WIFE and husband Patricia and Terence Lees have both received Australia Day honours this year for their separate contributions to the Mount Isa community.
“We are not aware of any husband and wife in the Mount Isa area that have ever received an Australian honours award on the same day," Mr Lees said.
“So that apparently is pretty unique.”
Mrs Lees has been listed a Member of the Order (AM) for her significant service to the Indigenous community of Mount Isa, and to local youth, aged care, legal and health organisations.
She is part of the stolen generation who is the chief executive of the Injilinji Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation for Children and Youth Services, and Aged Care.
Mrs Lees was also a delegate at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on behalf of the National Aboriginal and Islander Legal Services Secretariat, speaking in Switzerland in 1996.
Mr Lees receives a Medal of the Order (OAM) for service to the community of Mount Isa and to mental health in rural and remote areas.
He is the chaplain at St Joseph’s Catholic School, but had also been the director of the Australasian Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health from 2005-13.
Mr Lees was connected to the origins of local Indigenous radio station MobFM when he was general manager of the Mount Isa Aboriginal Media Association. He was heavily involved in the Rotary Club. He was the district governor, trustee of the Australian Rotary Foundation Trust, and chair of the Mount Isa Rotary Rodeo from 1989 to 1997.
“They are basically unrelated (the honours awards) in many ways but we’ve supported each other in many ways,” Mr Lees said.
“We’ve been good sounding boards.”
Mr and Mrs Lees have been married 48 years. They met in Canberra at a social function. He worked for an insurance business while she was an officer in the Royal Australian Army, serving on the HMAS Harman.
Six years into their marriage Mr and Mrs Lees moved to Mount Isa, having moved from Cairns. Mr Lees worked with Carlton United Breweries at the time.
