COMMUNITY LEADER RECEIVES A FRENCH KNIGHTHOOD

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COMMUNITY LEADER RECEIVES FRENCH KNIGHTHOOD

South-east Sydney community leader Noel D’Souza has been honoured by the French government at a ceremony in Maroubra.

The former Randwick mayor and Matraville businessman received the Légion d’Honneur medal from French consul Anne Boillon in recognition of his services to the local French community.

As mayor, Noel secured a long lease for Randwick Council over the La Perouse Museum, which celebrates the navigational exploits of La Perouse and other French explorers. In addition, he was instrumental in the establishment and expansion of an international French school in Maroubra.

The French equivalent of a British knighthood, the Légion d’Honneur is rarely conferred to people outside France. To celebrate his elevation to the 220-year-old Napoleonic order, Noel hosted a lavish do at South Maroubra Surf Club’s top floor Horizons function room, with its panoramic views out to the ocean. There was a five course lunch with individually monogrammed menus, music and speeches by dignitaries.

MC’d by cricket legend Mike Whitney, the event kicked off with a smoking ceremony by indigenous man Matthew Doyle. Then there was a welcome to country by Elder Barbara Keeley. ‘Auntie’ Barbara summed up Noel’s bonds with the south-eastern community as she turned to him and said: “Thank you for making me part of your life.”

Local soprano Patricia Turner then took to the microphone and performed the Australian and French national anthems. Next it was time to hear from NSW Minister for Multiculturalism, Mark Coure, who told how he got to know Noel as a child, when his grandparents lived in Matraville. The minister called Noel “a champion of multiculturalism” and said the honour was “well-deserved.”

Mr Coure also highlighted the fact that Noel was well-liked throughout the community. “We’re here today because everybody likes Noel,” he said.

Mike Whitney then said a few words about Noel’s positive effects on the Matraville area. “When Noel got onto council I started to see trees,” he said. And then it was time for Mike to introduce French consul Anne Boillon.

Madame Boillon told how the Légion d’Honneur is the “highest national honour in France for both civilians and military.” It celebrated the French ideals of equality, liberty and fraternity. Its aim was to “create a new aristocracy based not on family titles, but on individual merit and shared values.” The consul paid tribute to Noel’s work in building up enrolments at the Lycée Condorcet international French School in Maroubra to 1000. She said: “Education has always been one of Noel’s commitments, a legacy from his mother who had been in charge of a school in India.” Mme Boillon also paid tribute to Noel’s partner Anick Antoine, who is very active in the local French community.

Then came the high point of the afternoon’s proceedings as Mme Boillon pinned the Légion medal to the lapel of Noel’s jacket. And now it was Noel’s turn to speak into the microphone.

Noel told how he had met Emmanuel Macron when the French President was out here in 2018. “He looked me in the eye and shook my hand thanked me for all the things I was doing to promote French culture,” he said.

Noel thanked President Macron and France for conferring the honour and paid further tribute to Anick, saying she “inspires me to do good.” He also thanked VIP guests who’d come to the event, including the Consul General of India Manish Gupta, Consul General of Malta Lawrence Bughair, Leon Goltsman from the Jewish Board of Deputies and principal of the Lycée Condorcet, Nicholas L’Hotellier.

Photos: Glenn Duffus

Finally, veteran MP and former Botany mayor Ron Hoenig gave a brief speech, saying how for 40 years, since opening his first pharmacy, Noel had always been ready to “struggle for those he felt he had a duty to struggle for.”

Tony Maguire

Maria Poulos-Conkin

Australia has emerged from almost a decade of climate inaction and an environment in a state of decline to a new dawn with the election of the Albanese Government. Matt Thistlethwaite has been returned as Labor member for Kingsford Smith and will be making a contribution to stronger environment policies.

For the good folks of South-Eastern Sydney, this includes the battle to stop the NSW Government’s plans to build a new cruise terminal in Yarra Bay. My community group Save the Bay Coalition has been working with other environment groups, the La Perouse Land Council, Councils, our Members of Parliament local businesses and residents to persuade the Government that Sydney does not need a third cruise terminal.

With the return of international cruise ships to Sydney in April this year, Australian authorities have thrown the doors open even wider than before, with plans to open up cruise destinations on the South Coast. We have been working with port communities around Australia to call for sustainable cruise tourism, including a cap on cruise numbers to protect our beautiful harbour and assurances that no new ports will be built to accommodate the foreign cruise line industry. Our fear is that with the resumption of cruising, beautiful Yarra Bay will now be back in the NSW Government’s sights. Recent comments by the NSW Transport Minister indicate that work could soon resume on a business case for the terminal.

Kamay Ferry Project

Almost as concerning are the NSW Government’s plans for multi commercial berths and infrastructure – the “Kamay Ferry” project – at Frenchman’s Beach and Kurnell.

Frenchman’s Beach, like Yarra Bay, has become a prized recreational area in Sydney with visitors joining locals to enjoy fresh open space, the historic setting and fabulous views and swimming. This huge wharf over-development will negatively impact the marine environment and recreational use of the area. Divers and marine ecologists have sounded the alarm that unacceptable pollution of waters during piling operations and anchoring of vessels may result in disturbance of sediments that will impact the marine ecosystem. It is essential that marine contamination testing takes place to ensure the public, swimmers in particular, are protected before this project is allowed to proceed.