Honoured

Well known figures in the Canberra community and prominent members of the Audi national dealer network, Richard Rolfe and his wife, Debbie, have each received the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours Awards for their tireless and extensive charity work.

The Rolfe’s have long been involved with numerous charities and charitable organisations in the Canberra region, working to raise funds and awareness for causes such as heart disease and mental health, as well as working with medical institutions, the Australian War Memorial and sporting organisations in the Nation’s capital.

“It’s very pleasing and humbling for both Debbie and myself, but it’s something that really needs to be shared with the many people and organisations we work with,” says Richard Rolfe of the honour. 

“Although from the outside, Canberra is sometimes seen as being a cold place, it has a wonderful sense of community and there are a great many people who are very generous with both their time and their funds,” says Rolfe who was awarded an OAM in 2009.

Their list of charities and organisations is extensive and the extent of their commitment even more significant given their busy professional careers, with Richard Dealer Principal of Audi Centre Canberra and Debbie a Partner with law firm Maliganis, Edwards, Johnson.

Debbie Rolfe is Chair of the Canberra Hospital Foundation, Ambassador for the Early Morning Centre in Braddon, as well as being a strong supporter of Home in Queanbeyan, while Richard’s charitable roles include Patron of the Heart Foundation (ACT), Vice-Patron of the Cross of Valour Association, Board Member of the National Australia Day Council and a major supporter of Lifeline and Soldier On, as well as being a founding member of the Audi Foundation.

For Richard Rolfe, the chance to ‘give back’ is a very personal one in many ways, given some extraordinary health challenges he has overcome throughout his life. From being given last rites at just 12 days old, to open-heart surgery at five and more major surgery in his 20s, Rolfe has defied the odds and the most dire of medical predictions to survive and make the most of life. Spreading that good fortune then is very much a part of his personal make-up.

“It is very easy to support great organisations, particularly when they’re made up of so many great people,” says Richard Rolfe. 

“We are busy, but if you want something done, the best thing is to give it to someone who’s really busy,” says Rolfe, “because they will find the time to do it. It’s easy to to find time for things that are important to you and you’re passionate about.”

“I have always had a very strong involvement with the Heart Foundation and Debbie is Chair of the Canberra Hospital, but mental health is also incredibly important and so we strongly support Lifeline and Soldier On.

“It’s also been a privilege to be involved with the Australian War Memorial and Dr Brendan Nelson. We also deal with Victoria Cross recipients and I’m the Vice chair of The Cross of Valour [the civilian equivalent of the Victoria Cross]. But I think we get far more out of the work that we do than we put in, because the people that we’re dealing with are among Australia’s greatest people and it’s an honour to be around them.”

The Rolfe’s charitable endeavours have further increased recently through their involvement with the Audi Foundation, which is funded by the entire Audi Dealer Network and Audi Australia, and is designed to assist not for profit organisations on a national scale.

“Although I had no concept of where the philanthropic support from Audi Centre Canberra would develop to when Debbie and I took over the Audi franchise in the mid 1990s, the fact that it has played a role in the decision to establish the Audi Foundation, is proof that no-one should ever question how they individually can make a difference? I am indebted to the Head of the Audi Foundation, Tom Keenan, and Audi Australia Managing Director, Paul Sansom, as they both share our vision of supporting those in our community who are most vulnerable.”

“Debbie and I hope that our legacy will be the support that we have provided, and will continue to provide, to a wide range of charities, public institutions, and sporting teams, while encouraging these diverse organisations to network together and share examples of best practice. Equally, we have tried to raise three sons, now young men, who share our passion for Canberra, and who will continue to support those in need.”