Ian Kiernan OAM
1994 Award
Clean Up Australia Campaign
In 1986-87 Kiernan became concerned about marine pollution during a long ocean voyage. Having heard of a group of 'local hippies' who brought 100 people together to clean up a filthy Hawaiian canal he decided to make a similar effort in Australia. In 1989 he was joined by Dawn Fraser, John Singleton and others in an attempt to clean up Sydney Harbour during which 40 000 people removed 5000 tonnes of rubbish in one day. Kiernan says: 'I am not anti-developer or anti-business but when you have people making profits and doing environmental damage, they are not involved in a sustainable industry.' In his view a practical commitment to the environment , such as a clean-up day, is more effective than legislation, but he also advocates tougher national legislation for environmental protection.
In the following year Kiernan launched the Clean Up Australia campaign, and in 1993 a Clean Up the World operation attracted 30 million volunteers in 80 countries. Described by Phillip Adams as 'the most famous garbo since Greta', Kiernan saw his award as an opportunity 'to spread the message of care for the environment to all levels of the Australian and global community'.
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