MEDIA RELEASE
25 NOVEMBER 2006
WESTERN AUSTRALIA RECIPIENTS OF 2007 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS ANNOUNCED
PERTH : Two Nobel Laureates, a fundraising GP, an innovative engineer changing disabled lives, a health campaigner and a man who single handedly saved his home town were today announced as the Western Australia recipients in the 2007 Australian of the Year Awards.
The Governor of Western Australia, Dr Ken Michael AC, announced the award recipients at a special event at Government House this afternoon, congratulating all WA finalists and nominees in this year's awards program for their outstanding contributions and achievements.
- Professor Barry Marshall and Emeritus Professor Robin Warren were named as Western Australia 's Australians of the Year for their discovery of the cause of gastritis and peptic ulcer disease and their extraordinary personal dedication to proving their discovery. Together they have transformed our understanding of the cause of stomach ulcers, resulting in a new approach to therapy and new treatments which are simple, cheap and effective.
- Western Australia 's Senior Australian of the Year, Claremont 's Dr Kenneth Collins AM, Collins has dedicated his life to helping others as a medical practitioner and through volunteer service in a range of civic organisations. In 1980, Ken single-handedly set up Rotary's major fundraiser in WA in the form of a Sunday market, raising more than $3 million for community projects. His service has extended to overseas humanitarian projects and contributions to innumerable committees and organisations
- At just 23, Cloverdale's Darren Lomman is changing the way people with disabilities enjoy life. The young engineering student designed and built a motorcycle for paraplegic riders which won him an award for his innovative contribution to biomedical engineering. He is now working on a hovercraft and a ski boat. Darren also founded the Disabled Recreation Club, enabling people with disabilities to socialise in a non-competitive sporting environment and set up a trust that funds other equipment design projects for people with disabilities.
- Western Australia 's Local Heroes were announced as Sorrento 's Yvonne Bali (Metropolitan) and Walkaway's James Hamersley (Regional).
- While suffering from a rare lung disease which eventually led to a transplant, Yvonne Bali started to raise funds for the Royal Perth Hospital to establish a transplant unit. Yvonne raised funds first for equipment for the heart transplant unit and then for WA Transplant Support Group. Yvonne is also founder and patron of the Heart and Lung Foundation of Western Australia. Thanks to her efforts, now nobody in her community needs to be away from family while waiting for their life-saving transplant .
- When James Hamersley's home town of Walkaway near Geraldton experienced the b iggest flood in living memory and the waters rose at an alarming rate, it became clear that the town was going to be totally inundated. James immediately started up his front-end loader and built a levee around the town. He worked around the clock, day and night, 36 hours non-stop until the floodwaters subsided. The levee held and saved the community from terrible financial loss and emotional devastation.
The National Australia Day Council said the Western Australia award recipients in this year's awards were outstanding examples of great Australians.
"The Western Australia award recipients are so varied in their achievements and backgrounds but they share a passion for helping others, making a difference and getting the job done," said Tam Johnston, Australian of the Year Awards Manager for the National Australia Day Council.
"They are inspirational examples of how everyday Australians can make a big difference."
All Western Australia award recipients now become national finalists in the Australian of the Year Awards to be announced by the Prime Minister in Canberra on 25 January 2007 .
The Commonwealth Bank is proud to be the major sponsor of the Australian of the Year Awards.
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Award recipient bios attached with this media release.
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