Northern Territory finalists for Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia's Local Hero awards were announced today. They include a nurse, an Indigenous singer/songwriter, a solar power inventor, an aspiring astronaut and a Muslim community leader.
There are four finalists in each award category and recipients will be announced at the Northern Territory Australian of the Year Awards event on Monday 24 November 2008 in Darwin. The Northern Territory recipients will then join recipients from all other States and Territories as finalists for the national awards. The national awards will be announced on 25 January 2009.
Ms Tam Johnston, Director of the Australian of the Year Awards, said the finalists were selected from more than 3,300 nominations received from across the nation.
"Each year, the nominations we receive demonstrate just what a diverse and extraordinary community the Northern Territory is," said Ms Johnston.
"The finalists this year showcase the talent of the Territory, the way people work together and help each other, problem-solvers and a real pioneer spirit."
The Northern Territory finalists are:
NT AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Pam Harrison - Nurse & philanthropist
Will MacGregor - Youth support worker (Alice Springs)
Fiona O'Loughlin - Comedian & foster mother (Alice Springs)
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu - Indigenous singer/songwriter (Arnhem Land)
NT SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Coralyn Armstrong - Educator (Ramingining)
Julia Battison - Community worker (Palmerston)
Bryan & Kathy Massey - Dedicated community supporters
Max Tate - Solar power enthusiast (Tennant Creek)
NT YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Ngaree Ah Kit - Young indigenous leader (Karama)
Rachel Meldrum - Talented scientist (Brinkin)
Amy Robinson - Youth leader (Darwin)
Douglas Watts - Aspiring astronaut (Palmerston)
NT LOCAL HERO
Basma Ganalarritj - Carer (Elcho Island)
Dr T Mahendrarajah - Opthalmic surgeon (Nakara)
Peter Mostran - Transport expert & race event leader (Alice Springs)
Chowdhury Sadaruddin - Muslim community leader (Gunn)
This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Commonwealth Bank's involvement with the Australian of the Year Awards.
For more information of the Australian of the Year Awards visit www.australianoftheyear.org.au.
Ends.
Finalist bios attached with this media release or downloadable from www.australianoftheyear.org.au
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
NORTHERN TERRITORY FINALISTS 2009
Australian of the Year - NT Finalists
Pam Harrison
Nurse and philanthropist
Pam Harrison is a dedicated senior registered nurse who has undertaken geriatric care and worked in the most difficult of nursing environments in prisons and the defence force. In recent years, at not inconsiderable personal risk, she has been raising funds through Aid For Africa Down Under for the Lirhanzo Children's Village for AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe, sourcing medical and educational supplies in Australia and arranging their transport through South Africa. She recently organised a film night in Darwin that raised $35,000. Her efforts have helped build sections of the school and fund water projects. She was integral in organising essential pharmaceuticals for the local hospital and secured regular funding for doctors' salaries. Pam has her own health challenges but she remains passionately focussed on improving the Village. The recent death of Kirri, a three-year-old child Pam sponsored, is driving her to push for a nursing school and a project to tackle malaria. Pam demonstrates that one person can make an enormous difference in the seemingly overwhelming problems facing Third World countries like Zimbabwe.
Will MacGregor
Youth support worker
Will MacGregor began operating Bush Mob from the back of a 4WD. The program takes marginalised young people out bush overnight to build their self-esteem and respect for each other. The participants tackle problems like alcohol and drug abuse, violence and suicide, and encourage each other to take control of their own lives. Bush Mob is an attempt to break welfare dependency, and this year Will established a Bush Mob Youth Residential Service. Aimed at young people wanting to get their lives back on track without the use of alcohol or drugs, the service provides 24-hour care, counselling, life skill development programs, health interventions and promotes education, training and good life choices. Individuals on the program get a support person, and can stay for up to two months. He has also set up an Outreach Team who visit young people and their families, listen to their concerns and offer support. The response to these unique programs has been so overwhelming that the organisation has expanded dramatically. Will now manages a group of staff, volunteers and peer group mentors who have worked with thousands of young people and their families in Central Australia. Will's work is making a real difference in young people's lives.
Fiona O'Loughlin
Comedian and foster mother
Fiona O'Loughlin is one of Australia's most popular female comedians who has performed stand-up all over the world from London and Hong Kong to Los Angeles and Montreal. Based in Alice Springs, she has shown that you can live in the Territory and still maintain an international career. In 2001, her show Fiona and Her Sister (and some guy) won the industry-nominated Barry Award for best newcomer. She started life growing up in the South Australian wheat-farming town of Warooka, where telling stories was a family custom. At 22 she married and moved to Alice Springs and, after starting a family, applied for a $600 Northern Territory Government arts grant. It saw her catching a bus to Melbourne to soak up a series of stand-up comedy shows. She was hooked. Since then she has succeeded in the largely male dominated field, developing her own warts-and-all style of comedy based on her experiences as a mother. Yet in addition to raising her own five children, Fiona has fostered over 30 children. A quiet achiever in her local community, she has worked selflessly to give those less fortunate a better start in life. She has also undertaken extensive charity work and performed countless gigs for charity. Fiona may be one of the funniest working mothers in Australia, but she is also one of the most dedicated.
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Indigenous singer/songwriter
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is from the Gumatj nation in North-East Arnhem Land. Blind since birth, he is a gifted musician who has the unique talent of playing right-handed strung guitars left-handed. A former member of Yothu Yindi and a long-time member of the Saltwater Band, his debut solo album, Gurrumul, was released to critical acclaim. Hailed as one of the greatest musicians Australia has ever produced, Geoffrey sings in a mixture of local language and English. He performs in an almost classical setting with just an acoustic guitar, grand piano and double bass accompanying him. As a deeply traditional man, his songs focus on his spiritual connection with the land, his love of country, and the importance of his ancestors. Named male artist of the year at the 2007 Northern Territory Indigenous Music awards and awarded two arias at the ARIA Awards 2008, he has been acclaimed for his performance on the world stage in New York, Los Angeles and London. Geoffrey has also performed for the Queen and the Pope and supported Elton John on his recent Australian tour. He is an example of triumph over adversity, and of extraordinary talent.
Senior Australian of the Year - NT Finalists
Coralyn Armstrong
Hardworking educator
Corrie Armstrong is a remarkable woman who has a big heart and a big commitment to taking positive action. She moved to the Northern Territory in 1972 and worked in Alice Springs schools and the Alice Springs Education office for 22 years before heading north to Darwin. For the last six years she has worked tirelessly as the Principal of Ramingining CEC, a remote school in East Arnhem Land, educating and caring for the Indigenous children and youth of the community. Corrie is dedicated to her teaching and determined to improve Indigenous health and education in Ramingining. Her caring and compassionate approach has seen great improvements in Indigenous literacy levels and student health. Her persistence to demand the very best from her teaching staff and employees to provide these students with the best opportunities possible is commendable. Corrie is highly respected in the field of education for her determination to help Indigenous children succeed and reach their potential.
Julia Battison
Community worker
In the early-1980s, the town of Palmerston, in the Northern Territory, was built. At that time Julia Battison worked for what is now the Palmerston City Council. Recognising that there were no markets in the town, Julia organised markets to offer the town's new citizens fresh food, toys and other goods as well as a social outlet. The markets, which Julia has managed for the last 24 years, revolve around families. Julia is committed to ensuring that families of all socio-economic backgrounds have access to the markets and the free entertainment it provides. She has always been present at the markets, even through two hip replacements, and spends weekends visiting garage sales to buy toys that she gives to the children on market night. The market stalls offer a snapshot of the diverse local community with residents from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Italy, Greece, the Philippines, India, and England. The markets are an important example of how people from different backgrounds can live and work together in harmony.
Bryan and Kathy Massey
Dedicated community supporters
Bryan and Kathy Massey arrived on Groote Eylandt as missionaries nearly 40 years ago. They knew very little about Aboriginal culture or what lay ahead. In the years that followed, Bryan and Kathy developed a trusting, close partnership with the Aboriginal community of Angurugu. They introduced a program to counteract alcohol and substance misuse, a Meals on Wheels program, and disability services. Their greatest success was fulfilling the community's long-term wish to have an aged care facility, which was built in the shape of the Angurugu totem, a swordfish, to signify community dreams and commitment. Bryan and Kathy's devotion to Indigenous welfare has also extended beyond their immediate community. For many years Bryan has been a board member on the Council on Aboriginal Alcohol Prevention, and in 1997 both Bryan and Kathy travelled to Katherine as part of flood relief efforts. The couple have also raised awareness about Machado Joseph Disease, a fatal nerve wasting condition, affecting a significant number of the Angurugu community and communities in West Arnhem Land. As a long line of missionaries and other non-Indigenous staff have come and gone over the years, Bryan and Kathy have remained, committed to assisting the community they have grown to love so deeply.
Max Tate
Solar power enthusiast
Max Tate has been inventing and creating solar powered vehicles for over 15 years. He uses a self-made electric car, powered by camper fuel and cooking oil, to drive around his Tennant Creek home, and is unfazed by its maximum speed of 40kph. When his son suffered a brain tumour that affected his ability to walk, Max made him an electric trike. Both solar powered vehicles produce no emissions and cost nothing to run. Max describes them as his 'messages to mankind.' Affectionately known by the locals as Mad Max, he is a great adventurer and a gyrocopter enthusiast. He takes locals and tourists on flights aboard his gyrocopter, and was the first person to ever fly one across the Tanami Desert. Max is on a mission to get people to take gyrocopters seriously and believes they can be of great use in station work for mustering and checking stock. The emergency services have called on Max and his gyrocopter to help in a range of situations, including finding escaped prisoners and rescuing those trapped by floods. But it is Max's love of life that is so infectious. With his oft repeated motto of 'who needs drugs when you can get high on life,' he inspires people to live life to the full and makes his community a better place to live.
Young Australian of the Year - NT Finalists
Ngaree Ah Kit - 27
Young Indigenous leader
Ngaree Ah Kit is a young woman of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Chinese descent who is passionate about encouraging other young people to take a leadership role in the community. She is the Chairperson of the Top End NAIDOC Committee and voluntarily coordinated the 2007 NAIDOC Week youth events in Darwin where she addressed the crowd, speaking of the Prime Minister's apology to the Stolen Generation and the Northern Territory Emergency Response Intervention. Ngaree said, 'Some may like this Intervention, some may not, but what is important is the improvement it has made for the lifestyle of our people.' Her advocacy for Indigenous affairs has seen her take on numerous roles, including becoming a member of the National Indigenous Leadership Group, the local Youth Round Table, and the Board of Danila Dilba, a non-profit organisation that provides health services to the Indigenous population. Ngaree is employed as a Support Business Officer in the Australian Government, and is studying part-time for a Bachelor of Business at Charles Darwin University. She works tirelessly to encourage Indigenous people to participate in the decision-making processes that affect them and make a real difference.
Rachel Meldrum - 24
Talented scientist
Rachel Meldrum is on a mission to help the local banana industry. Panama disease in bananas is regarded as one of the most destructive diseases in the recorded history of agriculture. A particularly virulent strain of the disease, known as Tropical Race 4 (TR4), was identified in the Northern Territory in 1997 and caused the closure of several banana plantations. In the last 11 years this strain has caused a 60 per cent decline in the Northern Territory's banana production. At present there are no commercial resistant banana varieties, no method for eradicating the fungus and conventional detection methods take several weeks. Rachel is investigating whether the spread of an infectious strain is carried between farms by a soil-borne fungus, and whether banana weevils are assisting the spread. As Rachael explains, her award-winning project will 'expand our knowledge of TR4 epidemiology and, in doing so, help our local banana industry.' Rachel has demonstrated that the influence, creativity and skills of young scientists are vital to our nation's wellbeing.
Amy Robinson - 20
Youth leader
Currently the Northern Territory's representative for National Youth Week, Amy Robinson represents the Territory on a national scale. Amy is an active participant in organising youth events and encouraging participation of young people, regardless of cultural or social barriers. A highlight of this role was Amy's involvement in the judging of this year's NT Young Achievers Award. At the presentation she gave an inspirational speech that was subsequently included in the NT Parliamentary Hansard to remind parliamentarians of their responsibilities for youth. For the past six years Amy has also been a youth parliamentarian, a role that involves organising young people in learning about government. Prior to this she was a member of the Youth Advisory Group and the United Nations Youth Association NT. Amy's significant commitment to the community extends beyond youth leadership. She has been a Red Cross volunteer for the past four years, spends time reading to elderly members of the community, and is an animal welfare volunteer at the RSPCA. She has fulfilled all these commitments while working fulltime in the NT Treasury as a trainee finance officer and studying for a degree in business. Amy is a shining example of the positive contribution one individual can make.
Douglas Watts - 20
Aspiring astronaut
Douglas Watts hopes to one day be the first Australian to become a Pilot in the NASA Astronaut Corps, and he is well on the way to realising that dream. Douglas' passion for aviation and space has lead him to study Aerospace Engineering at the prestigious Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. Upon graduating Year 12 Douglas worked in mining and offshore oil industry whilst continuing to develop his academic knowledge. He also contributed to the first Northern Territory Space School as a lecturer and mentor for the students. Before receiving his international scholarship, Douglas also competed in the prestigious NASA engineering challenge held at the Johnson Space Centre. He won first place, setting a new record in the process. As a result, he received a recommendation to study at Embry-Riddle. The university is located near the Kennedy Space Centre and works closely with leading aerospace companies to groom NASA's future astronauts. After completing the five-year degree he intends to fly as fighter pilot in the military before applying for NASA's astronaut corps. Douglas has the honour of being the first Australian to be accepted to study Aerospace Engineering at the university and is an inspiration to young people across the world showing how with determination and passion you can pursue your dreams.
Australia's Local Hero - NT Finalists
Basma Ganalarritj
Elcho Island
Carer
Basma Ganalarritj is a Yolngu woman living in a remote community off the coast of North-East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. She lives in difficult surroundings and yet she cares for many neglected children in the Gali'winku community by bringing them into her home, feeding them, taking care of their health needs and ensuring that they attend school every day. She often pays for the children's food and other needs from her small wage as an assistant teacher. Basma's contribution to the community and the impact she has had on these children's lives is incalculable. She is not only ensuring that they grow into healthy, well-educated adults, but she also provides them with a positive role model. Basma's compassion and care for others is a shining example to all Australians.
Dr Tharmalingam Mahendrarajah
Nakara
Ophthalmic surgeon
Many patients in the Northern Territory owe their sight to the work of Dr Tharmalingam Mahendrarajah. For nearly three years he was the only ophthalmic surgeon in the Top End, supporting both the Royal Darwin and Darwin Private hospitals. During this time he worked extremely long hours due to the difficulty in attracting further specialists to the region. And yet he always makes himself available to his patients, giving them his full commitment and attention. He is always on call, night and day, seven days a week. He has been instrumental in actively tackling the prevalent problems associated with Indigenous eye health, including diseases such as trachoma, cataract and diabetic retinopathy. He is part of an eye-care team that conducts more than 50 visits to 26 regions each year, including Katherine, Gove, Wurli Wurli and Manning River. Dr Mahendrarajah provides an essential service to the people of the Northern Territory and also travelled to Sri Lanka to volunteer his services to Tsunami victims. He is a dedicated professional whose commitment to his patients is absolute, and yet despite the high esteem in which he is held he remains truly humble, saying, 'The daily rewards of having helped preserve or restore vision are worth all the effort.'
Peter Mostran
Alice Springs
Transport enthusiast
Peter Mostran has lived nearly all his life in Alice Springs and has contributed to its growth, maturity and the 'can do' attitude that is a proud Territorian trait. As a young man he watched a film recording of the very first Henley-On-Todd where people raced in bottomless boats through the sand of the dry Todd River. It made quite an impression on him and in 1987 he joined Rotary and got involved with the Henley-On-Todd. Over the years Peter and his staff have worked tirelessly to prepare the race site and have been instrumental in retaining the Territory's longest running iconic event as an Alice institution. However Peter's fascination for transport does not end with bottomless boats. He is a dedicated worker for the Hart's Range Amateur Race Club, and is well known for his knowledge of the transport and fuel distribution industry. An astute businessman in the field, it was his work ethic that has contributed so significantly to the industry's development. As a result he has been inducted into the Transport Hall of Fame. Peter does everything with complete effort and commitment. He is a man of integrity, honesty and reliability.
Chowdhury Sadaruddin
Gunn
Muslim community leader
Chowdhury Sadaruddin's contribution to the Islamic community in Darwin is significant. As President of the Islamic Society of Palmerston he has been working to establish a centre for the Muslim community in Palmerston to cater for the religious, cultural and social needs of the Muslim community. The Centre will serve as a venue for open days to promote harmony between Muslims and those of other faiths, strengthening the local community and fostering mutual respect and understanding. Chowdhury has also been instrumental in establishing the Territory's first Islamic school, is involved in organising Islamic Awareness Week, has represented Darwin at the regional level of the Islamic Council meetings and was involved in the Bringing Communities Together Expo 2007. The Expo included two workshops open to the public on 'Enhancing Social Participation' and 'Challenges for Future Generations of NT Muslims.' Although a Muslim, Chowdhury readily extends his support to those of all faiths. His effort to improve his community's standing and lifestyle in the Territory is boundless. The Top End is a better place as a result of his compassion and kindness.
