2026 King’s Birthday Honours

Three members of the ACT Emergency Services Agency have been recognised in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours, announced by the Governor-General of Australia today.

The awards celebrate a variety of accomplishments, but all recipients share common traits - including selflessness, excellence and a commitment to service.

The 2026 Kings Birthday Honour recipients are:

Matthew Shonk commenced with ACT Fire and Rescue (ACTF&R) with College 23 in 1997. It became evident that Mr Shonk’s high degree of devotion to duty led to multiple promotions including Senior Firefighter in 2003, Station Officer in 2006, Commander in 2017 and Superintendent in 2020. From an operational and training capability, Mr Shonk gained a strong reputation as a strong advocate for his fellow firefighters. This dedication has since helped the enhancement of front-line service delivery techniques and improved safety of firefighters.

Mr Shonk has dedicated himself within his previous role as Superintendent, Capability Support to ensuring facilities and appliances are fit for purpose, technologically functional, and meet the requirements of an evolving fire service and growing ACT community long into the future.

During the 2019/20 bushfire season, which was a large-scale and complex event, Mr Shonk accepted the opportunity to step up as an incident controller. Being a leader during a prolonged and stressful period is personally and professionally challenging, Mr Shonk served the ACT community during this time with resolve demonstrating his commitment of going above and beyond normal work duties.

Mr Shonk has acted as Chief Officer for both the ACT State Emergency Service and ACT Fire & Rescue. This reaffirms Mr Shonk’s ability to apply his knowledge across emergency services to the benefit of the ACT community, as well as his dedication to emergency services. He places an emphasis on collaboration and integrity.

He is well known for his compassion and empathy as a leader, embodying the core values of the organisation which include professionalism, dedication, and community service, consistently making impactful contributions to the safety and wellbeing of firefighters and Canberra residents. He has earned the respect and admiration of his peers and colleagues through his willingness to advocate for safety and modernisation of the service.

Mr David Pennock joined the ACT Rural Fire Service (ACTRFS) as a Volunteer in 1993 with the Southern ACT Bush Fire Brigade. Since this time, he has served the ACTRFS in roles including Training Officer, Deputy Captain and in 2018 was appointed as Brigade Captain, contributing immensely to the Service of the past 30 years. 

Throughout his volunteer career, Mr Pennock has made significant contributions to fires close to home, including having an active role in the 2001 and 2003 Canberra bushfires and more recently during the 2019/20 Canberra bushfire season. He has also supported interstate communities when deployed to regions such as the Blue Mountains, Victoria and Western Australia.

Mr Pennock is passionate about supporting his local community and actively works to improve community resilience. Mr Pennock is a leader and mentor for all volunteer members by motivating them to achieve a high level of commitment and outcomes from their service. As a leader he cultivates a close-knit brigade that supports one another and has its own family vibe. He has demonstrated his commitment to upskilling all ACTRFS members through recruit, brigade and service level training activities, maintaining a high standard, and ensuring the safety of all ACTRFS members. Mr Pennock furthered his experience undertaking several roles within the ACT Emergency Services Agency in the membership, training, and operations teams.

Using his vast experience and knowledge, Mr Pennock also supports the rural land holder community by supporting cultural fire management techniques to achieve asset protection and land management objectives. He is passionate about supporting his local community and actively works to improve community resilience and performance of the Southern Brigade. Mr Pennock has demonstrated a high degree of initiative and devotion to his local community, the wider community of Canberra, and the ACT Rural Fire Service.

Patrick Coffey joined the ACT State Emergency Service (ACTSES) Gungahlin Unit in 2014. Over the next three years of active membership with the Unit, Mr Coffey witnessed frequent leadership changes, with five different Commanders leading the Gungahlin Unit. Recognising the need for stability and continuity, Mr Coffey stepped forward when the opportunity arose and was elected Unit Commander, a role in which he has excelled for many years.

From the outset, Mr Coffey’s leadership has been defined by professionalism, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to service. He brought cohesion and direction to a unit that had experienced significant turnover, fostering a culture of resilience and growth. Under his guidance, the Gungahlin Unit has strengthened its membership and operational capability, ensuring it remains a reliable and effective resource for the ACT community.

Mr Coffey has responded to countless requests for assistance during severe weather events, often in the most challenging conditions. Beyond his operational excellence, Mr Coffey’s dedication to training and development is unmatched. He is one of ACTSES’s most active trainers and assessors, contributing extensively to Recruit College, Land Search and Rescue, and numerous other programs. His willingness and availability to train and assess members often at short notice has strengthened capability across the service and ensured volunteers maintain the highest standards.

Mr Coffey’s service exemplifies the highest ideals of the ACTSES. His distinguished record, unwavering availability, and dedication to training, mentoring, and operational excellence is a has directly contributed to the development of the ACTSES into the professional organisation it is today.