The ACT finalists for Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero were announced today.
ACT finalists include a sports science pioneer, a cultural guardian, an organ donor advocate and a youth disability awareness advocate.
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 ACT Australian of the Year Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 14 November at the Playhouse Theatre 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.
ACT finalists are:
ACT AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Professor Hilary Charlesworth AM - Human rights champion (Narrabundah)
Lin Hatfield Dodds - Social justice advocate (Mawson)
Professor David Ellwood - researcher and healer/teacher (Farrer)
Dr Clive Hamilton - Wellbeing activist (Manuka)
ACT SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Piphal Engly - Culture guardian (North Lyneham)
Helen McLaughlin - Indigenous services coordinator (Pearce)
Professor Linda Reaby AM - Breast cancer awareness pioneer (Page)
Professor Richard Telford AM - Sports science researcher (Forrest)
ACT YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Melissa Aveyard - Recovery supporter (Florey)
Julia Collin - Young leader (Ainslie)
Mei Shi (Diana) Ni - Community contributor (Kingston)
Xian Zhi Soon - High achiever (Acton)
ACT LOCAL HERO
Walter Blumenfeld - Community volunteer (Holt)
Peter McEncroe - Dedicated volunteer (Kaleen)
Holly Northam - Organ donor advocate (Fadden)
Dr Peter Sharp - Indigenous health practitioner (Narrabundah)
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 - ACT FINALISTS, AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2008
AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR - ACT
Professor Hilary Charlesworth AM
Human rights champion
As well as holding two professorial appointments at the Australian National University, Professor Hilary Charlesworth is the Director of the Centre for International Governance and Justice and has held visiting appointments at Washington & Lee School of Law, Harvard, and Global Law School. She is also Patron of the Australian Capital Territory Women's Legal Service. Skilfully juggling those roles, and more, Hilary has led the development of international human rights law over more than twenty years of research and advocacy as an academic, adviser, and ordinary citizen. She has worked on such issues as the relevance of feminist theory to understanding international law, the structure of the international human rights system, and the protection of human rights in Australia. Two years ago she was awarded a Federation Fellowship for a project on building democracy and justice after conflict. Hilary's contribution to the application of human rights in developed countries and the developing world has been outstanding.
Lin Hatfield Dodds
Social justice advocate
Lin Hatfield Dodds is a leading advocate of social justice in Australia. As President of the Australian Council of Social Services, Director of UnitingCare Australia, and Chair of the Australian Capital Territory Community Inclusions Board, Lin works tirelessly for low income and disadvantaged Australians. Her advocacy is effective because she is so well informed, respectful, and professional. She is also incredibly energetic and brings a great sense of humour to her work. As a working mother, Lin is a role model and inspiration for working women and demonstrates the benefits of a sensible work/life balance. She is renowned for her ability to engage with a wide range of individuals and groups and is respected nationally for helping to achieve better outcomes for people. Lin's contribution was recognised by an International Women's Day Award in 2002 and in 2003 she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study anti-poverty strategies and welfare delivery overseas.
Professor David Ellwood
Researcher, healer, teacher
Professor David Ellwood is the Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Australian National University Medical School, Associate Dean of the Canberra Clinical School, and a senior specialist at the Canberra Hospital. He is also Director of the Fetal Medicine Unit, which provides high-risk pregnancy management in the Canberra region. David is recognised nationally and internationally for his skills as an obstetrician and he has an active research program and is involved in training young doctors. He combines clinical prowess with a gentle, caring, and humane manner. As if this wasn't enough to keep him busy, David is also a father of nine, plays soccer at a competitive level, and coaches one of his daughter's soccer teams. There are few with his energy and skills in so many aspects of life and he is an asset to the Australian Capital Territory.
Dr Clive Hamilton
Wellbeing activist
Dr Clive Hamilton is the Executive Director of The Australia Institute, an independent policy research centre based in Canberra. Trained in economics and politics, he has published widely on development, trade policy, industry economics, environmental issues, community values, and ethics. He is best known for his work on climate change policy, ecological tax reform, and the follies of economic growth. Described in the media as Australia's leading environmental economist, Clive has published extensively, his most recent books being the best sellers Growth Fetish and Affluenza - When Too Much is Never Enough. He pulls no punches, stating that our whole society is addicted to overconsumption as we aspire to celebrity lifestyle at the cost of family, friends, and personal fulfilment and that, despite sustained economic growth, we're not any happier. Clive appears regularly in the media promoting his cure - ignore the advertisers, reduce consumer spending, and recapture time for the things that really matter.
SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR - ACT
Piphal Engly
Culture guardian
Piphal Engly is considered among the Cambodian-Australian community to be like a mother, an older sister, a loveable aunt, and a dear grandmother. Over many years she has made a significant contribution to the maintenance of Cambodian cultural identity and has used her prominence and influence to encourage young people to pursue an education. Piphal arrived in Australia thirty years ago with very little English. After being exploited as an employee because she was unaware of her rights, she learnt English, completed her studies, and worked as a teacher assistant. Upset by witnessing racism shown towards Cambodian students, Piphal set herself the goal of making them sufficiently literate to keep up with their schoolwork. She succeeded, and from then on she has championed education as the path to harmony and tolerance. Piphal maintains her links with the country of her birth through her support of disadvantaged women in Cambodia.
Helen McLaughlin
Indigenous services coordinator
Helen McLaughlin has worked tirelessly for Indigenous communities throughout her working life and well into her retirement, most recently in her innovative grey nomads program. Through Senior Volunteers for Indigenous Communities, she orchestrates the services of Australia's travelling retires to donate their time and expertise gained over their working lives to the benefit of remote communities. Former teachers, builders, doctors, mechanics, and many others take time out of their retirement travels to lend a hand to those in need. Helen is also well known for her Christmas and Easter lunches, where she provides a warm, family atmosphere for many who without her generosity would spend the day alone. She recently finished her own 6,000 km trek, during which she worked on fund-raising stalls for Frontier Services. Helen's passion is to be an example for older Australian women showing the world that senior women can be strong and full of life.
Professor Linda Reaby AM
Breast cancer awareness pioneer
From when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990, Linda Reaby dedicated her professional career to raising public awareness of the condition and funding for breast cancer research. She wrote the proposal for Australia's Breast Cancer Day and lobbied extensively for political support for what has become a major national annual event since 1994. Due to Linda's tremendous efforts, breast cancer is now in the national arena of public attention and receiving more funding for research and public education. Linda has a remarkable record of securing competitive grants - more than $8 million, including one for making higher degrees more accessible to working nurses. As a breast cancer survivor, nurse educator, and academic, Linda developed a decision-making model for health professionals to ascertain whether women are making informed decisions about their treatment alternatives. Linda has published extensively in international scientific journals and presented papers at national and international conferences.
Professor Richard Telford AM
Sports science researcher
Professor Richard (Dick) Telford has been an untiring contributor to Australian sports science, education, athletics, and sports coaching. For 25 years he has combined his research work in exercise physiology, immunology, haematology, and nutrition with hands-on science and coaching of our Olympic and Commonwealth Games athletes. Currently as Research Director of the Commonwealth Institute Lifestyle of our Kids project, Dick is concentrating on the effect of lifestyle, particularly physical activity, on children. Dick is the visionary architect of this internationally funded, fifty-year study designed to monitor the health and wellbeing of primary school students throughout their lifespan and is the catalyst for an enthusiastic, collaborative team of over fifty practitioners, academics, and experts in their field. Dick has published extensively, including about 100 peer reviewed research articles and several books on preventive medicine and sports science, and was awarded an Order of Australia in 1992 for his contribution to sports and sports science.
YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR - ACT
Melissa Aveyard, 21
Recovery supporter
Melissa Aveyard won the 2004 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year Award for her initiative and commitment to assisting others, in particular young people with a disability. She wasn't able to accept the award in person because she was on her way to England to work voluntarily for six months as a carer in a home for 25 adults with cerebral palsy. Two years later, Melissa suffered a setback of her own - she had a stroke and she was only nineteen. Since then she has been campaigning for a support group in Canberra for young stroke survivors. She wants people to realise that strokes don't happen only to older people and she believes it is important for young sufferers to know they are not alone. Through her forming a social group, Melissa has enabled others to share their concerns and triumphs with someone who understands where they are coming from.
Julia Collin, 21
Young leader
Julia Collin is a full-time Australian National University student who has contributed to the 2005, 2006, and 2007 National Youth Weeks. She recently worked with the Youth Coalition, the Australian Capital Territory's peak youth affairs body responsible for representing, promoting, and protecting the rights, interests, and wellbeing of people between 12 and 25 years of age. Julia helped organise this year's Walk Against Want, volunteered her time to Lifeline and Oxfam, and has established workshops on sustainable consumption. Previously she has worked for Energy Partners, an NGO that promotes energy efficiency, and Work-Ways, a community organisation that finds meaningful work for people with a mental disability. She now works for Youth for Leadership in Sustainable Consumption and is helping to promote Fair Trade Cuppa for Fair Trade Fortnight. When she graduates Julia intends to continue contributing to her community at the grassroots level and wants to analyse and influence the formulation of social policy.
Mei Shi (Diana) Ni, 23
Community contributor
As well as being in her final year of her Commerce/Law degree at the ANU and working full-time, Mei Shi (Diana) Ni has for years been very busily involved in community work. She was one of eight Young Tourism Ambassadors campaigning as a volunteer promoting domestic tourism. She ran in the Queen's Baton Relay. She volunteered for a three-month stint at the Youth Legal Centre, providing advice on employment law and helping people who can't speak English well enough to handle legal problems. And she was the ACT young member on the National Planning Group for this year's National Youth Week. Diana has also been on the ACT Youth Advisory Council for the past two years and participated in an inquiry into lowering the voting age to sixteen. Because of her leadership potential and service to her community, Diana was nominated for the National Student Leadership Forum hosted by the Australian Parliament.
Xian Zhi Soon, 21
High achiever
Xian Zhi Soon is passionate about tackling issues affecting young people and being a catalyst for positive change. His belief in a compassionate and tolerant society forms a continuing theme in his work as a youth advocate. Even in his early high school days, Zhi was known as a bright young man keen to help others. His community service led to his being awarded a scholarship for three consecutive years. He was recognised in 2003 for his exceptional achievements as one of NSW's most outstanding students. Zhi was member of the National Youth Roundtable in 2003 and in 2005 joined the NSW Board of Studies, the youngest member ever appointed. Since moving to Canberra to complete his studies he has channelled his energy into developing the next generation of community leaders as co-founder of the Ashtyn Institute, a think-tank providing a forum for young people to engage in the public policy debate.
LOCAL HERO - ACT
Walter Blumenfeld
Community volunteer
Walter (Wally) Blumenfeld has nearly thirty years of volunteering experience in the Canberra region and beyond. After service as a merchant seaman and Army service in Borneo, Malaya, and Vietnam he contributed to his new community by joining the Australian Capital Territory Emergency Services. He has kept up an exhausting pace ever since, from helping contain the bushfires in 2003 to more recently responding to the Newcastle and Maitland floods. Wally is also a resuscitation instructor with the Australian Capital Territory St John Ambulance Community Care Branch, has worked as a guide at the Australian War Memorial for ten years, and performs volunteer cross country ski patrols on the Perisher snowfields. Wally is a competitive skier, has completed the Sydney to Wollongong bike ride four times, and enjoys sea kayaking and bush walking. His community contribution includes providing Norwegian and Swedish translation services. Wally's secret is to keep active, stay abreast of events overseas, and participate.
Peter McEncroe
Dedicated volunteer
Peter McEncroe has been an active volunteer with the Australian Capital Territory State Emergency Service for more than thirty years. He has worked tirelessly through many major emergency incidents, including the Gudgenby fires, forensic searches of crime scenes, a plane crash, Sydney storm damage, Canberra bushfires and storms, Maitland floods, and the Victorian fires last year. Throughout two structural changes of the SES organisation Peter ensured that volunteer members' morale was kept high so that they remained effective in protecting their community. Peter is always professional in the way he deals with the public and his colleagues and he makes sure that young and new members are given the opportunity to expand their skills and take on more responsibility. For his dedication and commitment he was awarded honorary life membership of the SES in 2006. It is not just one incident but his commitment over many years that make Peter a true local hero.
Holly Northam
Organ donor advocate
Holly Northam's job description as an Australian Capital Territory Organ Donor Coordinator based at Canberra Hospital tells only part of the story. The other part is how she goes about doing it. Holly's role must be one of the most difficult anyone could take on - following the death of a loved one she talks to the family about organ donation. But Holly is herself a giver, one who brings out the best in those around her, colleagues, donors, and recipients. She is one of those people who through kindness, gentleness, patience, and a keen understanding of the human condition show strength, courage, and tenacity in times of enormous challenge. At the same time she provides hope and meaning to organ recipients who have been given a new chance of life. Holly's contribution has helped make the Australian Capital Territory's donor rate the highest in Australia and its rate of registered organ donors double the national average.
Dr Peter Sharp
Indigenous health practitioner
Peter Sharp is Medical Director of the Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service. Established in 1988 to provide a culturally safe and holistic health service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding areas. He is their longest serving staff member. At first he travelled from Sydney every weekend to run a clinic and then took on home visits. He now runs clinics at local and regional correctional facilities and at Narrabundah Primary School. Peter also works with older people affected by alcohol and substance abuse and trains other medical professionals in Aboriginal health. Peter has a high level of understanding of the complex health, social, emotional, and cultural needs of his patients. In return he is held in high esteem by the local Indigenous community.
