Ballina MP Tamara Smith has paid tribute in the NSW Parliament to long-time community volunteer Dave Harmon, praising his leadership, service and commitment to preventing domestic and family violence.

Speaking during a parliamentary adjournment speech, Ms Smith highlighted Mr Harmon’s recent receipt of Rotary International’s highest honour, the Service Above Self Award, and said it reflected decades of dedication to both Rotary and the wider community.

“Dave is one of those extraordinary people who not only volunteers passionately but has the capacity to bring thousands of people with him in taking positive social action,” Ms Smith told Parliament.

Mr Harmon is well known throughout the Northern Rivers through his involvement with the Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond, where he has served in a range of leadership roles including club president and district governor.

In her speech, Ms Smith said Mr Harmon, supported by his wife Robyn, had made domestic and family violence prevention a central focus of Rotary’s work in Ballina.

She said he helped create a whole-of-community approach involving NSW Police, schools and community organisations, with initiatives including the Love Bites respectful relationships program and Purple Friday awareness campaign.

Ms Smith described the Ballina model as a nationally recognised example of how communities can work together to tackle domestic and family violence.

“The Award is sparingly bestowed, which indicates the special quality of Dave’s contribution to Rotary as a whole and the Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond and its extraordinary good work in the community,” she said.

She said Mr Harmon had combined senior leadership within Rotary with hands-on community action.

Above: Tamara Smith MP

Main image: Robii and Dave Harmon

“Dave deserves this Service Above Self Award in every way, and I congratulate him on behalf of our community,” Ms Smith said.

The parliamentary tribute follows Mr Harmon’s recent recognition by Rotary International, which awarded him the Service Above Self Award — the organisation’s highest honour for humanitarian service.

Dave Harmon’s Purple Friday initiative has won advocated worldwide.