MEDIA RELEASE
EMBARGOED UNTIL 12:01AM AEST FRIDAY 16 OCTOBER 2015
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR 2016 TASMANIAN
AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS
The finalists for the 2016 Tasmanian Australian of the Year Awards include an Antarctic scientist, arts champion, peace advocate, disability support worker, neuroscientists, youth ambassador and community volunteers.
The 2016 Tasmanian Award finalists are:
2016 TASMANIAN AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Annette Downs - Arts champion (Howrah)
Dr Nick Gales - Antarctic scientist (North Bruny)
Jane Hutchinson - Conservationist (Hobart)
John Xintavelonis - Actor and charity supporter (Bellerive)
2016 TASMANIAN SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Professor Ian Allison AO AAM - Glaciologist (Dynnyrne)
Bill (Gabriel) Casimaty - Agriculturalist and community leader (Richmond)
Jean Hearn - Peace advocate (Launceston)
Beryl Smith - Community volunteer (Alonnah)
2016 TASMANIAN YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Meg Cooper - Disability support worker (Sandy Bay)
Dr Lila Landowski - Neuroscientist and educator (North Hobart)
Zac Lockhart - Mental health advocate (Launceston)
Bianca Welsh - Youth ambassador (Launceston)
2016 TASMANIAN LOCAL HERO
Raymond Arnold - Artist and entrepreneur (Queenstown)
Ann Harrison - Community coordinator (Risdon Vale)
Ross Jones - Community champion (Longford)
Sonya Williams - Volunteer (Gagebrook)
The Tasmanian Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Local Hero Award recipients will be announced on Friday 6 November at the Henry Jones Art Hotel, Hobart. The Tasmanian Award recipients will then join recipients from all other States and Territories as finalists for the national Awards, which will be held in Canberra on 25 January 2016.
National Australia Day Council CEO, Mr Jeremy Lasek, said the Tasmanian finalists are among more than 120 great Australians being recognised as State and Territory finalists in the Australian of the Year Awards.
"The Tasmanian finalists work in a wide variety of disciplines from the arts to science to community service but they are all inspirational Australians following their passions to make Australia a better place," said Mr Lasek.
The Commonwealth Bank has been a proud sponsor of the Australian of the Year Awards for more than 36 years.
“The Australian of the Year Awards recognise people in our community for their remarkable contributions and achievements. We believe it is important to say thank you to people who make a positive difference, and inspire others to do the same,” said Mr Ian Narev, Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Bank.
For more information on the Australian of the Year Awards visit australianoftheyear.org.au
ENDS
Finalist bios attached with this media release or can be viewed from australianoftheyear.org.au
Media contacts: Zannie Abbott 0418 274 291 or Nicole Browne 0414 673 762
BIOGRAPHIES
TASMANIAN - FINALISTS - AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Annette Downs - Arts champion (Howrah)
Originally trained as a ballet dancer, Annette Downs has worked as a university lecturer, performer, artistic director, general manager and producer.As the driving force behind Tasmania Performs, Annette has helped create the
‘go to’ organisation for the state’s performing arts; showcasing rising stars and established talent, commissioningnew works, supporting independent producers and touring productions around Tasmania and beyond.As the Artistic Director of Terrapin Puppet Theatre for nearly a decade, Annette built a thriving organisation with an enviable international touring schedule.A freelance director, Annette’s most recent work includes Grounded for Blue Cow Theatre.Annette has also served on many boards – fromTasdanceto the Australian Script Centre and Australia Council's Theatre Board. She was the first female Chair of the Salamanca Arts Centre and one of the first women appointed to the Tasmanian State Development Board. With a passion for performers, Annette continues to devote her life to bringing Tasmania’s unique talent into the spotlight.
Dr Nick Gales - Antarctic scientist (North Bruny)
From tagging whales at the bow of a dinghy to giving evidence in Australia's winning International Court of Justice case against Japan over whaling, Dr Nick Gales has enjoyed an extraordinary career. As Chief Scientist and Director of the Australian Antarctic Division, Nick leads Australia's Antarctic scientific and operational programs, and is the nation’s main polar representative. A veterinarian and marine mammal biologist, Nick joined the Antarctic Division in 2001, assessing the controversial hot-iron branding of elephant seals on Macquarie Island. His report contributed to the program's cancellation. He was instrumental in establishing the Australian Marine Mammal Centre, has published over 125 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters, co-authored two books and mentors many young scientists. His positive, inclusive and entrepreneurial style has inspired highly collaborative scientific output and influenced marine conservation policy. Nick is now focused on communicating to Australians the vital importance of Antarctica, especially as a driver of the global climate system.
Jane Hutchinson - Conservationist (Hobart)
A committed conservationist, Jane Hutchinson was one of a handful of volunteers who started the Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC) in 2001. Since then, TLC has grown from a $50 bank account to a $30 million organisation which protects 65,000 hectares of habitat for threatened flora and fauna. Jane has steered TLC from a humble not-for-profit to a highly-regarded organisation acknowledged for its important and innovative conservation work.
Jane has devoted countless hours to her cause. While practicing law, Jane helped establish TLC’s constitutional and financial frameworks in her spare time. She sat on the TLC Board for five years, including three years as President, before stepping into the role of Chief Executive Officer in 2011. Jane’s persistence has paid off and she now leads science-driven conservation projects which safeguard the habitat of threatened species, including the Tasmanian devil, wedge-tailed eagle and Clarence Galaxias native fish. Under Jane’s watchful eye, TLC now protects more than two per cent of Tasmania’s private land.
John Xintavelonis - Actor and charity supporter (Bellerive)
A much-loved household name in Tasmania, John Xintavelonis has enjoyed a dynamic career in TV, radio, film, theatre and musicals. For more than two decades John X, as he is fondly known, has delivered unforgettable performances in stage roles as diverse as Mr Braithwaite in Billy Elliot to Stewpot in Opera Australia’s South Pacific. He travelled for two years with The Boy from Oz, and was nominated for a prestigious Mo Award for his role as Pumbaa the warthog in The Lion King. John’s television credits include Winners and Losers and City Homicide. When he’s not treading the boards, John devotes countless hours to charity causes, from lighting up Hobart's Parliament House in recognition of World Autism Awareness Day to washing windows to raise money for cancer research. A co-founder of Hobart’s independent Blue Cow Theatre, John is also an Australia Day Ambassador and is a passionate performer who inspires and encourages children and young people to express themselves.
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TASMANIAN - FINALISTS - SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Professor Ian Allison AO AAM, 70 - Glaciologist (Dynnyrne)
A pioneer of Australia's glaciological research program since the 1960s, Professor Ian Allison is acclaimed internationally as a glaciologist, making a significant contribution to climate science. An outstanding contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment Reports on Climate Change, Ian has worked tirelessly to synthesise global research results. He spent many years with the Australian Antarctic Division, ultimately leading the Ice, Oceans, Atmosphere and Climate program. As co-chair of the International Polar Year in 2007-08, Ian drove a coordinated, intense period of observational research activity in the Polar Regions. Ian’s enduring contribution to Antarctic affairs and the Antarctic community has been recognised with awards and accolades, such as the naming of Allison Glacier on Heard Island. Ian’s legacy also includes the work of the many PhD students he has supervised who have, themselves, made significant contributions to science. Ian’s community-mindedness and willingness to push ahead with fresh ideas has helped Australia build an internationally-respected scientific community.
Bill (Gabriel) Casimaty, 80 - Agriculturalist and community leader (Richmond)
His name is associated with the Davis Cup, Melbourne Cricket Ground and Hong Kong racetracks, but Bill Casimaty is no sports fanatic. Instead, he’s a Tasmanian farmer who has developed natural sports turf technology internationally. Bill graduated from Dookie Agricultural College and, after receiving a Nuffield scholarship to study farming overseas, set up turf farming at the family property in Tasmania’s Richmond. Since then, Bill’s family has built a thriving business based on science and research. A member of the University of Tasmania’s Council for almost a decade, Bill furthered the application of scientific principles within agriculture. Bill has been a Rotary Club President, chairman of several agricultural committees and advisory groups, and was the founder of Tasmania’s first local fire brigade to have a tanker truck. He has represented the Tasmania poppy industry at an international level, spearheaded irrigation which has spread throughout the state and founded a vineyard which has won international acclaim.
Jean Hearn, 94 - Peace advocate (Launceston)
Following the tragic death of her husband in World War II, Jean Hearn has spent her life creating awareness of the damage wrought by conflict. A former trade unionist, librarian, marriage celebrant and mother of four children, the power of goodwill propelled Jean into politics and she served in the Australian Senate from 1980 until her retirement in 1985. Now in her nineties, and despite having limited mobility, Jean has been the driving force behind the Tamar Community Peace Trust. Jean has overseen the creation of the Tamar Community Festival For Peace and encouraged the Launceston City Council to support the establishment of a garden for peace at Royal Park. The inaugural Festival For Peace, held in 2015, brought together more than 65 organisations and 7,000 citizens to promote peaceful approaches to conflict resolution. Jean challenges us all to strive for peace and look for ways to resolve conflict without violence.
Beryl Smith, 83 - Community volunteer (Alonnah)
The people of Bruny Island owe Beryl Smith a lifetime of thanks. Beryl has spent the past three decades working as president, secretary or treasurer for a range of community associations, from the Country Women’s Association to the Returned Services League Women’s Auxiliary. Beryl’s tireless work for charities began while she raised her seven children. Over the years, she’s helped everyone from young children through the Scout movement to unemployed youth and people in aged care. She’s run Blue Light Discos for the Police Boys Club, raffles for the Risdon Vale Football Club and continues to voluntarily audit the books for more than 15 local clubs and charities each year. Everyone from local cricketers to pony riders and pistol shooters rely on Beryl to ensure the ongoing financial stability of their community clubs. Loved by everyone she meets, Beryl is a shining example of an unsung hero who rolls up her sleeves and gives back to her community.
TASMANIAN - FINALISTS - YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Meg Cooper, 24 - Disability support worker (Sandy Bay)
An ‘extra chromosome of awesomeness’ set Meg Cooper on her path as a disability support worker and volunteer. Meg’s brother Ross was born with Down syndrome and Meg has spent her young life assisting her family with his care. As a volunteer instructor for BrightStars, a dance group for people with Down syndrome, Meg spends endless hours planning routines and running classes. The 30 regular dancers in Meg’s troupe vary in age from six to 35 and Meg’s dedication gives them the space to have fun and gain exercise, build confidence and friendships, while families establish valuable networks. In her career with Cosmos/Star, a not-for-profit organisation providing learning and leisure opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, Meg is involved in running part of the performing arts program. Meg is a shining example of a model disability support worker – someone who treats everyone equally, but who also recognises the uniqueness in each person. For Meg, her work with people with disability is a true vocation.
Dr Lila Landowski, 28 - Neuroscientist and educator (North Hobart)
A neuroscientist, university lecturer and science advocate, Dr Lila Landowski spends her spare time seeking a cure for peripheral neuropathy, which affects nerves carrying information between the body and brain. Lila discovered that a particular natural molecule can promote and direct nerve regeneration, a finding that may revolutionise neuropathy treatment. Her research has been the subject of numerous highly-competitive research grants. Presenting findings nationally and internationally, and training at the prestigious Mayo Clinic in the United States has cemented her status as an emerging leader in her field. She inspires students at the University of Tasmania and through the Wicking Dementia Centre's Understanding Dementia online course, which has over 70,000 healthcare providers enrolled globally. An enthusiastic volunteer, Lila shares her love of science with schools and in a regular spot on ABC Radio. Articulate and engaging, Lila is determined to shatter the stereotype of scientists as lab coat-wearing introverts, while making a contribution that helps people lead better lives.
Zac Lockhart, 20 - Mental health advocate (Launceston)
At just 16, Zac Lockhart became one of the 26,000 young Australians who are homeless, after circumstances at home forced him into a youth shelter. Determined to promote a positive message and reduce the stigma attached to homelessness, Zac has become an ambassador for homeless youth in Tasmania. With homelessness and mental health often deeply connected, Zac has since stepped up efforts to help people experiencing mental illness.
Zac’s film, The Flourish A-B-C of Mental Health, shares successful strategies that support good mental health, and encourages people to ‘act, belong and commit’. Studying full-time, working a casual job, establishing his own video production business while living in supported accommodation, Zac inspires everyone he meets with his passion, bravery and generosity in sharing his own lived experience of mental illness. Zac is shining a light on the mental health challenges faced by one in four Australians, while working hard to achieve his own personal goal of having a home and family of his own.
Bianca Welsh, 28 - Youth ambassador (Launceston)
Manager and co-owner of three businesses in Launceston, Bianca Welsh is passionate about motivating young people to stay in school. As an ambassador for Education Tasmania, Bianca visits high schools across the state to encourage young people to dream big, study hard and help Tasmania flourish. Bianca’s three Launceston businesses – Stillwater Restaurant, Black Cow Bistro and Mill Providore and Gallery – employ 65 staff from all works of life, and Bianca is recognised as an ‘employer of choice’. While she’s won many hospitality awards, Bianca is driven by the relationships she creates with customers, suppliers and her employees, and through her ability to support Tasmania’s small businesses and producers. A board member of the Cornerstone Youth Services, Bianca is passionate about mental health issues and is currently pursuing a degree in psychology. Originally from South Korea, Bianca grew up in Launceston and is determined to show young people why Tasmania can be a great place for fulfilling careers and lives.