Dinky di Aussies of the year

AUSSIE, Aussie, Aussie! Four Australians have been recognised with the highest honour from their peers. They are a mix of quiet achievers and well-known personalities who have made a difference, outstanding contributions to the community or a have been an inspiring role model to us all.

This year’s Australian of the Year Award was presented to actor and supporter of the local arts scene Geoffrey Rush. Rush has been an actor for 40 years and has a long list of international and local industry awards.

Despite his international success, Rush remains grounded in his local community, his country and the Australian arts industry.

Rush is supportive of young actors and arts companies and is regarded as a creative mentor. He is the Patron of the Melbourne International Film festival, Toowoomba’s Empire Theatre Foundation distributing bursaries to young performers and the Spina Bifida Foundation in Victoria. He also finds the time out of his busy schedule for UNICEF and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra as its ambassador.

This year’s Senior Australian of the Year is Laurie Baymarrwangga, 90, an extraordinary elder from the island of Murrunga in East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.

Baymarrwangga (pictured below) has shown commitment to maintaining her culture, the environment of her Crocodile Islands and ensuring younger generations continue to keep their heritage alive. 

During her lifetime, this amazing woman has seen the arrival of missionaries, the exploitation by Japanese and European fisherman, war and tumultuous change. Undaunted, she almost single-handedly nurtured the intergenerational transmission of local ecological knowledge through a lifelong commitment to caring for her family, culture and country.

In the 60’s she established a housing project in her homelands that has benefitted generations of people. She spoke no English and had no access to funding, resources or expertise but managed to initiate the online Yan-nhangu dictionary for school children.

In 2010, after a struggle which stretched back to 1945, she was finally awarded back payments for rents owed to her for her father’s estate. The great-grandmother donated the money (about $400,000) to improve education, employment opportunities on the island and to establish a 1000sq.km turtle sanctuary on her marine estate.

Inspiring today’s youth and the winner of the Young Australian of the Year is 22-year-old Marita Cheng (pictured right) from Brunswick East. Cheng’s leadership was said to be changing the occupational landscape for women by encouraging them to pursue engineering studies and careers. As a university student Cheng has demonstrated vision and leadership beyond her years.

Cheng founded Robogals Global in 2008, in response to traditionally low levels of participation by women in science, engineering and technology. Robogals Global uses fun and educational activities to teach secondary school girls about science and technology.

By 2010, Robogals had run workshops for about 3000 girls in Australia and has now expanded to 17 branches across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

She is currently studying a Bachelor of engineering and computer science at the University of Melbourne on a Paterson Scholarship.

This year the Australia’s Local Hero Award was awarded to foster mother and carer Lynne Sawyers (pictured left), who has shared her home with more than 200 children. For 15 years she has been on-call to care for lost, abused and bewildered children in heartbreaking circumstances.

Sawyers’ interest in becoming a foster mother was sparked when she had heard about a young girl in the area who had run away from home. Her husband mentioned he had seen the girl by the side of the road talking with authorities and they wondered what would become of her. It was then, after gaining family agreement from her husband and four children, Lynne decided to take action. 

Having experienced a happy childhood herself, she wanted to give back. It took three years to complete the required training and pass the authority checks before she welcomed her first foster child into their home. Many of the children she has fostered arrived on her doorstep with a range of problems – physical, intellectual and emotional. They have ranged in age from a week old baby she brought home from a hospital to teens struggling with life's complications. 

Her warmth, humour and generosity have had an enormous impact on these children. Because of her, many are now leading fulfilling, happy lives and have adopted Lynne as their “second mother”.

Sawyers has worked tirelessly without leave, or overtime or penalties for difficult working conditions, but said she could not imagine living it in any other way. At the age of 68, she continues to travel hundreds of kilometres every week, prepares up to 15 meals a day, washes clothes, sews, bakes and raises funds to help children and currently has three teenagers living in her loving home.

"The recipients of the Australian of the Year Awards for 2012 remind us of the great diversity of achievements, talents and contributions in Australia," award sponsor Commonwealth Bank chief executive officer Ian Narev said.

"They inspire us with their commitment, passion and hard work.  We can all feel very proud to call them our fellow Australians.”

More than 5000 nominations were received from the public for the 2012 Awards, with nominations now being accepted for the 2013 Australian of the Year Awards. Nominate someone that makes you proud now, at www.australianoftheyear.org.au.

The 2012 Australian of the Year Awards are presented by the National Australia Day Council.