A deep connection with people is what has driven Christian Zahra’s work over the past two decades.
The Trentham local was made a member of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday honours for significant service to rural and regional development, to the advancement of Indigenous welfare, and to the Parliament of Australia.
Mr Zahra served as Labor MP for the regional seat of McMillan between 1998 and 2004 and worked extensively with a Kimberley Aboriginal development corporation.
Among his other roles he chaired the Regional Development Australia Fund Advisory Panel and was on the federal ministerial advisory council for regional Australia.
He credited his upbringing for the direction he took in life.
“My parents are both Maltese and I grew up in Traralgon,” Mr Zahra said.
“We had very little growing up and we always understood that we would have to work hard to find opportunities in Australia.
“Our parents really imbued in us a strong belief that in Australia if you worked hard that you’d be able to find opportunities and make things happen.
“That’s been true for me and for my two sisters.”
He said he was most proud that he could be an advocate for Indigenous people and those on the “outskirts of society”.
“Having grown up in those circumstances has always driven me to create more opportunities for those people who are at the margins … that has particularly included Indigenous people and those in country Australia who are very often not at the forefront of the considerations of policy makers,” he said.
“I’ve always deeply understood what it’s like for those people who are at the margins of society.”
Mr Zahra said he was humbled and glad to have been able to make a difference over the past 25 years.
“When you do this work, you never seek this recognition, you just do it because it’s what you feel strongly is the right thing to do.”
