``I'm just as busy now with other organisations and issues as I was in the past,'' Mr Wing said.

Those involvements go back to the 1960s and range from organisations like Meals on Wheels and the Lions club to more recent projects like tram restorations and beautifying Launceston's streets.

Mr Wing has supported numerous organisations, including the Good Neighbour Council, Launceston City Band, Tamar Yacht Club, Launceston Male Choir and Launceston YMCA.

And he represented the Launceston electorate as an independent in the upper house for nearly 30 years, holding the prestigious position of president of the Legislative Council from 2002-08.

It is service that has seen him made a Member of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

``It came as quite a surprise to me and I very much appreciated it,'' he said.

``I'm conscious that there are so many people in the community who are doing such great work and I've been privileged to work with them.

``My philosophy is to care and share and I like to do that as much as possible with my time and my resources.''

Mr Wing recently added two more organisations to his portfolio.

``I've joined two boards;one is an organisation called Able Australia based in Victoria that provides residential and day care for multiply disabled people in Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT (and three recently acquired facilities in Queensland).

``There are more staff in Tasmania than Victoria but they didn't have a Tasmanian director. I go to Melbourne monthly for meetings.''

He's also joined the board of the not-for-profit Family Based Care in Launceston that provides support to the disabled and disadvantaged.

And there is his long-term involvement with the welfare of international students and exchange students.

``I've helped refugees and I've sponsored quite a few children through World Vision,'' he said.

Mr Wing said he didn't seem to get down to the family farm on the North-West Coast as often as he'd like.