Women rule at Australian of the Year awards!!!
Last weekend, history was made in Australia! For the first time in 55 years, women have won in all four categories of the Australian of the Year awards.
The Australian of the Year award went to Rosie Batty, after rising above devastating personal tragedy to fight domestic violence, following the murder of her son Luke by his father. The Prime Minister commented, ‘Rosie’s story jolted Australia into recognising that family violence can happen to anyone and she has given voice to many thousands of victims of domestic violence who had until then remained unheard.’
Rosie’s courage to speak out about her experience has helped to make Australia a safer place.
At the Parliament House in Canberra, Rosie delivered a touching speech as she dedicated the award to her son, adding, ‘To Luke, you did not die in vain, you will not be forgotten, you are beside me on this journey and with me every step of the way.’
Taking Senior Australian of the Year, author Jackie French who believes a book can change a child’s life. Her passion for telling stories and tireless advocacy for children with learning difficulties was the reason she won the award. Overcoming dyslexia herself, Jackie strongly believes that reading improves the lives of children allowing them to dream, become more intelligent and change the world for the better.
Senior Australian of the Year- Jackie French
Jackie has published 140 books, for both adults and children, in 32 languages and received more than 60 literary prizes for children’s classics such as Diary of a Wombat. She wrote her first book in 1991 while she was living in a shed!
Drisana Levitzke-Gray took the Young Australian of the Year award. The 21-year-old has travelled the world advocating for deaf rights and pushing for deaf children to have access to Auslan – the sign language of the Australian deaf community – from birth. Ms Levitzke-Gray is the fifth generation of her family to be born deaf and has deaf parents. She was given access to Auslan as her first language.
Young Australian of the Year 2015
In her acceptance speech Drisana showed her enthusiasm to help the deaf community by encouraging Auslan to be learnt, ‘I consider myself quite an intelligent person and it’s sad for me to see other deaf children who don’t have those opportunities because they’re denied a language at birth.’ Last year, she became the first Auslan user to be accepted into jury duty. Her number wasn’t called from the ballot but she believes she’s paved the way for other deaf Australians to fulfil their civic duty.
The final award of Local Hero, was given to Juliette Wright. Juliette founded GIVIT, in 2009, a website that allows people to safely donate goods and connect to those who are most in need. It was used heavily after the 2011 floods.
Juliette Wright with Tony Abbott
GIVIT ensures local donors give to vulnerable local residents within their community with the aim of changing the face of how society helps its most vulnerable and marginalised people.
It was certainly a great day for Australian women and women everywhere! The Chairman of the National Australia Day Council, Ben Roberts-Smith VC, MG, said, ‘Rosie, Jackie, Drisana and Juliette remind us of the many ways in which women contribute to our nation – that women are a force for change, a voice for rights, influencers, educators and the heart of our communities.’