Motions

Australian of the Year Awards

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (15:30): I move:

That this house—

(a) congratulates the South Australian Australian of the Year, Tanya Brumfitt, and South Australian nominees Andrea Madeley, Marie Shaw KC and Professor Christopher Daniels;

(b) congratulates the South Australian Senior Australian of the Year, Sandra Miller, and South Australian nominees Eric Siggurs, Eugenia Tsoulis OAM and Margaret Fischer AM;

(c) congratulates the South Australian Young Australian of the Year, Awer Mabil, and South Australian nominees Felicity Graham, Josh Cavallo and Zainab Kazemi;

(d) congratulates the South Australian Local Hero of the Year, Christine Robertson, and South Australian nominees Elizabeth Habermann, Marigold White and Neil Davis; and

(e) celebrates the contribution, dedication and excellence of these outstanding South Australians.

It gives me great pleasure this afternoon to rise to move a motion that congratulates the recipients and nominees of South Australia's Australian of the Year award winners in the most recent round of this type of recognition.

The motion appropriately provides to the house the names of all the recipients and the nominees because we know that the significance of being a nominee, while they may not have had their name chosen by the judges, should not be overlooked. To get onto the list of nominees is substantial in itself, and it really is worth recognising and celebrating in our state's parliament today. Again, I would emphasis that the last point—that is, 'celebrates the contribution, dedication and excellence of these outstanding South Australians'—is befitting for all the nominees, not just for those who took out the top title in each category.

The South Australian Australian of the Year Awards really do highlight people who are making a particularly powerful, significant, meaningful and substantial contribution to life in South Australia. You do not get onto a list of nominees or become the overall award winners in each category without having made substantial sacrifice, and not just sacrifice in your own lives; the sacrifice given often by family members, by friends and by other associates can be significant, so I think it is worth recognising and celebrating that today.

I guess by being able to talk about these recipients in this chamber it elevates the level of recognition and, once again, gives them a fitting tribute to recognise what they have contributed towards our state. The nominees come from all walks of life, as the categories require. They include young and old—people living in regional South Australia, people living within metropolitan Adelaide and people contributing in many varied and different ways to making our state the place that it is.

I can absolutely guarantee that not a name on the list—neither the winners nor the nominees—would have set out for this sort of public recognition when they commenced doing what they have done, a multitude of things, to get on this list today. Their contribution is substantial and it is also authentic. It has been undertaken for the right reasons. The fact that they have received this level of recognition is, I am sure for them personally, simply icing on the cake for some and for others perhaps a little bit embarrassing, but it is through their endeavours and what they have achieved for others, not for themselves, that they have achieved this honour.

I want to walk through each of the category winners and provide a little bit more information on what they have done because I think it is worth delving into their contribution to South Australian life in a little bit more detail.

Starting with Taryn Brumfitt, the winner of the South Australian 2023 Australian of the Year Award, Ms Brumfitt is well known to many people here. She is a body image activist, a director, writer and a speaker who has been able to reach over 200 million people with her work in fostering positive body image. She has been recognised by the UN for leading Body Image Movement, an Adelaide-based organisation that teaches people to love the skin they find themselves in.

Her documentary Embrace, released in 2016, has detailed the serious issue of women's body loathing and Ms Brumfitt's own experience in body acceptance. Her documentary has been seen by millions and is available today on Netflix. She has also released four bestselling books and, in September last year, released Embrace Kids, a companion parenting book, with body image expert Dr Zali Yager. Ms Brumfitt and Dr Yager also created the Embrace Hub, a research-based resource for parents, children and communities for embracing body positivity.

Her contribution is to an area that is perhaps often overlooked as requiring emphasis by government agencies and not-for-profits, but it is growing in emphasis as the world we live in today, infiltrated by social media and image as it is, really requires us, as community leaders and as governments, to pay close attention to finding policy solutions and responses to the issues around body image. Taryn's leadership here is gratefully received by many thousands of South Australians, but obviously her reach has much more significance than that as well. I would like to congratulate Taryn on receiving the Australian of the Year Award in South Australia, and I encourage her to continue blazing the trail as she has done to date.

Aboriginal rights activist and advocate for Indigenous health and welfare Sandra Miller won the South Australian Senior Australian of the Year. Ms Miller of Glandore is a proud Wirangu woman from the Ceduna area and has broken barriers for Aboriginal women aspiring to leadership roles. For decades, Ms Miller has pushed to change government policies for Aboriginal children and Aboriginal people. She has represented her community in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Alliance and at the United Nations. Her huge influence continues to be a strong voice in her community as well as in her leadership roles in Aboriginal health and legal rights groups.

Socceroo and Barefoot to Boots founder Awer Mabil won South Australian Young Australian of the Year. Barefoot to Boots is a not-for-profit organisation with the aim of better health, education, policies and gender equality for refugees. Mr Mabil of Walkley Heights grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp after his family fled Sudan and came to Australia at the age of 10. After he reached his dream to play for the Socceroos, his sister tragically died in a car accident, seeing the family suffer some incredible hardship beyond what they could ever have anticipated. In this hardship, he feels he is unbreakable, and knowing that young people see him as a role model drives him to perform. He is an incredibly worthy recipient of the South Australian Young Australian of the Year.

Finally, we have the South Australian Local Hero winner, Christine Robertson, co-founder of Lost Pets of South Australia and creator of the Chipblitz program. Ms Robertson of Ridleyton co-founded Lost Pets of South Australia in 2013 to reunite lost pets with their owners. Over 65,000 pets across the nation have received a microchip thanks to Ms Robertson's efforts developing Chipblitz, which cut the cost of microchipping pets to just $10 and has seen many, many people reunited with their beloved pets who might not otherwise have been. Chipblitz is the biggest pet microchipping program in the Southern Hemisphere, and over 44,000 pets in South Australia have been microchipped through the program.

This group of people, as well as the other nominees, are great South Australians, and it gives me a great feeling of privilege and honour to be able to talk about them, to celebrate them and to recognise them in our parliament today. I commend this motion to the house.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (15:41): I rise to speak in support of the motion from the Leader of the Opposition, and I have been advised that there is a typo in paragraph (a), which we will move to amend.

South Australians have an extraordinary track record of punching above their weight in so many different fields, and that has been reflected in recent times through the Australian of the Year Awards. I think three of the last five recipients of the Australian of the Year have been South Australians. That is a great credit to us as a state and certainly to those individuals, who can be proud of their individual efforts.

Taryn Brumfitt is an extraordinary human being whose contribution has been quite amazing and who has done incredible work that has had a positive impact on so many young women and men throughout the nation, and it is work that continues to grow. The performance of Taryn's Netflix documentary has been extraordinary. It has won a number of accreditations and milestones, including at one point being one of the most downloaded episodes anywhere in the world, including within the US. The positive outcomes of that, and the impact that will have on young people as they contemplate body image into the future is, I think, wholeheartedly positive. In today's day and age, particularly in a day and age of celebrity and social media, this is a really worthwhile effort and it has the recognition that it deserves.

In regard to other recipients, including South Australian of the Year and the Young South Australian of the Year, those stories speak for themselves, and the Leader of the Opposition I think covered them well, but I did want to pay also a particular degree of credit to Christine Robertson, who is a local constituent of mine in the seat of Croydon. Christine lives in Ridleyton, and the work she has done regaining lost pets is quite amazing and no doubt has made a really positive contribution to the mental health of so many South Australians who have found themselves potentially in a difficult situation when losing a pet, and its prevention is an incredibly worthwhile cause that is worthy of recognition.

Marigold White is also a great human being I have had the opportunity to meet. She has also done great work and is a local constituent of mine. This motion goes a long way to recognising those individual efforts, but also I think it is a demonstration, again, for a comparatively small jurisdiction in the commonwealth, of how much we punch above our weight. I commend the motion to the house, subject to a minor alteration, which I move as follows:

Delete 'Tanya' in paragraph (a) and insert in lieu thereof 'Taryn'.

Mr TEAGUE (Heysen) (15:45): I rise to commend the motion, and to amplify those remarks of the Leader of the Opposition in bringing it, and welcome the support of the Premier and the government for the motion. What an extraordinary institution the Australian of the Year is, accompanied as it is by its companion awards, the Senior Australian of the Year, the Young Australian of the Year and the Local Hero of the Year. We are indeed right and humbled, as we so often are when we are reflecting on significant occasions as members of this house, to celebrate the contribution, the dedication and the excellence of these outstanding South Australians.

I would like to come back to a couple of them in a moment in the short time that is available to me, but I want to also recognise one outside the South Australian cohort but who is nevertheless one of the national winners, Amar Singh, winner of the Local Hero. He is New South Wales based and well known to many and making a tremendous contribution to the breakdown of social faith and other barriers.

I am very much looking forward to the occasion of the Australia Day Awards luncheon on Friday where I will have the opportunity to represent the Leader of the Opposition when we celebrate the Australian of the Year, our very own South Australian Taryn Brumfitt, but also we will be honoured by the presence of Amar Singh, the Local Hero 2023. So I recognise him in addition to all those South Australians who are the subject of the motion.

As is now well known, if it was not already, Taryn Brumfitt is a South Australian of truly extraordinary accomplishment, and in little old South Australia it is encouraging to know that there is someone who has reached, we understand, more than 200 million people globally through her contribution to improving the way people consider themselves, their bodies and their overall wellbeing. She has achieved recognition by UN Women and is well and truly a worthy winner of the Australian of the Year. I look forward very much to the occasion on Friday at which we will be able to recognise those two national recipients in particular. I thank on this occasion Jan Chorley, Chief Executive Officer of the Australia Day Council of South Australia, for her ongoing excellent work.

I recognise and congratulate the other South Australian winners: Senior Australian of the Year, Sandra Miller; South Australian Young Australian of the Year, Awer Mabil; and our South Australian Local Hero of the Year winner, Christine Robertson. Among those nominated for Australian of the Year was Marie Shaw KC. Having known Marie in now a variety of capacities over almost 20 years, I want to make some particular remarks about the extraordinary contribution, dedication and excellence of Marie Shaw's life and generosity within and beyond South Australia.

Marie grew up near Lock on Eyre Peninsula in the tiny town of Warrachie. She was at school at Lock before coming to Adelaide and going into the legal profession. It is well known that she was a judge of the District Court from 2005 until 2010 before deciding to return to the bar where she has continued to have stellar success as a leader of the profession, and she is presently President of the Bar Association in South Australia.

At the outset of her time as a judge of the District Court, it was apparent to Marie that there was the capacity to intervene and to improve the lives of vulnerable children who were by then coming before her at the court. She had seen in her own life the positive effect that sport could have on children, particularly on her daughter who lived with dyslexia. That combination of personal and professional experience led her to set up what might have otherwise been somewhat improbable: the Ice Factor. Over the last 18 years or more, it has turned into this incredible bridge between support and the opening of opportunities for children in various states of need not only to achieve sporting excellence but also to achieve a whole range of other things in their lives.

As is Marie's style, I have been invited to come along and get involved in the Ice Factor's activities along the way. Marie has been dogged, committed, steadfast and tenacious, and all those variety of qualities that it takes to, as it were, single-handedly found, build and develop this phenomenon: the Ice Factor. I mention as well that in 2017 she set up the ice hockey team known as the Kaurna Boomerangs—the first Indigenous ice hockey team that has then toured Australia and, as I understand, internationally as well. A lot more can be said, and Marie Shaw's contribution to the law in this state is the topic of long and further remarks, but there is not the time now. That combination of inspiration and activities really is something that is quite outstanding.

I also take a moment to recognise another of those nominees for Australian of the Year: South Australia's Professor Chris Daniels. I do that in the particular context of having seen him at work, having worked alongside him and having admired his capacity to bring all things important to the environment to the fore, from public advocacy engagement through to engagement on the radio to leading just about every institution that is familiar to people in South Australia in the environment space, from Cleland Wildlife Park to, currently, Green Adelaide.

We had a common experience when, now some years ago, he chaired the Nature Foundation of South Australia. That extends in recent times to his directing and chairing Koala Life and having a significant role in developing a better understanding in the recovery of koalas from this South Australian base. There are many, and we could talk on it at greater length. I congratulate them all and I commend the motion to the house.

Ms CLANCY (Elder) (15:55): I rise in support of the amended motion and wish to congratulate everyone who was acknowledged in the motion. I would like to pay a special tribute, though, to Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt. Taryn is one of my constituents, so I am very, very proud she is an Elder liver.

Taryn's work has meant a lot to me personally and to millions of people across the world. I, like far too many people, particularly women, have spent way too many years hating my body. I think about the cumulative hours I have spent talking myself down, holding onto the bits of me I do not like, counting calories and exercising for punishment not for gaining strength. I think about all these things that I have done to my body because I hated it and how much I do not want that for other people and how many hours I could have used to do much more useful things. I think the work of Taryn to help us to embrace ourselves and to embrace our bodies is incredibly meaningful, and I am so pleased that she has been properly acknowledged in this way.

Her line in the movie Embrace, when she said, 'My body is not an ornament; it is a vehicle,' was something that really resonated with me and something that made me go, 'Okay, this has to stop,' because we are so much more than this shell on the outside, and we have so much more to offer—I have so much more to offer—and I want to make sure that we can all support one another. I am so proud that someone in my area has been able to make such a tangible difference to so many millions of lives and also given us the tools to help make lives better for our children.

I never want my daughter to be worried about her body. I want her to know that she is much more than that. What is on the inside really does count. I thank Taryn for helping me realise that and for really pushing me to do better. She does not know me—other than my being her member of parliament and potentially the person she voted for, fingers crossed—but she has made an incredible difference to so many people's lives. I know, for me, she has helped me to improve the way I speak about food and our bodies to young people in my life.

I remember when I was about 13 an older woman in my family at a dinner at a Chinese restaurant, when they came round and said, 'Who wants dessert?', touched my hand and said, 'Oh, we don't need any, do we?' Some 23 years later, that has stuck with me. Our words matter, and children overhear what we say all the time. I often hear people say, 'I am going to go on a diet,' 'I don't like this,' and, 'I need to get a bikini-body ready.' When they say things like that, I actually now pull them aside and say quietly, 'Can you please not speak that way in front of my little girl? I don't want her hearing you disparage your body. I don't want her hearing about diets. I don't want her hearing about weight gain.'

I know I cannot protect her from that in the big, wide world, but I would like the people around her to speak about ideas and exciting things and history and things that are a lot more meaningful than how many calories are in a banana. I am proud that I am creating that environment at least at home and at least amongst our loved ones.

I do not think that older relative was trying to be nasty. I think that was a way for a very long time that women related to one another, that women spoke to one another. You were not allowed to say, 'I think I look great, I love myself, I am strong. My body does what it needs to do and it helps me to be the person I am.' For a long time, women shared diets and shared body hatred, and I think we can all be part of changing that conversation. I am really proud that Taryn was one of the first people to start the conversation on a really lowball level, so I congratulate her and thank her. I commend the motion.

The Hon. N.F. COOK (Hurtle Vale—Minister for Human Services) (16:00): I am speaking in support of the motion and want to wrap up the idea that all the people on this list of very important, wonderful nominees are part of a bigger picture, part of a movement in our state, in our community, that wants to make the community a better place. In doing that, I want to list off the nominees and also talk about some of the fantastic organisations they are connected to. Maybe people might read this and look up some of those organisations and potentially become involved.

The winner of the South Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt—what an inspiration! I could not do any better to sum up some of the work she has done than the member for Elder has just done. Women, children, girls, boys, men should not be ashamed of their bodies and should not spend the whole day focusing on how to make it different: just get on with life and appreciate the fact that you have two feet earthside or the ability to actually get involved in things.

I did go to the gala of Embrace Kids and was completely inspired by the children and by the way the message was drawn out by Taryn through the making of that with the producers. It was just incredible, and I recommend anyone to sit down with their kids and watch that terrific piece of work.

Andrea Madeley, a lawyer and activist for workplace safety, does incredible work, and Marie Shaw's work has also been well articulated by the member for Heysen. She is doing such great work connecting kids who often do not get up in the morning and have a vision for the future, even for lunchtime, giving them hope, self-respect and determination in a quite brutal sport like Ice Factor. It is fantastic, and she has done a terrific job over many years, not just there but also in her wonderful career.

Then there is Professor Christopher Daniels. Koala Life is just extraordinary, and I believe he was the first CEO of that organisation. That is incredible, and he has a fantastic legacy. The Senior South Australian of the Year winner, Sandra Miller, is a Wirangu woman from the West Coast, if I recall correctly. What an activist and what an advocate for Indigenous health and welfare. She is a completely incredible woman.

Eric Siggurs is a volunteer with Disability SA and Technology for Ageing, and Eugenia Tsoulis OAM is CEO of the Australian Migrant Resource Centre and the Settlement Council of Australia and has done so many wonderful things to break down barriers. There is Margaret Fischer, co-founder of Feast, the Adelaide Queer Arts and Cultural Festival. What a warrior. We all love Margaret Fischer and her work over many years.

Then we have the South Australian Young Australian of the Year winner, Awer Mabil, for co-founding Barefoot To Boots. Watching this journey has really been a sight to behold. It has really made a huge difference in kids' lives and not just those kids closely connected but those of us watching on with that inclusion work. It is just incredible.

Thank you, Josh Cavallo, for your openness. Thank you, Josh, for your work towards equality and being such a champion and also, obviously, being a soccer player. You are okay at that, too, I reckon. There is also Zainab Kazemi, a multicultural advocate and volunteer.

With all these people, there is this theme, this brave, bold, go out and get it, be inclusive, everyone is equal kind of attitude. It is just fantastic.

I have a special place in my heart for Felicity Graham, author and successful graduate of foster care. She is a wonderful human being. You would not meet anyone more incredible than Felicity. I had the pleasure of bumping into her at a number of different events. I am so grateful for Felicity's bravery and bold steps to make a difference for children in care.

The Local Hero of the Year is of course Christine Robertson. There is no feeling so gut-wrenching and empty than getting home and finding the doggo or the cat not there. It may have disappeared because a gate has been left open or a door not shut properly. It is an awful feeling. Lost Pets of South Australia has reunited thousands and thousands of people with their four-legged friends. That work is absolutely outstanding.

Elizabeth Habermann, without people like you and your bravery and your journey in the name of your son to affect courageously the thinking and the conscience of people here in South Australia, we would not see voluntarily assisted dying in place. What a wonderful human being you are. What a generous and kind human being you are.

I met Marigold White, co-founder of Uniity, last week to discuss some of those incredible ideas around breaking down the barriers of loneliness and how we can connect Marigold's organisation with other places in our community, such as community centres and community sheds, that we are really committed to.

I did think about voting against the motion because of Neil Davis. He is alright. He is okay. Neil, in all reality, you are a good bloke and you do go out in our son's name and change the world one conversation at a time, so congratulations on your nomination. They saw right through it. But I will vote for the motion, and I will indeed commend it to the house.

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (16:08): I rise to support the amended motion. Australia Day eve 2023 was a fantastic evening for South Australia, as not one but two of our nominees in the Australian of the Year categories were successful and I will speak in more detail about Taryn Brumfitt and Awer Mabil soon.

However, it is also appropriate to acknowledge the South Australian nominees who, whilst not reaching the national level, have also made significant contributions to our state. I will take an opportunity before diving into the Australia Day Awards to acknowledge some of the King's Birthday Honours recipients and congratulate them. I particularly congratulate:

Moya Dodd AO, a trailblazing former Matilda, international football player and administrator for FIFA;

John Camillo AM, unionist, for significant service to industrial relations in the manufacturing industry;

Craig Caldicott OAM, who since being awarded his bronze medallion in 1969 has spent countless hours at the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club, as well as dedicating his time to state and national surf lifesaving bodies; and

Will Sergeant OAM for significant service to the LGBTIQ+ community of South Australia, including as his alter ego Dr Gertrude Glossip.

The night of 25 January 2023 was a special one, as Taryn Brumfitt and Awer Mabil did our state proud. Taryn, a body image activist, director, photographer, writer, speaker and documentary filmmaker, was named Australian of the Year for her decade-long campaign to encourage women and children to embrace their bodies as they are.

She said children started off believing their bodies were strong and powerful before changing their minds. She told ABC radio after her win: 'We really need to help our kids across Australia and the world because the rates of suicide, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, steroid use [are] all on the increase related to body dissatisfaction.'

This is truly shocking to hear, but we know that it is true. Our girls, young women and young men have for too long been defined by their weight, their look, their clothes. I am glad that Taryn is fighting against this, particularly in the age of Instagram and other social media platforms that amplify the pressure on young girls and women to look a particular way. The way that Taryn celebrates her body has changed the way millions of women across the world look at their own. Taryn had achieved the perfect body as determined by society but realised there was a better way to be comfortable in your own.

Taryn shared before and after images of the two looks on social media, and over 100 million people reacted to the post. What started with a simple social media message has had such a significant impact across the world. Taryn says that her focus for the year will be our children and body image for men. She will be addressing the women in leadership symposium to be held during the upcoming Women's World Cup. This symposium, The Power of Her, will be held on Tuesday 8 August at Adelaide Oval, coinciding with the FIFA round of 16 match.

Speaking of football, it is now time to speak about our star Socceroo Awer Mabil. His exploits on the football field inspire young people, particularly young people from refugee backgrounds across Australia. However, this is not why he is Young Australian of the Year. Awer achieved this award in recognition of him being co-founder of the not-for-profit organisation Barefoot to Boots, which aims for better health, education, policies and gender equality for refugees.

Awer and his brother and co-founder, Awer G Bul, grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp after their family fled civil war in Sudan before coming to Australia at 10 years of age. Awer started his charity by taking jerseys and footballs that he had collected from football clubs in South Australia to the Kakuma area in northern Kenya.

Next, the brothers collected equipment from the old Royal Adelaide Hospital and donated it to a new hospital in Kenya while also providing sanitary pads to girls so that they could go to school with confidence. This is all work that Awer did not have to do, but he chose to do it to improve our local community and the lives of children half a world away in Kenya.

Despite all this good work, Awer's own life has not been without further tragedy, losing his sister in a car accident at Andrews Farm. However, it is the experience of hard times, the memory of his sister and the knowledge that young people see him as a role model that drive him. He is a truly inspiring young man and, like Taryn, richly deserving of this honour.

While Taryn and Awer were national winners, there were also many South Australian finalists to represent South Australia on the national stage. The first is lawyer and workplace safety advocate Andrea Madeley. Andrea helped develop South Australia's International Workers' Memorial Day Service, bringing together bereaved families and community members each year to remember those who have tragically lost their lives at work.

Following personal tragedy in 2004 when her 18-year-old son Daniel died in a preventable workplace accident, she has become a tenacious advocate for others affected by workplace death and injury and a powerful voice against unsafe work practices. Andrea has lobbied members of parliament and submitted numerous proposals under Australia's model work health and safety legislation.

Professor Chris Daniels is an environmentalist, zoologist and science communicator who has popularised citizen science in Australia. Chris was a driving force in Adelaide becoming a National Park City and spearheads efforts to connect South Australians with nature. He also uses the arts to promote conservation, has written 11 books, a musical theatre on koalas, delivered comedy for the Adelaide Fringe and advocates for numerous South Australian nature authors.

Margie Fischer AM is a force in the queer community. In 1997, she co-founded the wildly successful Feast Adelaide Queer Arts and Cultural Festival, our state's major not-for-profit queer celebration of pride and diversity. Margie was chair of the board for 11 years and is now a director of Feast Queer Youth Drop In, a vital bimonthly safe social space for LGBTIQ+ young people.

Staying with our queer community, next is football trailblazer Dr Josh Cavallo, who in 2021 made sport history by coming out as gay, making him the first Australian A-League Men's player and the only gay male professional footballer currently playing top-flight football in the world. Josh did not intend to be a trailblazer; he just wanted to be himself but, because of his coming out, numerous other top league footballers across the world have had the confidence to follow suit. Josh is humble, he is outspoken and he is a champion for the queer community, which has taken him from London to LA Pride. However, it has also seen him receive vile homophobic bullying and abuse on social media and during games.

Multiculturalism and helping migrants is something that Eugenia Tsoulis OAM has been doing for 25 years as CEO of the Australian Migrant Resource Centre and founding member of the Settlement Council of Australia, which she has been involved with for 20 years, a significant commitment that has impacted the lives of tens of thousands of new migrants. However, it was in her primary school days that she started helping her fellow Greek migrants settle into life in Australia. Once a week, before school she would act as a translator to help bus conductors deliver Greek men to potential employers around Adelaide.

From new migrants to children in care, Felicity Graham is an author, advocate and CEO of Fostering Change Australia, sharing her experiences of the foster care system to empower children in care who feel forgotten. So many of us cannot imagine living in a home without anyone we know and are connected to, and being cared for by strangers, but it is the reality of so many children in our community, so it is so important that people like Felicity give them a voice and give them hope.

Giving people hope is what Neil Davis has done since 2008 following the death of his beloved son, Sam, in a one-punch attack. Neil co-founded the Sammy D Foundation, which provides one-on-one mentoring for young people at risk of offending and antiviolence education programs to schools, junior sports clubs, and young people who are part of the juvenile justice system. Neil has spoken to nearly 200,000 young people across South Australia, delivering a simple message: violence is never the answer. That is a message we need to spread to all South Australians as we fight against violence in our state.

It is my pleasure to honour all these people in our community who have rightfully received these awards, and I support the amended motion to the house.

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:18): I am really pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this motion this afternoon about the incredible achievements of our Australians of the Year, particularly those from South Australia. I thank the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. David Speirs, for bringing this motion to the house which, judging by the efforts of previous speakers, will be a moment of bipartisan unity as we all in this house celebrate these achievements of these outstanding South Australians who have been nominated for Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Local Hero.

To the South Australians of the Year who were also nominated in the national awards, I particularly want to reflect on Taryn Brumfitt and Awer Mabil, and I will read the others at the end for the record. Taryn Brumfitt I met the other night. She was the guest speaker at the 40 Under 40 awards and an inspiration to all those present at what was a high-achieving room full of young people eager to deliver on their potential in life to be their best and to share their experiences with the community. They were worthy of being nominated there, and Taryn Brumfitt was identified as somebody who was using her platform to achieve her best in life.

Daniela Ritorto's interview with Taryn was a really high moment of the night. She shared a number of the things that she had shared through her documentary work or her public work previously. Some of the stories that she shared about the resilience that she had to demonstrate, and the efforts that she had to make to see the movie Embrace succeed in the way it did, were really incredible to hear.

I remember that, after the speech, she identified that I was the shadow minister for education and had a platform of my own. She spent a lot of time talking about the use of the platform of Australian of the Year to achieve positive social outcomes. She saw that I had a platform, too, as shadow minister, and wanted to particularly encourage me to watch the subsequent film, Embrace Kids, and I committed to doing so.

This was only several days ago, and I have not yet watched it, but I reiterate that commitment to the house. Indeed, I encourage others to watch it as well; that was my purpose in bringing it up here. Embrace is very well known; it has been seen by very many people. Embrace Kids is more recent, and I look forward to seeing it.

As one of the other speakers mentioned, I reflect on the young people in our own lives, in our families and in our communities. We want them to love their bodies. We want them to feel powerful about who they are without feeling that they have to aspire to some unnecessary, unreasonable and, in many cases, unhealthy potential ideal, as society might see it.

The superpower that comes with loving one's body as it is, as Taryn Brumfitt referred to it on the night, is extraordinarily important. If those young people can have that in mind as they go about their lives, they will be happier, healthier and will potentially achieve more. It is not our life's purpose to be at war with our body, as Taryn said. I think it is really great to acknowledge this achievement by someone from South Australia who is making her mark not only around Australia but on the world stage as well.

I am particularly pleased, as the member for Morialta, to reflect on the achievements of Awer Mabil. Awer Mabil is, as has been reflected on by many, the Young Australian of the Year and a Socceroos player currently playing with Sparta Prague. I think he is moving to Spain imminently. His is an extraordinary life story: a South Sudanese heritage, growing up in the world's third largest refugee camp along with 180,000 other displaced people in Kenya.

He came to Australia, where we hope—and we talk about it at our citizenship ceremonies—to realise the dream that we aspire to in this country to enable people to fulfil their potential, to be their best and to have opportunities. Awer Mabil certainly has grasped those from a background of challenge. Indeed, while he would want to be remembered and recognised for his achievements and the contribution he makes, the fact that his success has come from a background of such challenge cannot but be noticed and, I think, be an inspiration to many.

Awer Mabil's soccer career has also enabled him to have a platform of his own for his charity Barefoot to Boots, which is supported by being Young Australian of the Year. His experiences no doubt informed him on the importance of helping refugee families and people to understand what they need in terms of health support, education and welfare. Indeed, for a young refugee seeking to play soccer, a kit is particularly important. Barefoot to Boots is providing that support to many people's lives at the moment. I congratulate Awer, we all congratulate him, on the way that he is using the platform he has achieved through his own hard work as an opportunity to help others.

Here is the bit where, as a local member, I am very proud: Awer playing for Adelaide United played a season, his first season in the seniors, with the Campbelltown Red Devils, right here in Newton in the Morialta electorate. I was recently talking to Don Leombruno, the club president; Italo Zanatta, the fundraising director; and Julie Ciccocioppo, the secretary, and everyone at the Campbelltown City Soccer Club is very proud of the work Awer has done. He was recruited, and he played for the seniors in 2012. I believe he played 14 senior games for Campbelltown.

It turns out in life that not everything happens. We do not achieve all our goals. If Awer had stayed in the NPL for another year he might have been part of Campbelltown's famous 50^th anniversary league championship the following year. But, no, he went on to other things. Some might consider them more successful, but he did miss out on a fantastic night at Hindmarsh Stadium when Campbelltown won that final the following year.

Seriously, Campbelltown is celebrating its 60^th anniversary on Saturday week at a special function, and Awer's achievements will be amongst the many achievements over the 60 years but I think it will be a very special achievement. Unfortunately, he could not be there on the night—he is overseas; he has a job that obviously requires that—but to Awer Mabil, his family and all those who have helped him along the way, we acknowledge that hard and important work.

Congratulations to all of those who were nominated for the Australian of the Year. In addition to Taryn Brumfitt obviously, Andrea Madeley, Marie Shaw and Professor Chris Daniels were nominated. The Senior South Australian of the Year is Sandra Miller, and the other nominees were Eric Siggurs, Eugenia Tsoulis and Margaret Fischer. In addition to Awer Mabil, the other nominees for Young South Australian of the Year were Felicity Graham, Josh Cavallo and Zainab Kazemi. The South Australia Local Hero is Christine Robertson and the other nominees were Elizabeth Habermann, Marigold White and Neil Davis.

We celebrate your contribution. We thank you for the contribution you have made to South Australia. We thank you for the role you play as role models in our community, inspiring our young people and everyone in our community to be our best, to find opportunities to contribute to our society and make this state a happier place through our efforts every day.

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (16:26): I rise, too, to congratulate South Australian of the Year Taryn Brumfitt and nominees Andrea Madeley, Marie Shaw KC and Professor Christopher Daniels; also the South Australia Senior Australian of the Year, Sandra Miller, and nominees Eric Siggurs, Eugenia Tsoulis OAM and Margaret Fischer AM; South Australian Young Australian of the Year, Awer Mabil, and nominees Felicity Graham, Josh Cavallo and Zainab Kazemi; and finally the South Australia Local Hero, Christine Robertson, and nominees Elizabeth Habermann, Marigold White and Neil Davis.

It is really important that we are able to stand here and congratulate these people who have contributed so significantly to our community. I would like to touch briefly on Taryn Brumfitt, who was not only South Australian Australian of the Year but Australian Australian of the Year. Taryn is founder of the Body Image Movement, director of the inspiring documentaries Embrace and Embrace Kids and author of four books. The Australia Day Council website speaks of Taryn, saying she is an award-winning filmmaker, bestselling author and internationally sought-after keynote speaker.

In 2018, she was recognised in the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence Awards and received the SA Award for Excellence in Women's Leadership from Women and Leadership Australia. On Friday, at the Australia Day Council lunch, I look forward to hearing Taryn be the keynote speaker. I know from what I have read already that she is going to have a significant impact, not just on children and women but also body image for men.

The South Australian Young Australian of the Year, Awer Mabil, is a fantastic winner. His journey has been absolutely amazing. It is not the usual pathway that you see. He was born in a Kenyan refugee camp to South Sudanese parents who fled the civil war there. That is where he learned skills, on a dirt pitch with balls made from plastic bags. Who would think that one day he would be playing in the World Cup?

At the age of 10, Awer and his family came to Australia through a humanitarian resettlement visa and they settled in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. He excelled at football—in Australia, we call it soccer—at a junior level and made his senior debut for Campbelltown in 2012 at the age of 16. Of course, this led him to the professional contract with Adelaide United. He made his debut there in 2013.

Awer represented Australia at youth level, and in 2018 made his senior debut for the Socceroos against Kuwait. He was instrumental in the qualification of the Socceroos to the 2022 World Cup, and at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar he fulfilled his dream to compete on the world stage.

Awer's achievements are not just limited to his professional football; he saw a need and he followed his instinct, which led him to co-found the not-for-profit organisation Barefoot to Boots. Barefoot to Boots has donated over 2,000 kilograms of football boots and uniforms to the Kakuma camp and other surrounding refugee camps. The not-for-profit organisation is not limited to football equipment, as visits have also highlighted the need for educational materials and medical supplies, and contributions such as incubators, ultrasounds, laptops and books have already been sent to address some of these needs.

They are two amazing people, two amazing South Australians who have become Australian of the Year in their categories. I would like to mention also Senior South Australian of the Year, Sandy Miller, a proud Wirangu woman from Ceduna area, who has been a trailblazer. breaking down barriers for Aboriginal women aspiring to leadership roles at a time when they were under-represented. Sandy has represented her community in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Alliance and also at the United Nations.

The second South Australian state recipient of Local Hero 2023 is Christine Robertson. What an amazing woman and what an amazing idea she came up with. Today, more than 65,000 pets across Australia have received a microchip thanks to Christine Robertson, who also co-founded the Lost Pets of South Australia charity, reuniting people with their pets when they have strayed or wandered off, sometimes not with terrific endings. I am pleased to say that many of them, as a result of the work that Christine has done, have been reunited with their families.

On both accounts, we have been in that situation, where our little blind dog had managed to get out (still unknown how to this day), and it was Lost Pets of South Australia that reunited us. We have also had the opportunity to contact them regarding a couple of dogs we found, and they were reunited as well. So Christine had amazing foresight into what she was doing and I know she has a passion for it.

Finally, I would like to congratulate the CEO of the Australia Day Council of South Australia, the amazing Jan Chorley. I am the Premier's representative on the Australia Day Council board. I have seen the work that Jan and her staff do and the incredible Australia Day program they delivered this year over two days. I look forward to continuing to work with Jan and the board to deliver what I believe has become an amazing program. I would like to quote from the Australia Day Council website, which states:

We acknowledge our past, recognise our inspirational people and communities, embrace and encourage diversity and inclusion for all Australians. Attitudes to Australia Day are changing. We are listening to all views about not just the day, but what Australia is now and will be in the future. We are part of that conversation and will work with others to help facilitate it.

On the Australian of the Year Awards, it states:

Each year our nation celebrates the achievement and contribution of eminent Australians through the Australian of the Year Awards by profiling leading citizens who are role models for us all. The Australian of the Year Awards honour incredible Australians who have gone the extra mile to create a better country for us all. We all know someone that goes above and beyond in contributing to a greater community—the quiet achievers, the community heroes, the leaders and the doers.

I commend the motion to the house.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (16:34): Just briefly, I would like to thank all the speakers this afternoon for making their contributions. With an immense level of bipartisan spirit, we thank these South Australians for their contribution to our state. What makes this state great is its people—and these people are exceptional. They ought to be celebrated, congratulated and thanked for their contribution to our state.

Amendment carried; motion as amended carried.