Dr Clemente Zammit, born in B’kara, Malta on 17 March 1942 Served as Consul General of Malta for Victoria from 1 March 1989 to 28 February 2006 Titles and awards include: Awarded Midalja Ghall-Qadi tar-Repubblika (Medal for Service to the Republic of Malta) in 1999; Bestowed with Honorary Degree of Doctor of the University Honoris Causa by Victoria University in 2001; Recognised by Victoria University in 2006 as one of its Legends on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the University and its predecessor institutions. Clemente migrated to Australia in 1983 with his wife, Mary, and their three children. In 1989, he was appointed to the position of Consul-General of Malta for the State of Victoria, a position he served with distinction until his retirement in 2006. Clemente had already established a reputation in Malta as a gifted and indefatigable public servant. During the first half of the 1960s, he formed part of the team that implemented the revamping and extension of the National Insurance Scheme. Within the Ministry of Health, he was later closely involved in the development and implementation of the most comprehensive restructuring ever of nursing grades in Malta. His skills were recognised with a posting to the Office of the Prime Minister in 1969, with responsibility for conditions of service in the Malta Public Service. Here he was instrumental in the updating of Estacode, the establishment code of practices, and became highly regarded as a lecturer in public service training courses. Recalled to the Ministry of Health in 1974, Clemente served as a ministerial adviser on manpower development, personnel management and industrial relations and health services planning. From 1979 to 1980, he shared the responsibility for the development and implementation of a National Health Service in Malta. Clemente represented the Ministry of Health at overseas conferences and seminars, including the WHO Regional Committee for Europe and bilateral discussions on health matters. In 1981, he was awarded a World Health Organisation scholarship to study Country Health Programming and National Health Development. As Consul-General of Malta, he was a tireless and passionate advocate for the Maltese community in Victoria and beyond, and can be credited with having significantly raised the community's profile, especially in the area of education. Clemente Zammit was the driving force behind Victoria University's original engagement with the Maltese community, which became the model for subsequent University partnerships with local ethnic communities. He actively supported the special relationship between Victoria University and the University of Malta - personally and officially using every resource at his disposal to ensure that Victoria University continues to serve the local Maltese community abroad as well as at home. He has been an advocate for and contributor to Victoria University research projects, conferences and symposia dealing with Maltese matters. As a member of the Advisory Board of the Europe-Australia Institute, as an advocate within the consular community, and as a regular participant in University functions and activities involving other ethnic groups, he has provided continuing guidance and support for Victoria University's broader European engagement. In recognition of this distinguished service to the Maltese people, he was awarded the Midalja Ghall-Qadi tar-Repubblika by the President of Malta in December 1999. Beyond his professional career, Clemente Zammit is recognised as a leading writer of Maltese verse and prose, with several printed and recorded works to his credit. He is an accomplished writer of song lyrics, winning the Malta Song Festival on several occasions, and a number of his songs have been published and recorded over the years. He regularly contributed to Maltese radio programs. In all of these artistic endeavours - his writings, his songs and his contributions to broadcast media - Clemente's recurrent theme, as in every other aspect of his life, is the celebration of Malta as the land of his birth and of Australia as the land of his adoption.