Australia Day honours for the University of Sydney

Professor Ron McCallum: "I am greatly honoured to be Senior Australian of the Year."

Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum from the University of Sydney has been named Senior Australian of the Year.

"I am greatly honoured to be Senior Australian of the Year and I am grateful to the University of Sydney which appointed me to a full professorship in 1993 as the first totally blind person to be appointed to such in a position in either Australia or New Zealand," Professor McCallum said.

Professor McCallum was the foundation Professor in Industrial Law at the University of Sydney, and from 2002, he served five years as Dean of Law. He is an emeritus professor at Sydney Law School.

He has fervently pursued equal rights for working people across the globe and was the inaugural President of the Australian Labour Law Association from 2001 to 2009. He is currently Chair of Radio for the Print Handicapped of New South Wales Co-operative, a Deputy Chair of Vision Australia and a member of the first monitoring committee for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Professor McCallum has also recently been appointed to the federal government's National People with Disabilities and Carers Council. He plans to use his position as Senior Australian of the Year to change the attitudes of Australians to disability, to one of greater understanding and acceptance.

Australia Day honours also went to the following people associated with the University of Sydney:

Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia

• Dr John William Prineas - Honorary Professor of Medicine

For distinguished service to medicine in the field of neurology as an academic, researcher and mentor, to improving the lives of people with multiple sclerosis, and to medical education.

• Lucy Turnbull - Board of Directors United States Studies Centre and Law School Fundraising Committee

For distinguished service to the community, particularly through philanthropic contributions to, and fundraising support for, a range of medical, social welfare, educational, youth and cultural organisations, to local government, and to business.

Member (AM) of the Order of Australia

• Professor Ivan Goldberg - Clinical Associate Professor of Ophthalmology & Eye Health, Sydney Medical School

For service to medicine, particularly in the field of ophthalmology, through national and international glaucoma support organisations, and to education.

• Professor Ian Olver - Clinical Professor of Medicine, Sydney Medical School

For service to medical oncology as a clinician, researcher, administrator and mentor, and to the community through leadership roles with cancer control organisations.

• Professor Jill White - Dean of Sydney Nursing School

For service to nursing and midwifery through the design and implementation of academic programs, through contributions to government health committees and taskforces, and to professional organisations.

• Professor Margaret McGill - Adjunct Associate Professor, Sydney Medical School and Sydney Nursing School

For service to community health in the field of diabetes management and education, particularly in support of children and adolescents, and to the establishment of medical education programs in Australia and overseas.

• Professor John Collins - Clinical Associate Professor, Sydney Medical School

For service to medicine in the field of paediatric palliative care as a practitioner, academic and researcher, and to professional organisations.

• Emeritus Professor Roger Smalley - Honorary Research Associate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music

For service to the arts as a composer, concert pianist, educator, mentor of emerging musicians and advocate for Australian and international new music.

Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia

• Professor Ben Freedman - Professor of Cardiology and Deputy Dean, Sydney Medical School

For service to medicine as a clinician, educator and researcher.

Media enquiries: Verity Leatherdale, 9351 4312, 0419 278 715, verity.leatherdale@sydney.edu.au