THANH NGUYEN, OAM
Community advocate
Thanh Nguyen arrived in Australia 36 years ago on a refugee boat after fleeing Vietnam with his family. He had just been released after spending five years in prison for his role as a South Vietnam army officer during the war. 
This Australia Day, he was awarded a Medal in the General Division of the Order of Australia for his service to the Vietnamese community of NSW. As a caseworker for Vietnamese drug offenders, Mr Nguyen believes his own experience in prison has helped him to empathise with the people with whom he works. "When we come out of prison, we have the same situation. We have nothing at all, no support. I can understand and help them," he said.
Mr Nguyen has led numerous projects for the Vietnamese community, while also looking beyond Australia and organising fundraisers for refugees and victims of natural disasters worldwide.