Australian of the Year Awards

Senior Australian of the Year 2007 Phil Herreen and Australia's Local Hero Shanaka Fernando will visit the Northern Territory from Tuesday 21to Sunday 26 August, 2007 to meet local communities and inspire young people.

The inspirational award recipients will visit Alice Springs, Katherine, Palmerston and Darwin to share insights with everyone from high school students to business operators and motor sport enthusiasts.

Phil, a former national speed car champion, suffered a spinal cord injury in an accident during his last race in April 1993. He now helps people with spinal injuries adjust to their new life and also shares his life-lessons with young L and P plate driving offenders about the consequences of risk taking and crashing. Phil finished third in the 1990 National Speedcar Championship held in Darwin and also competed in Alice Springs speedway races during the 1970s.

Local Hero Shanaka runs a successful, socially responsible restaurant group called 'Lentil As Anything'. The restaurants have no prices on the menu, encouraging customers to pay what they feel the meal is worth. The restaurants also employ disadvantaged people and newly arrived refugees, who Shanaka helps settle into Australian life.

"Shanaka and Phil each have an inspiring outlook on life and I think Territorians will enjoy meeting them during their visit," said Heather Sjoberg, Chairman of the Australia Day Council NT.

During the tour, Phil will meet with spinal injuries patients at Alice Springs and Darwin Hospitals and will also speak at several Rev Heads events for motor sports enthusiasts and young community members. In Alice Springs and Darwin, Shanaka will share lessons learnt about co-operative management through the Lentil As Anything experience and will also meet multicultural community members. Shanaka, who has previously been to Darwin and Alice Springs, says he is looking forward to returning to the Northern Territory.

"I'm looking forward to experiencing the sense of community formed by the character of the land and the fusion of cultures," said Shanaka.

"The Territory has an authenticity which big cities elsewhere struggle to replicate in an ill-directed rat-race."

The award recipients also hope to inspire Territorians to submit nominations for the Australian of the Year Awards 2008 before nominations close on Friday 31 August 2007. The National Australia Day Council, which runs the Australian of the Year Awards program, relies on public nominations to find the Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero.

"Being named Senior Australian of the Year 2007 has been a great honour for me personally and it has made a tremendous difference in helping me raise awareness of people with disabilities and the needs we have across the community," said Phil.

"The Australian of the Year Awards recognise people who make a difference without wanting to be rewarded for it and I encourage every Territorian to nominate someone they find inspiring now.

"Get online or fill out a form now - don't miss the 31 August deadline."

You can nominate a great Australian online now at www.australianoftheyear.gov.au or, from Tuesday 9 July you can pick up a nomination form at your local Commonwealth Bank branch or call 1300 655 193 for more information. Nominations close on Friday 31 August 2007.

Shanaka and Phil's Tour Schedule:

Tue 21 August                 Alice Springs                        Lunch with High School Students at Oscars Café
                                                                                           Visit to Alice Springs Hospital Rehabilitation Centre
                                                                                           Co-operative management presentation at Library
                                                                                           Mayoral Reception
                                                                                           Rev Heads Sausage Sizzle

Wed 22 August               Katherine Rev Heads          Sausage Sizzle

Thu 23 August                Katherine                               Mayoral Morning Tea
                                                                                           Darwin Government House Reception

Fri 24 August                  Darwin                                    Visit to Hospital rehabilitation services
                                                                                           Co-operative management presentation, State Library 

                                         Palmerston                            Meet community and seniors at Town Hall 
                                                                                           Meet students at Palmerston Christian School
                                                                                           Multicultural community meet and greet

Sat 25 August                Darwin                                    Speedway visit
                                                                                          Darwin Festival visit

Ends.

Media information contact:
Nicole Browne, Media Opps                                       (02) 9954 7677 or 0414 673 762

SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR 2007
Phillip Herreen, 64 (SA)
Disability Mentor

Phillip Herreen was one of Australia's most popular speedway drivers until a horrific crash in 1993, in his last race before retiring from the track, left him confined to a wheel chair. The former national speedcar champion is still inspiring people with his deeds. After benefiting from the enduring support of his wife, family, and the speedway fraternity, Phillip understands what it's like for people who don't have a team to support them, so he fills that gap. Originally from the building industry, he now helps people rebuild their lives, brick by brick. He's a volunteer peer support advocate, working side by side with injured people, giving them encouragement, inspiration, and hints on life in a wheelchair. He's a mentor to many sports people who have become disabled through accidents. And Phillip is a volunteer facilitator helping youth in trouble for driving and other offences.

Australia's Local Hero 2007
Shanaka Fernando (VIC)
Social challenger

By establishing the "Lentil as Anything" concept, Shanaka Fernando has set a wholly successful example to society of how a commercial enterprise can be operated on a socially responsible, idealistic and altruistic basis and still be financially successful and popular with the public.

Since Shanaka relinquished his personal capital in the first restaurant and turned it into a cooperative and youth training enterprise, the business has grown into four restaurants employing about eighty young people and providing space for artists and writers. This not-for-profit business celebrates compassion, individuality, and artistic expression under a philosophy that challenges and defies our consumerist society. The policy of "no set prices" where customers pay only what they can afford or what they think the meal was worth is a social experiment that encourages people to have an internal conversation with their conscience and their ethics. And on top of that, the food is terrific.