Former Ballarat resident Robyn Ann Batten has worked everywhere from major cities to remote communities to deliver vital health services.
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Ms Batten moved to Ballarat in the 1990s, where she spent three years in an executive director role with the Ballarat City Council after amalgamation.
She is now being honoured by being appointed a member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to the not-for-profit, health and aged care sectors.
Ms Batten, who is the chair of Western Health, said her most important work was with Blue Care, where she provided culturally appropriate services by employing first nations people in remote Queensland and Northern Territory communities.
![Western Health's Robyn Ann Batten has been appointed as a member of the order of Australia. Picture supplied Western Health's Robyn Ann Batten has been appointed as a member of the order of Australia. Picture supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/200884286/683e491a-4963-4357-a20c-32bd8a0452f8.jpg/r0_0_2571_3596_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We were willing to go to the most remote places from Thursday Island to places like Docker River and Katherine in the Northern Territory, and to really develop quality services there for First Nations elders, but in partnership with those communities," she said.
"It's so expensive to do anything in more remote places, which is one of the challenges those communities face."
"You don't have the support services around you that you'd have in a city like medical services, for example."
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"Having worked in those [Indigenous] communities and understanding the need for self governance for Aboriginal people, they're the experts on what they need and that voice should be heard," she said.
Ms Batten said it was an honour to be awarded for her years of work in the community.
"It's very humbling because I've worked over the years with many people who are worthy of these awards, and that's been a wonderful experience, but I do appreciate the work I've done being recognised," she said.
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