The winner of the 2024 Lifetime Community Service Medal is Tony Pang OAM.
This award recognises an individual’s commitment to community service within a migrant community. The contribution will have had a significant and lasting impact on the social or cultural wellbeing of the community that spans more than 30 years.
Tony has been actively volunteering his time and efforts to community services, multiculturalism, community harmony, and social justice for over 33 years.
He has campaigned for the human rights of Chinese and Asian community members, helping migrants from multicultural backgrounds settle in Australian society. He has also advocated for the welfare of emerging migrant communities, new arrivals, and humanitarian refugees.
Tony has served in many government agencies and community organisations, including the Chinese Australian Forum (CAF), Chinese Australian Services Society (CASS), NSW Community Relations Commission (CRC), and the Justice Multicultural Council (JMC) with the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Tony has also Chaired the Hornsby/Central Coast Regional Advisory Council and been a member of the Professional Conduct Committee of the NSW Bar Association, the Cemetery and Crematoria NSW Advisory Committee, and the Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby Meals on Wheels Committee. He has served as a Board Member of Northside Radio FM 99.3FM since 2013.
Tony has been dedicated to ensuring the needs of many people from various disadvantaged groups in the community have been met, particularly people from the East Asian community, serving in various roles with CASS.
His vision and awareness of aged care needs have been instrumental in steering the organisation’s development, with expansion of Home Care Services to the Northern Sydney region.
Between 2010-2012, Tony served as Commissioner of the Community Relations Commission (now Multicultural NSW). As a Commissioner, Tony worked with exceptional dedication to help migrant communities, emerging communities, new arrivals, and humanitarian refugees, and to improve understanding between the local and CALD communities and drive positive change.
His educational initiatives and workshops delivered through various community organisations over the years have also empowered members from migrant communities to better understand and assert their rights.
One of the most striking aspects of his work, has been Tony’s readiness to intervene in instances of injustice and discrimination. Tony appeared before the NSW Upper House Inquiry into Racial Vilification Laws in 2013, and tirelessly campaigned to strengthen Anti-discrimination legislation to safeguard the rights of vulnerable individuals in Australia.
Tony is also passionate about promoting better understanding between Australia and Asia through community radio, as well as supporting Asian and Australian artists.
His one-of-a-kind program, “Asian Jazz,” airs every Sunday evening on Northside Radio 99.3FM, a community radio station serving Sydney’s North Shore.
Tony is highly respected by migrant communities. His lifelong contributions have had a profoundly positive impact on the community.
In 2024, Tony was recognised with the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for his service to the community through a range of roles.
“Everywhere I go, I think about how I can help make sure services are accessible for our diverse communities,” says Tony, who continues to serve with community organisations, CASS and CAF.
“It’s been my privilege to serve our multicultural communities and an honour to receive the 2024 Lifetime Community Service Medal,” Tony says.
He hopes that new migrants in Australia are encouraged by his life history.
