The everyday people in the running for the 60th Anniversary Australian of the Year Awards have now been announced by the National Australia Day Council.
Award recipients in each state and territory have been announced over the past month and are now in consideration for the 2020 Australian of the Year Awards, to be presented at the National Arboretum in Canberra on the evening of Saturday January 25, 2020.
There are 32 people in contention for four award categories:
- 2020 Australian of the Year
- 2020 Senior Australian of the Year
- 2020 Young Australian of the Year
- 2020 Australia's Local Hero
National Australia Day Council CEO, Ms Karlie Brand, said the national finalists represented the diversity of Australia and the many ways in which people were achieving and contributing.
"The national finalists are an extraordinary group of people whose impact ranges from medical and scientific endeavours to volunteering, human rights advocacy, education, sustainability action and more," said Ms Brand.
"Their stories reflect our communities and the world in which we live, inspiring us and reminding us we can all make a difference.
"As this is the 60th anniversary of the Australian of the Year Awards, it is a particularly special year to be a finalist.
"We look forward to welcoming all the national finalists to Canberra in January and celebrating their achievements and the history of the Australian of the Year Awards."
The national finalists for the 2020 Australian of the Year Awards are:
2020 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
- 2020 ACT Australian of the Year - Katrina Fanning
- 2020 NSW Australian of the Year - Professor Munjed Al Muderis
- 2020 NT Australian of the Year - Dr Geoffrey Thompson
- 2020 Queensland Australian of the Year - Rachel Downie
- 2020 SA Australian of the Year - Dr James Muecke AM
- 2020 Tasmania Australian of the Year - Dr Jess Melbourne-Thomas
- 2020 Victoria Australian of the Year - Archie Roach AM
- 2020 WA Australian of the Year - Annie Fogarty AM
2020 SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
- 2020 ACT Senior Australian of the Year - Sue Salthouse
- 2020 NSW Senior Australian of the Year - Sue Lennox
- 2020 NT Senior Australian of the Year - Banduk Marika AO
- 2020 Queensland Senior Australian of the Year - Peter Dornan AM
- 2020 SA Senior Australian of the Year - Sylvia McMillan
- 2020 Tasmania Senior Australian of the Year - Dr Graeme Stevenson
- 2020 Victoria Senior Australian of the Year - Dr Raymond Shuey APM
- 2020 WA Senior Australian of the Year - Professor John Newnham AM
2020 YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
- 2020 ACT Young Australian of the Year - Madeline Diamond
- 2020 NSW Young Australian of the Year - Corey Tutt
- 2020 NT Young Australian of the Year - Mitchell Ford
- 2020 Queensland Young Australian of the Year - Ashleigh Barty
- 2020 SA Young Australian of the Year - Zibeon Fielding
- 2020 Tasmania Young Australian of the Year - Will Smith
- 2020 Victoria Young Australian of the Year - Taya Davies
- 2020 WA Young Australian of the Year - Yarlalu Thomas
2020 AUSTRALIA'S LOCAL HERO
- 2020 ACT Local Hero - Julia Rollings
- 2020 NSW Local Hero - Bernie Shakeshaft
- 2020 NT Local Hero - Shirleen Campbell
- 2020 Queensland Local Hero - Adjunct Assistant Professor Nick Marshall
- 2020 SA Local Hero - Emmah Evans
- 2020 Tasmania Local Hero - Thomas Windsor
- 2020 Victoria Local Hero - Josephine Jones
- 2020 WA Local Hero - Suzy Urbaniak
For more information on the Australian of the Year Awards visit australianoftheyear.org.au.