunteers was acknowledged at a special presentation on Friday 16 September, 2011. Thirteen volunteers with a combined total of 95 years of service were presented with certificates to commemorate their achievements in front of their families, friends, colleagues and MoAD staff by guest speaker Natasha Stott Despoja. The former senator and one time leader of the Australian Democrats is currently a member of the Old Parliament House Advisory Council.

The length of service presentation is held annually to mark the milestones of 15, 10 and 5 years of volunteer service. This year’s recipients were:

Fifteen years service

• Maureen Chan

Ten years service

• Sue Farrelly
• Edward Helgeby
• Deborah Nance
• Murray Sutherland

Five years service

• Ian Dobson
• Sharonne Dobson
• Campbell Egan
• Barbara Giles
• Joan Jackson
• Glenda James
• Peter Procter
• Margaret Smith

Following the formal proceedings in the old Senate chamber volunteers, guests and staff adjourned to the private dining room to celebrate with afternoon tea.

The MoAD volunteer program has its origins in 1992, the year that Old Parliament House was re-opened to the public by former prime ministers John Gorton and Gough Whitlam.