The Western Australian finalists for Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero were announced today.
Finalists include an environmentalist, a children's writer, an Olympic gymnast, an Indigenous arts leader, an organ donor advocate and a transplant recipient.
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 Western Australia's Australian of the Year Awards Ceremony on Saturday 24 November at Government House, Perth at 4:00pm.
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.
Western Australia 's finalists are:
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 'S AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Mark Bin Bakar - Indigenous arts leader (Broome)
Professor George Jelinek - Multiple Sclerosis pioneer (Wembley)
Dr David Joske - Contemporary therapies leader (Nedlands)
Patricia Lavater - Young women's supporter (Guildford)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 'S SENIO R AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Dr Stephen Davies - Ornithologist, researcher, mentor (Mount Helena)
Elaine Forrestal - Children's writer (Scarborough)
Professor Tony McCartney - Gynaecological oncologist and inventor (Mosman Park)
Sister Patricia Rhatigan - Remote area educator (Broome)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 'S YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Madhusudhan Bhamidipaty - High achiever (Willetton)
Simone McMahon - Organ donor advocate (Cloverdale)
Aimee Silla - Environmentalist (West Swan)
Allana Slater - Olympic gymnast (Floreat Forum)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 'S LOCAL HERO
Paul Barratt - Transplant recipient (Carlisle North)
Nigel Jones - Soccer coach (Ocean Reef)
Josephine McNally - Community role model (Derby)
Geraldine Webster - Community worker (Eaton)
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 - WA FINALISTS, AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2008
2008 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR - WA
Mark Bin Bakar
Indigenous arts leader
Known to many across Australia as the multi-media personality Mary G, Mark Bin Bakar has dedicated much of his adult life to increasing cultural understanding and working tirelessly to present an insight into Indigenous culture. Mark has created many opportunities for Indigenous musicians, including establishing the very successful music school Abmusic twenty years ago. As the self-effacing, flamboyant, and powerful 'Queen of the Kimberley,' he has become a national cult figure while also raising awareness of important social issues facing Indigenous people. As well as his nationally broadcast radio show, Mark travels extensively throughout remote areas talking to people about alcohol and drug abuse, health care, emotional wellbeing, respect for elders, domestic violence, and instilling a sense of pride back into the wider community. In 2007, he was recognised as NAIDOC Person of the Year.
Professor George Jelinek
Multiple Sclerosis pioneer
George Jelinek has excelled in two areas of medicine. First, as one of the pioneers of emergency medicine, he developed Australia's principal textbook in that area and was the first professorial appointment for the discipline. Then, after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) eight years ago at the age of 45, George continued his work in emergency medicine but changed the focus of his passion into finding a way to manage and control MS. With characteristic freshness of mind - enquiring deeply, using scientific methods, and then being prepared to accept what he unexpectedly found - George discovered that MS could largely be controlled through lifestyle factors. Good nutrition, exercise, and stress management are as important in MS as they are in heart disease and diabetes. With supportive colleagues, he initiated the world's first lifestyle MS self-help program in 2002 and shares his findings through his book Taking Control of Multiple Sclerosis.
Dr David Joske
Contemporary therapies leader
Dr David Joske, Head of Haematology at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, believes that doctors should be healers and on call at all times. David also has no doubt that complementary medicine and ancient healing practices have something to offer. The avalanche of positive feedback from patients has more than vindicated his faith, dedication, and hard work as Director of the Brownes Dairy Cancer Support Centre. This complementary therapies centre, the first of its kind in Australia, is the result of his firmly held belief in the important role that patients have in their own treatment. And so, alongside traditional medical treatments like chemotherapy, you'll find David's patients working with practitioners of the gentle healing arts of acupuncture, aromatherapy, pranic healing, qigong, cranial massage, or any other of the twenty-eight free therapies offered by volunteers. David's groundbreaking work in providing integrated therapies was recognised through his being awarded the 2005 John Curtin Medal.
Patricia Lavater
Young women's supporter
Patricia Lavater has been helping people in crisis since she was fourteen and established a youth drop-in centre at the ripe old age of seventeen. Ten years ago she helped establish a residential program, Esther House, that offered a safe refuge and recovery support for up to ten young women at a time. With the loss of the source of funds, Patricia established the Esther Foundation as an independent organisation to serve the needs of young women in crisis. This residential women's health and development program now operates seven homes in Perth, housing up to thirty young women and their children. Her program does more than provide a safe environment and counselling. It is an extensive recovery program that includes recreation, arts, sport, music, journal writing, reading, winter and summer camps, leadership training, and outreach support for former residents and their families. Patricia has a special gift for repairing broken lives.
2008 SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR - WA
Dr Stephen Davies
Ornithologist, researcher, mentor
Stephen Davies is a respected researcher who has dedicated his life to preserving Australia's unique natural heritage, particularly bird life, and serving his local, national, and global community by sharing his great wealth of knowledge, ideas, and experience. He acts as a sounding board, offers advice, and steers others in the direction of sustainable and meaningful research. As well as an outstanding career as a CSIRO research scientist, Stephen has extensive experience as an academic, lecturing and developing courses in, for example, wildlife management, vertebrate biology, and land care revegetation. As president of Birds Australia, he produced the original Atlas of Australian Birds, a first for Australian ornithology. He now gives generously in helping students gain field and practical experience, and develop useful networks.
Elaine Forrestal
Children's writer
It was the experience of watching her children grow and develop that sparked Elaine Forrestal's passion for children's literature and led to her nurturing creativity and imagination in children. A friend sent some of Elaine's short stories to a publisher and to her amazement they were accepted immediately; suddenly she was a published author. Her first novel, The Watching Lake, was published in 1991 and, like all of her ten novels, was shortlisted for a prestigious literary award. All of her books have her trademark sure sense of dialogue and are peopled with realistic characters in realistic settings. There are many recurring themes in her work: friendship, the environment, family, peer relationships, music, multicultural and multi-age casts of characters, and contemporary issues that are meaningful to children. Elaine's community work involves mentoring young writers, judging writing competitions, running workshops for young writers, and speaking at conferences and seminars both here and overseas.
Professor Tony McCartney
Gynaecological oncologist and inventor
Over decades of tireless and selfless service to his community Tony McCartney has made an enormous contribution to the wellbeing of Australian women afflicted with gynaecological cancers. His work was recognised recently by his peers for outstanding service resulting in women getting better treatment by more experienced pelvic surgeons. Tony invented a device for a new approach to treating early stage cancer of the lining of the uterus, which usually requires open surgery through an abdominal cut. This is highly invasive and results in visible scarring, tissue damage, blood loss, and a high risk of complications. The McCartney Tube, however, allows keyhole surgery and a safe and practical treatment that results in less tissue damage, lower blood loss, less pain, and a shorter stay in hospital. Above all else Tony has genuine concern and compassion for ordinary human beings and in his field has given much to the community.
Sister Patricia Rhatigan
Remote area educator
Patricia Rhatigan has worked for almost fifty years as a nun in the Kimberly region. Being a nun and working for the needy is all she ever wanted to do, beginning at a leprosarium in Broome and the Beagle Bay mission. She became a classroom teacher in 1960 and served in a range of roles leading to her becoming the foundation regional officer for the Catholic Education Office in Broome. After negotiating for first year undergraduate degrees to be offered fully through the Broome campus of the Notre Dame University, Sister Patricia was appointed Dean of the campus in 1998. Under her leadership the campus inaugurated its studies in nursing and counselling and a Diploma of Indigenous Management. She is a prodigious researcher of remote area teaching and is currently. Coordinator of the Sisters of St John of God Kimberly Centenary activities.
YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR - WA
Madhusudhan Bhamidipaty, 19
High achiever
Madhusudhan (Madhu) Bhamidipaty's beginning to his medical and surgery studies was supported by a scholarship that recognised his academic excellence and his outstanding level of achievement in a breadth of community, sporting, academic, and leadership categories as well as the arts. Madhu debuted in senior cricket at the age of 14 and won a Bradman Cricket Scholarship (2006-08); plays clarinet and piano; sets up computers and conducts sing-a-longs in aged care homes; participates as a mentor in peers programs that encourage senior school students to excel; and received an award for the highest aggregate mark in first year Medicine. Madhu is a hard working, sincere, trustworthy, and modest young man who is always available to help others.
Simone McMahon, 25
Organ donor advocate
Born with poor kidney function and suffering chronic renal failure at age nine, Simone McMahon was on dialysis ten hours a day and received a kidney transplant when she was eleven. She has been passionately promoting organ and tissue donation ever since. Simone is Western Australian State President and a national director of Transplant Australia, a volunteer with the Kidney Health Foundation, and a wish granter with the Starlight Foundation - spending much of her time encouraging seriously ill children and helping to grant their wishes. She is a Churchill Fellow whose scholarship allowed her to identify successful international models of organ and tissue donation and assess promotion strategies that provide support to transplant recipients, donor families, and living donors. Simone's story inspires people to consider organ donation as an act of kindness that replaces despair with hope, giving people on transplant waiting lists the courage to face an otherwise unbearably uncertain future.
Aimee Silla, 23
Environmentalist
Aimee Silla, a doctoral student at the University of Western Australia, is determined to improve frog fertility in a bid to boost the population of endangered species around the planet, including the local sunset frog, which is at risk of extinction. Her commitment was recognised earlier this year when she was named the 2007 Western Australian Young Person of the Year and also won the environment award. As well as helping the world's frogs, Aimee has trained and led a team of volunteers monitoring marine turtle nesting behaviours and won a prize for her photo of a turtle entering murky waters and used in an exhibition at the Western Australian Museum to illustrate climate change. Aimee's passion flows from her love of the natural environment. She is an inspiration to the whole community in the way she dedicates her time and energy to ensuring that the natural world is preserved for future generations.
Allana Slater, 23
Olympic gymnast
Allana Slater competed at two Commonwealth Games, two Olympic Games, and four world championships and remains Australia's most successful gymnast. She won Australia's first gold medal and captained our team that won bronze at a World Cup, was the first Australian gymnast to rank in the world's top ten, and won more the 40 medals in a record 43 international competitions. As long ago as 2000 Allana was Western Australia's Young Australian of the Year for Sport, has been finalist in many other sports awards, and was named one of 25 Most Inspirational West Australians. As an indication of her high standing within the sports community, she was elected to serve on the AOC's Athletes' Commission to advise on Olympic issues from an athlete's perspective. Allana's drive helped her achieve her many firsts; her outlook is relentlessly positive and her long career and move into judging are an inspiration to all young gymnasts.
LOCAL HERO - WA
Paul Barratt
Transplant recipient
Paul Barratt was born with a congenital heart defect. Told he wouldn't be around for long, he set about living his life to the full. Then when he was told that his heart and lungs were failing him, he was told he could travel to the other side of Australia to wait for a heart/lung transplant or he could stay in Perth and hope for the best. He took up the challenge of having the first heart/lung transplant in Perth. Since he got his wish in 2005, Paul has worked tirelessly to promote and support the Heart & Lung Transplant Foundation in Western Australia to help people stay in their home state for their operation. He is a passionate advocate for organ donation and he even cycled 132 km with broken ribs to raise over $100,000 for the Foundation. Paul is a shining example of what is possible after organ transplantation.
Nigel Jones
Soccer coach
Invited to take over a rundown sports department at a senior high school, Nigel Jones, who has coached over 10,000 school children, quickly transformed it into the 'Institute of Soccer' and turned around a group of students who were struggling with many aspects of schooling. Students self-select in joining the program. For most of them, their passion for soccer is channelled into the pursuit of excellence, on and off the field. The program gives students with soccer ability a chance to have specialist coaching and, due to a deal that Nigel negotiated in the UK, an opportunity to play professionally. The links to English Premier League clubs Wolverhampton and Southampton give gifted players a chance to impress talent scouts. For students who don't make it to the professional level, the program offers other benefits of improved behaviour and increased self-esteem and the skills to kick life goals.
Josephine McNally
Community role model
The consistent theme that comes out of the public comments in support of Josephine (Josie) McNally's nomination is "role model." Josie stands out in her Derby community and further afield as a dedicated Indigenous policewoman who has achieved enormous respect from all walks of life. Her community describes her as very caring, compassionate, thoughtful, helpful, open minded, a tireless advocate for young people, generous-hearted, and having a commitment to her community that goes well beyond normal expectations. Josie was awarded a Queens Bravery Conduct Medal for saving two families in a flash flood when she was in Meekatharra. She does her job professionally, but she also takes the extra steps outside that role to volunteer help for families and others in the community who need it. With a large family of supporters across the Kimberly region, Josie is indeed a local hero.
Geraldine Webster
Community worker
Geraldine Webster was the inspiration in setting up the In Town Centre in Bunbury seventeen years ago. Many said it couldn't be done. Even experts in the field counselled her against providing a service to the homeless that involved a mix of young people, men, women, and children, especially under one roof. After several temporary accommodation bases, the Centre now operates from its own purpose built premises. Geraldine's dedication and commitment to the homeless has changed the lives of many, some of whom have gone on to be role models for others. Some have returned to complete their education, and even gone on to university. Geraldine has volunteered her time at the Centre four days a week for the past seventeen years and was also involved in setting up a young mothers' group. Because of her foresight, the Bunbury community ensures that everyone has at least two meals a day.
