RETIRING Federal Member for New England Tony Windsor was farewelled by the University of New England at a reception held at Booloominbah last week which recognised the contributions he has made to the university during his political career.
During Mr Windsor’s term in office, UNE has been the recipient of numerous significant funding grants which have ensured the university’s ability to maintain its place as one of the country’s foremost higher education providers.
UNE Chancellor John Watkins, attended the reception and expressed his gratitude for Mr Windsor’s continual support.
“UNE continues to be at the leading edge of education technology in Australia. This is thanks in no small part to vital funding secured with Mr Windsor’s backing,” he said.
Vice-Chancellor Jim Barber, said that some of UNE’s major projects have gone ahead with funding secured during Mr Windsor’s term, including over $10 million for the Tablelands Clinical School, $29 million towards the UNE integrated agricultural education project and $36 million for the structural adjustment fund.
Professor Barber also acknowledged Mr Windsor’s efforts in securing high-speed broadband for Armidale, which UNE believes improves people’s access to education.
“I would also to extend my gratitude to his two closest advisers Graham Nuttall and John Clements who have been good friends to the university,” Prof Barber said.
“Mr Windsor’s support to UNE has not only benefited UNE as a provider of quality higher education and as a major employer, but has benefited the Armidale and New England community as a whole.”
Breakout box
Tributes
“Over a long period of time Tony Windsor has given a lot to the New England region. I think it takes real commitment, diligence and courage to stay serving your electorate with the same enthusiasm and dedication as you started off with. It is very easy to start something off when you are enthusiastic but when you hang in there for the long haul that is the hard job. Tony has done that with distinction and I think the electorate owes him and his wife Lyn a debt of gratitude. I wish him all the best and hope he has a great retirement.”
Isabel Strutt,
Uralla Councillor.
“Tony has been a total champion to this university and has delivered us the big things, the structural adjustment fund and the biggest capital project in our history but he has also been attentive to all the little things. Whenever we have had any problems with bureaucrats or the government departments we tell Tony and he or his staff would get onto it straight away. So he has been a wonderful local member and a real hero of this university.”
Professor Jim Barber,
UNE Vice-Chancellor.
“I would like to say a sincere thanks to Tony not only for his commitment to the region and his electorate but particularly for Armidale and the University of New England. The university has gone ahead in leaps and bounds and the amount of money that has come into Armidale, I think many of us appreciate and know full well that it was Tony’s hard work behind the scenes that made all of this happen. I am indebted to his support and I couldn’t have a higher praise for what he did in my relationship with him as a regional director for the schools in this region.”
Jim White,
Armidale resident and former Regional Director of the Department of Education and Communities.
“I think Tony Windsor has given us magnificent representation over many years. He has been
an elder statesman in many respects, delivering enormous benefits to the New England electorate. His work on the NBN, establishing the Tablelands Medical School, even in the last budget getting a grant for Acacia Park to be connected to the NBN, big issues that have put Armidale in good stead as we go forward in a digital age. He has been enthusiastic and very supportive of initiatives of the university and the council and I believe that he will be missed. I congratulate him on his term as our representative and I wish he and Lyn all the very best for a long, happy and healthy retirement.”
Jim Maher,
Armidale Dumaresq Mayor.
