Honouring past president of NT Legacy, Jack Hamilton OAM
DVA’s Deputy Commissioner in the NT, Meghan Bailey, recently presented immediate past President of NT Legacy, Jack Hamilton OAM, with the Australian Defence Veterans’ Covenant package.
I was very proud to have taken up the reins as President of Northern Territory Legacy in April. But I was most proud to introduce Meghan Bailey, DVA’s Deputy Commissioner in the NT, to the Legacy appeal launch at Darwin’s Government House recently so she could present our immediate past President, Jack Hamilton, with his Australian Defence Veterans’ Covenant package.
Jack served for more than 30 years with the Australian Army, both the Regular and the Reserves, rising through the ranks from private to major. After retiring from the Army, Jack ran Coral House (a homeless veterans centre in Darwin) for several years and was chief steward of the Darwin Turf Club. He also gave his time to a wide range of other community service and activities for which he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.
Most importantly for the ex-service community, Jack served for more than 25 years in senior positions in Legacy NT and was President for more some 23 years. As a result he is, and remains, the face of Legacy in Darwin and beyond, leaving a fine ‘legacy’ in the form of a well-resourced and active Club supporting some 120 beneficiaries.
Presenting Jack with the Covenant package in the presence of and with the support of the Administrator of the NT, The Honourable Vicky O’Halloran was a great moment for all of us.
By Scott Perkins
From left: Craig O’Halloran; Administrator of the NT, The Honourable Vicky O’Halloran AO; recent past President of Legacy NT, Jack Hamilton OAM; current President Scott Perkins
Jack Hamilton and his wife, Val