Tasmania's 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 gardening legend, a respite care founder, an environmental advocate and a helper of the homeless.
There are four finalists in each award category and recipients will be announced at the Tasmanian Australian of the Year Awards event on Wednesday 26 November 2008 in Hobart.
The Tasmanian 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.
"Tasmania has provided some very inspiring finalists this year from all walks of life," said Ms Johnston.
"It just goes to show the great things people are doing in this community."
The Tasmanian finalists are:
TASMANIA AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Bernadette Black - Writer & teenage mums supporter (Blackmans Bay)
Dr Scott Brennan - Rowing legend (Lindisfarne)
Peter Cundall AM - Gardening expert (Rosevears)
Sally Fletcher - Suicide prevention campaigner (Launceston)
TASMANIA SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Ronnie Burns - Respite centre founder (Devonport)
Aunty Phyllis Pitchford - Aboriginal Elder (Rocherlea)
Vlastislav Skvaril - Marathon runner (Burnie)
Bryn Warrick - Sea rescue volunteer (George Town)
TASMANIA YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Sam Cawthorn - Motivator (Launceston)
Katie Crane - Youth leader (Richmond)
Abyilene Dobson - Environmental advocate (Blackmans Bay)
Katarina Pakinga - Choirmaster & performer (Burnie)
TASMANIA LOCAL HERO
Mary Binks OAM - Homeless helper (Devonport)
John Layton Hodgetts OAM - Band leader (New Norfolk)
Gerald Kay - Pharmacist & fundraiser (Smithton)
Kim Schneiders - Arts champion (West Launceston)
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
TASMANIA FINALISTS 2009
Australian of the Year - Tasmanian Finalists
Bernadette Black
Writer and campaigner
When Catholic schoolgirl Bernadette Black faced an unplanned pregnancy at the age of 16 she promised herself three things. To be a good mother, finish her education, and write the book that she needed, and couldn't find, to help and encourage others in her situation. She now has three children, with her eldest in high school, and has fulfilled all three promises. Brave Little Bear is the book. It endorses motherhood, showing that teenage mothers can be good mums and still have a great life, but it is also very frank about the issues Bernadette had to deal with. Finishing her education was difficult but Bernadette persevered, and encourages other young women to do the same. With around 25,000 teenage pregnancies in Australia each year, she hopes Brave Little Bear will offer 'that first bit of light' that enables them to see that with the help of healthcare professionals and educational resources they can do it. She is passionate about raising awareness and reducing teenage pregnancy but she also wants to 'help the girls who are there at the moment walking this journey.' Bernadette offers vulnerable young woman much-needed empathy, encouragement and support.
Dr Scott Brennan
Rowing legend
Olympic gold medallist Scott Brennan achieved exceptional results as a junior rower and in his first senior event won gold in the quad scull in Lucerne at the World Cup. Brennan rose to international fame in 2001 when he won silver in the Junior World Championships single sculls. Two years later he won gold in the single sculls at the under-23 World Championships. As a 21 year old he made his Olympic debut at the Athens Olympics, placing seventh in the quadruple sculls. Disappointed with his result, he was determined to improve. He suffered a significant injury in 2007 but came back to compete in the Australian men's double scull for the World Championships in Munich, setting an Australian record in the regatta. In Beijing Scott won his first Olympic gold medal in the men's double scull with David Crawshay. While training he has also worked full time to complete his medical degree and is now a practicing doctor. He also volunteers for Camp Quality when he can. Scott demonstrates that with hard work, tenacity and perseverance you can achieve your goals.
Peter Cundall AM
Gardening expert
Peter Cundall has been gardening since he was a small child and has a love of the environment. Born in Manchester, he taught himself paving techniques mainly using second-hand materials wheeled from derelict buildings in an old pram. He also learned pruning techniques, propagation and heated greenhouse management, and helped feed his family with the development of a highly productive vegetable garden. After leaving the Australian Army in 1956, he began his own business designing and constructing gardens in Tasmania. In 1967, he began one of the world's first gardening talkback programs on a Launceston radio station and two years later he began a career in television with a program which after several name and format changes became Gardening Australia, one of the longest running, most iconic shows in Australia. Peter has also played a major role in creating the Organic Gardening and Farming Society and has written extensively on gardening, including producing the first gardening book printed on washable plastic paper for outdoor use, Year Round Gardening. He remains actively involved with environmental, peace and child protection movements. Peter is a well-known and much-loved figure in Australian gardening who is respected for his sincere and open-hearted manner.
Sally Fletcher
Suicide prevention campaigner
After a serious illness Sally Fletcher made a promise to herself to focus on doing all the things she loved. She began cycling and trained to a level where she had success racing at national and World Masters level. But Sally wanted to use her success to benefit the community. In 2002 she initiated a project, known as Sally's Ride, to prevent youth suicide in Tasmania, to increase community awareness and promote health and life. She rode 1,400 kilometres solo around Tasmania and donated the $13,000 she raised to a local project. In 2003, she formed a partnership with the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund (ARHRF) and for every year that Sally rides they agreed to match the amount she raises. These funds go to support the Yshareit program which fosters peer networking utilising internet mental health resources. To date Sally has raised $95,000 to which the ARHRF has added a further $163,000. Sally's Ride has greatly increased community awareness of the problem of youth suicide and what began as a solo run has become a nine-day event incorporating school visits, corporate challenge rides and youth days. Sally leads by example, encouraging young people to care about their physical and mental wellbeing.
Senior Australian of the Year - Tasmanian Finalists
Ronnie Burns
Respite centre founder
Ronnie Burns is a well-known singer and former 'King of Pop.' For decades he touched people with his music but he gave up the world of showbiz to dedicate his life to saving children. Supported by his wife Maggie, he created the Appin Hall Children's Foundation Respite Centre which provides refuge for terminally ill, disadvantaged, abused and destitute children, and their carers. Ronnie is involved in every aspect of the centre from sourcing potential sponsorship to hands-on building of the new and ever-expanding facilities to accommodate more children. His vision is to eventually have a village that will house 200 children and six permanent staff members. In the meantime for the children already staying at Appin Hall he stages music nights, takes them to visit local attractions and, most importantly, acts as a role model and trusted friend to these children who have experienced much trauma in their lives. Ronnie is known as a man with a huge heart who is generous and selfless with his time. He works tirelessly in his quest to create a safe and nurturing environment and a future for what he sees as the most precious thing on this planet - our children.
Aunty Phyllis Pitchford
Aboriginal elder
Aunty Phyllis Pitchford is a respected Aboriginal elder who is a proud advocate for her people. As a poet and author her writing explores Aboriginal history, traditions, culture and identity. For the past 35 years she has served on boards for a diverse range of Aboriginal institutions, often in a voluntary capacity. She was a founding member of the Babel Island Aboriginal Corporation and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Childcare Association. Phyllis is a committed mentor for young Aboriginal people. She is involved with Meenah Mienne (My Dream), an art-based pilot project for Aboriginal youth in the justice system, and she also visits and mentors young Aboriginal people in the Ashley Youth Detention Centre. Phyllis has worked tirelessly for her community throughout Tasmania at local and state levels, and represents Tasmania nationally on a range of issues including youth justice, childcare, education, housing, family violence and Indigenous women's health and wellbeing. She was recently inducted into the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women in recognition of her work. As she writes in her poem Sad Memories, in 'the move to step forward away from the past' and address the issues facing Indigenous communities there is still 'a long way to go,' but Phyllis is making a real difference.
Vlastislav Skvaril
Marathon runner
Vlastik Skvaril demonstrates that age is no barrier to achieving great things. At 69 years of age he enjoys running across the country to raise money for charity and has been described as the 'Forrest Gump of Braddon.' He successfully ran the Spartathlon, a 246-kilometre trek from Athens to Sparta where just one-third of the runners complete the journey within the given time limit. He has run across Tasmania on several occasions for charity, and two years ago he ran from Tasmania's South-East Cape to the tip of Cape York, covering a total of 5,506 kilometres in 92 days to raise funds for Camp Quality. Vlastik recently completed a 6,000 kilometre, 100-day run from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Bryon Bay in New South Wales to raise $50,000 for CanTeen, the national support organisation for young people living with cancer. With six healthy grandchildren of his own, Vlastik says he is inspired to run by the young people he meets who live with cancer and still get so much out of life. This remarkable man also wants to show people that you are never too old if you put your mind to it.
Bryn Warrick
Sea rescue volunteer
In serving the coastal rescue services of Tasmania over the last 14 years, Bryn Warrick has clocked up a staggering 50,000 hours of unpaid volunteer work. This impressive contribution began in 1994 when Bryn initially started volunteer work with the Royal Coastal Patrol. He is now the Search and Rescue Coordinator for Tamar Sea Rescue and averages 96 hours a week manning the organisation's rescue radio. To boats in distress Bryn is the reassuring voice on the other end of the radio coordinating rescue efforts. His presence is vital to maintenance of morale and he will often spend more than 12 hours at a time on the radio relaying between the occupants of a distressed vessel and the rescue authorities. Bryn also routinely broadcasts weather forecasts to ensure that all vessels are aware of weather developments. In Victoria there is no similar service and Bryn provides support far beyond his geographical area. He scans the airwaves all night and if any distress call is received he liaises with the appropriate authorities. At 81 years of age, Bryn's commitment to this role shows no signs of wavering. Described by those who know him as a 'human dynamo,' his dedication to protecting those travelling the seas is inspirational.
Young Australian of the Year - Tasmanian Finalists
Sam Cawthorn - 28
Motivator
Sam Cawthorn grew up on a farm with 10 brothers and sisters. At the age of 15 he left home and began mixing with street kids. He was kicked out of school but realised if he wanted to achieve his dreams he would have to turn his life around. Sam worked hard to put his past behind him and went on to pursue his goals of working in the performing arts and as a youth pastor. However in 2006 Sam was involved in a head-on collision with a semi trailer that resulted in his right arm being amputated above the elbow and broken bones in his right leg. He was lucky to be alive. As a result of his experiences he decided to help others by establishing the program 'Be Motivated.' The program aims to provide young people with the necessary life skills to achieve the seemingly impossible. Sam invests those around him with confidence and self-belief. He represents the ability to remain positive and enthusiastic about life in the face of adversity.
Katie Crane - 25
Youth leader
Katie Crane's dad joined the voluntary organisation Rural Youth as a young man, and found it to be so rewarding that it became a family tradition handed down to his children. For his daughter, Katie, it came as no surprise that on her fifteenth birthday her sisters presented her with a Rural Youth membership. Katie has now been carrying on the tradition for over a decade, dedicating all her spare time to the organisation. Rural Youth brings people together from all over Tasmania for competitions, social events and support. At the age of just 17, Katie was elected as President of the Oatlands Rural Youth Club, and one year later she became a member of the State Council, the governing body for Rural Youth. Then at 24, Katie became the Chair of Agfest, one of Tasmania's most significant events involving 740 exhibitors and over 80,000 participants. She was the youngest ever chairperson and only the third woman to chair the three-day agricultural field show. She describes it as 'the most tiring and rewarding thing I have ever done.' Katie is a great ambassador for rural youth of Tasmania.
Abyilene Dobson - 26
Environmental advocate
Working for the Kingborough Council, Abyilene Dobson is the youngest Senior Environmental Health Officer in Tasmania. Her role is to ensure a healthy and safe environment through the implementation of public and environmental health programs and the enforcement of relevant legislation. Abyilene conducts numerous education programs and coordinates projects like the Bruny Island Water Supply, which addressed a significant environmental and health concern and won her an EHA Industry Award. She has also undertaken volunteer work in the remote Andean mountain villages of Peru to help improve hygiene standards, educate the community about wastewater management to minimise contamination, and improve the quality of drinking water. In her role as Leader-in-Charge of the Forester Guides, Abyilene's primary focus is to see young girls develop into confident women. As a Girl Guide since the age of 10, who then progressed through the leadership program, she knows the value of being involved with the Guides. Abyilene's goals for the future include proactively and practically addressing climate change issues on a local level, ensuring pandemic preparedness in the Kingborough municipality, and increasing the profile of environmental health.
Katarina Pakinga - 28
Choirmaster and performer
Katy Pakinga doesn't believe in waiting for opportunities to happen, she believes in making them happen. Her philosophy is, if the world doesn't have a niche for you, simply carve out your own pathway. In 2003, Katy's passion for music led her to create the Burnie Youth Choir. Today it has 90 children between the ages of nine and 25. Katy's major priority is for the kids to have fun and their motto, 'We Just Wanna Sing,' reflects that. Just four years after Katy established the choir, its vibrancy shone through at the Performing Arts Challenge in Sydney where the choir won Best Show/Pop Choir. Recently the choir again travelled to Sydney to perform in the Australasian Choral Championships where it received an honourable mention in two sections and won the Show Choir section. More than 200 young singers take lessons from Katy each week and she has also opened her own successful performing arts studio. Katy's energy and enthusiasm for music is infectious and she has brought joy into the lives of hundreds of children. She is a great believer in helping young people to find their own 'groove' in life, saying, 'I believe we must encourage them to do whatever it is that they want to do.'
Australia's Local Hero - Tasmanian Finalists
Mary Binks OAM
Devonport
Homeless helper
As a journalist for the Burnie Advocate, Mary Binks won a Walkley Award in 1987 for Best Story in a Provincial Newspaper. She went on to play an important role in local government in Tasmania, serving the Devonport City Council for 14 years, four as mayor. She was a member and state convenor of the Tasmanian Women's Consultative Council and is past vice president of the Tasmanian Local Government Association. Since then it has been her voluntary work with the homeless that has garnered her respect. She founded Gran's Van, which provides meals to the homeless and needy in the town. The van has almost 300 volunteers and feeds up to 15 people each night. In 18 months she has served more than 2,100 meals. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd once even joined Mary and other volunteers to cook soup for the night's run, subsequently offering her a $100,000 cheque to help her continue the service. Mary has also received assistance from Tasports to cover running costs like food, insurance, and petrol. Mary hopes to expand the project from three to seven nights a week, and is currently running a campaign to provide gloves for the homeless.
John Layton Hodgetts OAM
New Norfolk
Band leader
From an early age Layton Hodgetts developed a passion for music and after moving to New Norfolk, a small town in Tasmania's Derwent Valley, he discovered that there was little to do for those not interested in sport. So in 1993, Layton developed the Derwent Valley Community Band. The following year a cultural exchange saw the band go to Japan and perform as part of Band Expo. The band was soon invited to play at events across Tasmania and then in 1997 to attend the Calgary Stampede in Canada, this time as a marching band, an arena in which they had no experience. After many hours of practice under Layton's tutelage they achieved an amazing score of 95 per cent for their performance. Since then the band has toured to Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, France and Scandinavia, and performed at the ceremony to open China's participation for the Olympics and the royal wedding parades for Princess Mary and Prince Frederic in Denmark. Layton is now a judge for bands throughout the world and was awarded a gold medal for conducting at the 2008 European Championships. He is an inspiration to his community for his determination and passion to create something that they can contribute to and be proud of.
Gerald Kay
Smithton
Pharmacist and fundraiser
Gerald Kay is a pharmacist who has great love for his community. Over the years he has fundraised to improve a wide range of facilities in Circular Head. He was a driving force behind the development of the Circular Head Community and Recreation Centre including a two-day walk from Burnie to Smithton, some 85 kilometres to raise over $20,000 for the Centre. He is Chair of the committee that has raised $850,000 to help build the Emmerton Park Aged Care Facility. He is a founding member of and for the past 25 years has helped organise the highly successful annual Bawdy Banquet event that raises funds for sporting and community groups. Last year alone saw over $20,000 raised for the Emmerton Park. For 15 years he has financially supported country primary schools to enable them to travel by bus for the annual winter sporting roster. As a pharmacist he has always gone the extra mile to deliver medical supplies after hours in his own time to the elderly and needy in the community. In his humble and understated way he says, 'I like to help out the community wherever I can.' Gerald is always willing to lend a helping hand to better every aspect of his community and his contribution has been invaluable.
Kim Schneiders
West Launceston
Arts champion
In addition to her work over the years as an arts teacher, educator and project manager, Kim Schneiders has given an extraordinary amount in a voluntary capacity to ensuring the arts vision for her community of West Launceston comes to life. In 1988, she won a National Excellence in Teaching Award for her work at St George's Special School for students with physical and intellectual differences. She used the prize money to establish Interweave Arts Association, a volunteer arts organisation auspicing quality programs that promote arts, education, culture, community and health. The first project of the organisation was to establish Esk Market, a weekly market for promoting arts and culture which is still going strong to this day. She went on to co-found the Streets Alive Youth Arts Festival which has become a vibrant and sustainable event thanks to her ability to turn a vision into reality. Her establishment of the Car Park Cinema has provided a drive-in style cinema in a beautiful park environment where established and emerging filmmakers can screen their work. In addition she designed Access Arts Link, where practising artists mentor artists with disabilities. Kim has worked to provide countless opportunities for arts practitioners and make the arts accessible to the wider community.
