So said Abir Moukahal, vice-president of the Australian Council of Women's Affairs, when asked to describe Castle Hill's wonder woman Inaam Tabbaa, who helped establish the group's centre 13 years ago and whose free legal advice has been ongoing.

NSW Industrial Relations Commissioner Tabbaa was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) on Australian Day for service to industrial relations in NSW and to the community.

"People in my community say the kids look up to me and this is just another thing to encourage them, so I'm very happy for that reason," Ms Tabbaa told the News.

Ms Tabbaa is a former acting magistrate. She was the first female president of the Australian National Sports Club and chairs the Canterbury and District Soccer Football Association Disciplinary Committee.

She is a volunteer announcer for Fairfield station Radio Voice of Peace and helped to bring about the Stand Tall program, which invites Muslim students to participate in a range of activities working with the Bankstown police.

"An excellent, excellent program," said Nigerian-born Ms Tabbaa, who migrated to Australia in 1973 from Syria.

Ms Tabbaa said she felt especially proud that she was able to assist the Australian Council of Women's Affairs to establish a respite centre for the intellectually disabled in Birrong and five emergency bedsitters for students, refugees and abused women.

"Hopefully we'll be able to get them back one day," she said of the bedsitters, which were closed in February last year.