The Queensland finalists for Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero were announced today.
Queensland finalists include musician Lee Kernaghan, indigenous leader Noel Pearson, drought relief volunteer Brian Egan, the creator of 'Street Swags' and the founder of the Sunshine Welfare and Remedial Association.
Ms Tam Johnston, National Manager of the Australian of the Year Awards, said nominations for this year's awards reflected the values Australians admired in others.
"We received more than 3,000 nominations for people who are contributing to the community, who are taking a leadership role in our society and whose achievements are an inspiration," said Ms Johnston.
Ralph Norris, Chief Executive Officer of major sponsor Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said the finalists demonstrated the diversity of Australian society and the importance of community.
"The finalists in this year's awards make a difference within local communities or to the Australian community as a whole and their contributions are a vital part of what makes this country great," said Mr Norris.
Recipients of each category will be announced at the Queensland Australian of the Year Awards Ceremony on Tuesday 20 November at Customs House in Brisbane at 6:00pm.
Recipients in each category then become national finalists for the Australian of the Year Awards to be announced on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra on 25 January, 2008.
Queensland finalists are:
QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Professor Paula Barrett - Child psychologist (West End)
Anna-Louise Kassulke - Special Olympics volunteer (Mermaid Beach)
Lee Kernaghan OAM - Country music legend
Noel Pearson - Indigenous leader (Cairns)
QUEENSLAND SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Professor Julie Campbell AO - Medical researcher (Kenmore)
Brian Egan - Drought relief helper (Charleville)
Moyia O'Brien - Community service founder (New Farm)
Helen Posselt - Internationally renowned physiotherapist (Indooripilly)
QUEENSLAND YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Melina Georgousakis - Science communicator (Birkdale)
Anna Ockert - Youth leader (Nathan)
Lars Olsen - Orphans' champion (Hervey Bay)
Rebecca Scales - Legacy builder (Kippa Ring)
QUEENSLAND LOCAL HERO
Neroli Endacott - Community supporter (Elanora)
Jean Madden - Shelter provider (Brighton)
Michael Meehan - Youth mentor (Victoria Point)
June Thiedeke - Community stalwart (Biloela)
Ends.
Finalist bios attached with this media release.
For further information or to arrange an interview please contact:
Nicole Browne, Media Opps
02 9954 7677 or 0414 673 762 or nicole@mediaopps.com.au
BIOGRAPHIES - QUEENSLAND FINALISTS, AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR - QUEENSLAND
Professor Paula Barrett
Child psychologist
Professor Paula Barrett is recognised internationally as a pre-eminent scholar, distinguished keynote speaker, and groundbreaking researcher in the field of child psychology. She was a Fulbright Scholar as a sixteen-year-old and on arriving in Australia in 1986 worked as a psychologist in a variety of clinical settings and at the Migrant Resource Centre. At the University of Queensland she developed the FRIENDS for Life program, which has been recognised by the World Health Organization as best practice for the prevention and treatment of childhood anxiety and depression. More than 500,000 children worldwide have completed the program. Paula's active promotion of self-belief and self-worth in children of all ages has made an outstanding contribution to the prevention of these conditions and, ultimately, youth suicide. Paula's prolific writing, generosity of spirit, and fervour for research have had a significant impact on the lives of thousands of children in Australia and around the world.
Anna-Louise Kassulke
Special Olympics volunteer
This year marks Anna-Louise Kassulke's twenty years of voluntary work with Special Olympics in Queensland and nationally, upholding the founding principle that with proper instruction and encouragement people with an intellectual disability can learn, enjoy, and benefit from participating in individual and team sports. Since 1988 Anna-Louise has grown the Special Olympics Program in Queensland and her work travelling with teams has resulted in team members being well prepared to cope with touring and competition conditions. She attended her first Special Olympics in 1991 as an assistant athletics coach in the USA and this year was the Head of Delegation for the 164 member Australian Team's participation in Shanghai. Her focus on developing professionalism in coaching staff has raised the bar across Australia.
Lee Kernaghan OAM
Country music legend
Lee Kernaghan is a towering figure in Australian country music and a fine ambassador for his craft. He gave his first public performance at the age of five, formed his first band when he was twelve, and released his first commercial single in 1983. His tally of Golden Guitar awards at the Australian Country Music Awards is 24, second only to the legendary Slim Dusty. Lee has a passion for his music and his country and brings these together in his support for country communities across Australia. To many people he represents the very essence of the spirit and values of contemporary rural Australia. In the past ten years his 'Pass the Hat Around' tours have raised more than a million dollars for communities in need and his participation in the 'Spirit of the Bush' tours raises spirits as well as money for farming families doing it tough in the drought.
Noel Pearson
Indigenous leader
Noel Pearson is one of the most influential Indigenous leaders in Australia today. As well as being the Director of Cape York Partnerships and voluntary team leader of 'Every Child is Special', he is Director of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership, which aims to drive policy innovation and move to include a model of active Indigenous organisations. Noel co-founded the Cape York Land Council more than twenty years ago and under his stewardship the organisation completed ground breaking projects that inspired Indigenous groups across Australia. These included the Native Title campaigns that led to the Wik decision, the Cape York Heads of Agreement, and the Comalco Agreement. Noel's current work draws widely on his thoughts on breaking down 'passive welfare dependency' by reinstating Indigenous people's right to take responsibility for their own lives. Noel eschews bitterness and recrimination for previous injustices in favour of seeking solutions.
SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR - QUEENSLAND
Professor Julie Campbell AO
Medical researcher
Professor Julie Campbell holds a string of important positions and appointments in medical research, including Research Professor, Director of the Centre for Research in Vascular Biology, and Director of the Wesley Research Institute. She is one of a handful of Queenslanders, and only the second Queensland woman, elected to the Australian Academy of Science. Julie's scientific background has helped practising doctors, nurses, and other health professionals pass to others the innovations they have developed as practical clinicians for the benefit of patients. She is well known for her pioneering work in creating 'grow your own' arteries, a technique she and her husband developed that promises enormous benefits for heart by-pass and dialysis patients. While Julie describes the process as deceptively simple, not unlike the process that allows a pearl to grow inside and oyster, this extraordinary procedure is sure to save lives.
Brian Egan
Drought relief helper
Brian Egan knows exactly what drought-stricken families are going through - he lost his own farm in the 1990's due to drought and personal depression. Five years ago he and his wife, Nerida, established Aussie Helpers to try to alleviate hardship and lift the spirits of families severely affected by drought. Tapping into the bush telegraph, Aussie Helpers finds farming families in desperate need of help. Brian and his band of committed volunteers have given away over 150 tonnes of groceries and over 600 tonnes of stock feed and assisted more than 1,000 families. Aussies Helpers raises funds through thrift shops in Dalby and Charleville and asking for donations to the annual Bush Christmas Appeal and the ongoing Drought Relief Appeal. Brian's hampers help transform Christmas from a bleak and depressing time to one of joy and celebration, while other money goes towards farm repairs, dental care, and coastal holidays for outback families.
Moyia O'Brien
Community service founder
Lovingly known as "The Pink Twins," Moyia O'Brien and her identical twin sister, Dorothy, started Sunshine Welfare and Remedial Association over thirty years ago to provide a place that enables and empowers people with a disability to develop and enhance their strengths, skills and self confidence. SWARA offers an opportunity for people with a disability to have a place to call their own. Dorothy has gone, but Moyia soldiers on, working at SWARA three days a week, contributing to the creative outlets like painting, music, dancing, and singing for its 120 adults who are registered to attend. SWARA's 103-unit property in Brisbane, specifically designed for single person households, is named in honour of the Pink Twins.
Helen Posselt
Internationally renowned physiotherapist
A physiotherapist for more than forty years, Helen Posselt is committed to improving the general wellbeing and health outcomes of boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which affects one in 3,500, and for other children with inherited neuromuscular disorders. The knowledge she has developed has underpinned her international recognition as an expert in managing this condition through physiotherapy and she is regularly invited to conferences around the world. Helen is also on a specialist panel advising the American Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta on guidelines for caring for those with the disorder. At the local level she advises Parent Project Australia, devoting a huge amount of time to this organisation in improving the treatment, quality of life, and long term outlook for people affected by DMD and the companion Becker Muscular Dystrophy. Helen has also used her skills with cerebral palsy sufferers here and overseas and with the geriatric population.
YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR - QUEENSLAND
Melina Georgousakis, 25
Science communicator
Melina Georgousakis is in the final stage of her doctoral studies into a vaccine against streptococcal bacteria, which each year cause 600 million cases of strep throat and half a million deaths from "flesh-eating" infections, streptococcal toxic syndrome, and rheumatic heart disease. She is in a team at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research searching for an affordable single oral vaccine that has so far eluded scientists and could save thousands of lives around the world. Achieving this requires both solid science and sincere advocacy and often these two attributes are carried by different people. Melina has both of these qualities - she is a scientist who is equally passionate about communicating science clearly and widely, whether it is presenting her work within the scientific community or explaining her work to diverse community groups.
Anna Ockert, 20
Youth leader
Anna Ockert has been a community leader since early high school days, when she was elected to her student representative council and took responsibility for facilitating a drug and alcohol education program for her peers. She established numerous fund raising activities, including coordinating 150 volunteers for the 40-hour Famine campaign and being an entrant in the Leukaemia Quest. Anna's community spirit is evident in her tireless volunteer work for the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Cancer Council, and World Vision through door knock appeals and local market stalls. She also cooked and served at a local soup kitchen. As a World Vision Youth Ambassador, Anna travelled to Mozambique witnessing poverty first hand and she volunteered at a training centre in Thailand that is home to 500 hill tribe children. Anna contributes to global leadership forums and serves as State Director of Vision Generation, the youth movement of World Vision.
Lars Olsen, 24
Orphans' champion
Lars Olsen set off in 2004 for a stint of helping orphans in Nepal and teaching English as a volunteer. What he found was uplifting - kids facing a life of hardship and destitution yet looking on life with simplicity, love, compassion, and wisdom at such an early age. But Lars was dismayed when he discovered that the small orphanage he worked in was a quagmire of corruption, and worse. After rescuing one of the children from terrible abuse, he set up the Forget Me Not Children's Home, with strict governance in place so that all the funds raised are used directly for the kids' welfare. The number of orphans under care quickly reached ten, with the hope that it will one day rise to thirty. Lars is the 2007 Suncorp Young Queenslander of the Year, a timely recognition of his tireless dedication to relieving poverty, hunger, and oppression from the world.
Rebecca Scales, 25
Legacy builder
Rebecca Scales turned a personal tragedy into a triumph for some of the neediest children in the world. Rebecca's mother had a dream to build a house through the Watoto Children's Foundation for young Ugandan's who have been orphaned through their parents' AIDS, but she wasn't able to finish the project before she lost her battle with cancer. Rebecca was determined to build the house as a legacy to her mother and after raising the money set out with her family to see the project through. So inspired with their success were her church and school friends that they enlisted to the cause. Raising money through various enterprises, they collected enough for another house and Rebecca set out with a group of students on an inspirational journey to build it. Now another sixteen children and two house mothers have shelter and a better future thanks to Rebecca's commitment and inspirational leadership.
LOCAL HERO - QUEENSLAND
Neroli Endacott
Community supporter
Neroli Endacott has worn many hats over the years - from foster parent to after school carer to raising community awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. As a foster mum, Nevoli has cared for more than a hundred disabled, abused, disadvantaged, and in-need children. Lovingly known as 'Ma,' she has nursed many children through debilitating illnesses, from cuddling and comforting a child with pneumonia to nursing seriously ill premature babies through the night. She established an outside school hours care centre because of her concerns for local 'latch key' kids and the need for working parents to have a safe place for their children to go after school and during vacation times. Always the local hero, Neroli is now raising awareness about the dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, which can lead to a set of mental and physical disorders, including mental retardation, brain dysfunction, physical abnormalities, learning disabilities, and psychological problems.
Jean Madden
Shelter provider
School teacher Jean Madden has revived an Australian icon to help homeless people stay dry at night and protect their belongings during the day. Upset at the plight of Brisbane's homeless, who could get a meal but not a good night's sleep, Jean designed a light, practical, and portable swag that can be rolled up and used as a bag during the day. Jean raises the cost of materials through private donations and an annual Street Swags Country Ball and the swags are made by the inmates of Woodford Correctional Centre, who in turn learn new skills and give something back to the community. These 'Street Swags' are distributed through charities that deal directly with street people, including Rosies Youth on the Streets, the Salvation Army, and Access Street Vans. So far Jean has provided about 1200 swags in Brisbane, the Gold Coast the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, and as far afield as Sydney.
Michael Meehan
Youth mentor
Michael Meehan has contributed to his community for twenty years as a volunteer helping children, youth, and veterans. He formed Special Kids Queensland, which helps adults with special needs, the elderly, the veterans' community, and virtually anyone who needs special support. Michael organised the Queensland Fire & Rescue Service's annual toy drive and opened a wheelchair and mobility aids bank that lends equipment free of charge to people who can't afford it or aren't entitled to government support. His Safe Party Practice program prepares youths for a safer Schoolies Week and he builds better relationships between youth and police, leading to young people voting for the Redlands Top Cop Award for the police officer who has shown professionalism and broken down barriers between them and police. This is just a glimpse of Michael's commitment to his community, given freely despite the serious effects of chemical exposure as a young man.
June Thiedeke
Community stalwart
Since arriving there forty years ago, June Thiedeke has played an integral part in shaping her local community of Jambin into what it is today. She initiated Jambin's participation in the Tidy Towns competition and became its official liaison officer and developed and maintained a park for travellers passing through the community. For eleven years she was the representative with the Regional Arts Development Fund and instrumental in organising craft exhibitions and workshops. June is regularly seen at ANZAC Day services, judging march pasts on sports days, and presenting awards. For eighteen years she was the Jambin correspondent for the Central Telegraph newspaper and for thirty years maintained the Jambin Council amenities block. A keen gardener, June has hosted fund raising parties in her beautiful garden and served morning teas and entertained the residents of a retirement village.
