FORMER federal Perth MP and hockey great Ric Charlesworth was awarded an Order of Australia for distinguished service to sport and Parliament this week.
“It’s a delightful honour,” says Mr Charlesworth. “You don’t really anticipate these things and it kind of surprises you.”
He was among 565 notable Australians to be recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Kookaburras
Mr Charlesworth was part of the Kookaburras hockey team which won a silver Olympic medal in 1976, and went on to coach the Hockeyroos after an illustrious political career.
He represented the Federal seat of Perth for the Labor party between 1983 and 1993, and has now endorsed Tim Hammond for the upcoming election.
“We would like the run of Labor candidates in Perth to continue,” says Mr Charlesworth.
“I think [Hammond] is a very capable fellow. Clever, hard working, and that’s what you want. The people of Perth deserve a good representative.”
Mr Charlesworth notes that Perth has become a more marginal Labor seat after the recent electoral redistribution.
by TRILOKESH CHANMUGAM
Perth Voice Interactive 
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