We are lucky to have them!

Last week I had the pleasure of spending four days with an incredible group of people. Human rights and social justice advocates; first response workers; leaders; artists; climate action warriors; researchers; Elders; people who saw a need in their community and stepped up… The list is long, but I hope they understand that, in the eyes of Australia, they’re already winners.

2023 heralds a new Australian of the Year, one that is no stranger to the public stage (despite having been petrified of public speaking while growing up).

Meet Taryn

As founder of the Body Image Movement Taryn Brumfitt ?? 's message is simple: love the skin you’re in and embrace your body! This applies to everyone from older women who are bombarded with unrealistic beauty ideals from a young age to young boys dabbling in steroids to achieve what they think is the ideal masculine physique.

The body image activist, director, writer and speaker’s 2016 documentary Embrace tackled the serious issue of women’s body loathing and Taryn’s own path to body acceptance. It was seen by millions of people in 190 countries and can be watched on Netflix .

Her second documentary Embrace Kids followed in 2022 along with a book and education resource for teachers, parents and communities. Check out this video on Taryn that includes her acceptance speech. It’s safe to say that when UN Women recognise your work, you know you’re making an impact.

How do we see ourselves as a country?

For one of our national recipients – 2023 Senior Australian of the Year Professor Tom Calma AO – the year ahead will be fraught with debate with the Voice to Parliament referendum.

A Kungarakan Elder, Tom has worked for more than 45 years at local, community, state and international levels championing the rights, responsibilities and welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In his acceptance speech, Tom highlighted the importance of self-determination for First Nations people as a basic human right: “Australians have only ever known a system of consistent policy failure and poor outcomes for First Nations peoples.”

I look forward to hearing more from Tom on the opportunity ahead to reshape the way we relate to each other as a country and I echo the beautiful words of Victoria’s 2023 Senior Australian of the Year Frank Oberklaid to Tom: “We will be the wind behind your back.”

(Side note for those who want more details on the Voice, see the Co-Design Final Report to Government, co-chaired by Marcia Langton AO and Tom Calma AO. There are 272 pages of details there, but the Executive Summary is a good read).

Promoting charity, compassion and multiculturalism

The true definition of a Local Hero, our 2023 national recipient Amar Singh JP was the life of the party in Canberra. Grabbing a selfie with the Prime Minister gives you an idea of the high-spirited energy Amar puts out into the world.

Amar founded the charity organisation Turbans 4 Australia after experiencing racial slurs and insults because of his Sikh turban and beard. He wanted to show people they didn’t need to be afraid and began helping struggling Australians.

His charity has provided assistance to thousands of vulnerable Australians affected by bushfires, pandemics, floods and drought since 2015. They also provide up to 450 food and grocery hampers to people experiencing food insecurity in Western Sydney every week. Amazing, heart-led work – watch his video.

Amar’s story of racism is not unique, as Tasmania’s 2023 Young Australian of the Year Merium?Daoui shared in her Meet Your Australian story. As a country we still have a long way to go, but I’m hopeful that our best days are ahead.

Giving back to community

While our 2023 Young Australian of the Year Awer Mabil was missing in person, he was represented in Canberra by his mother Agot Dau Atem and uncle Michael Matiop Dau Atem.

Born to South Sudanese parents, Socceroo-sensation Mabil is the co-founder of humanitarian charity Barefoot To Boots, which aims to support refugees living in camps around the world by supplying them with, among other things, soccer gear.

This great ABC interview with Awer following his win gives you some insight into what he and his brother have built after returning to Kakuma, Kenya in 2014 with them a suitcase filled with spare training shirts and some deflated balls.

Barefoot To Boots has since donated more than 2,000kgs of soccer equipment to Kakuma along with incubators, ultrasound equipment, laptops, sanitary items, musical instruments and books.

Poignantly, January 26 marked the four-year anniversary of the death of Awer’s sister, whose memory – along with the knowledge that young people see him as a role model – drives him to perform.

Calling Australia home

All our award recipients including State and Territory were guests at the national flag raising and citizenship ceremony that takes place each year on Canberra’s Rond Terrace on the 26 January.

Australia’s 2023 Senior Australian of the Year Theresa Kwok arrived from Hong Kong 35 years ago. Last week, she said she had never felt more proud to be Australian.

When I hear words like this, I’m reminded of how thankful I am for the wonderful diversity of our nation with its melting pot of cultures and migrant contributions and I am, too, proud to call Australia home.

It almost feels too soon to be talking about the 2024 Awards, but now is the time while the buzz of this year’s national recipients is fresh in our minds.

If you know an extraordinary Australian doing not-so-ordinary things, I’d love to know about them. Nominations are open all year round. Visit: https://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/nominate