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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-06-01 Daily Xml
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Mabil, Mr A.

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. H.M. Girolamo:

That this council—

1. Congratulates Awer Mabil, professional soccer player and co-founder of not-for-profit organisation Barefoot to Boots on his 2023 Young Australian of the Year award;

2. Highlights the outstanding contribution he makes to ensure refugees in-country, living in camps and their neighbouring host communities, are supported; and

3. Recognises the positive contribution that refugees make to Australia.

(Continued from 8 February 2023.)

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (16:32): It has been nearly five years since I spoke about Awer Mabil and his best friend, Thomas Deng, in a matter of interest in this chamber. Their personal history is both moving and inspiring. They are of South Sudanese heritage, although Awer has never visited that country and came here as part of our refugee intake.

At the time, Awer and Thomas had just made their international debuts with the Socceroos, with Awer scoring after coming on in a match against Kuwait and dedicating his goal to his beloved mother. Thomas was also in the team. The year 2018 was a bittersweet year for Awer. Just as his professional career was taking off in Europe, he lost his sister, Bor, in a tragic car accident in Adelaide.

In spite of setbacks like that, Awer's life has taken off in spectacular style, capped off with being named Young Australian of the Year this year. In 2022, he was a member of Australia's most successful World Cup squad at the finals in Qatar. Awer scored an important penalty kick in a qualifying match. Awer is one of the excitement brigade with the Socceroos, where he has made 32 appearances. Our coach, Graham Arnold, has taken him under his wing. He is living the dream. Currently, he is playing in Czechoslovakia with highly regarded club Sparta Prague, where he is on loan from Spanish club Cadiz.

Awer's award as Young Australian of the Year is greatly deserved. He is representative of the new wave of Australia's diverse community and is a great role model for others of his generation, particularly those of African descent.

Awer was born in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya and at the age of eleven came to Australia with his mother and siblings in 2006. I met Awer a few years ago when he played for Adelaide United where he originally had started as a youth player with an eye-catching stint with state Premier League club Campbelltown. Aged 17, he made his debut for the Reds in 2013 and immediately proved to be a hit with the fans. His silky flair and speed, darting in around defences as a striker, is electrifying.

During his time at Adelaide United, his mother would sit in the stand with other members of the family proudly looking on. From his early days with Campbelltown United, he was dedicated and determined to succeed. He would take two buses each way to attend Adelaide United training at Hindmarsh Stadium. United's then Spanish coach, Josep Gombau, knew he was something special and nurtured his progress. Overseas clubs came knocking, first to Norway, then Portugal, and now in Prague with one of Europe's biggest clubs.

Awer is a remarkable man with a strong sense of purpose. His Young Australian of the Year award is much deserved for the way he selflessly gives back to those less fortunate than he finds himself today. He told me about his special personal project taking boots, balls and playing shirts to the place of his impoverished birth, the Kakuma Refugee Camp, the largest in Africa. Awer recounted the story about how much he and the other kids loved playing football with bare feet on the dusty and rocky grounds. They had no boots or shoes. For a ball, they would blow air into condoms and wrap and tape them with rags.

After getting his first professional contract, Awer returned quietly to Kakuma with a bag full of football gifts. Overwhelmed by the response, it led to the establishment of the not-for-profit humanitarian foundation Barefoot to Boots, and in the off-season he returns each year to Kakuma with the prized football equipment. Awer is modest about his generous charity work. He said, and I quote:

I think footballers are often taken only at face value. Like in all spheres of life, I think a lot of footballers are not only willing to do good things, they just do them.

Awer was steely-eyed and oozing with confidence as he lined up for that crucial penalty kick in Qatar against the more fancied Peru in the intercontinental playoff to qualify for the World Cup tournament in the Gulf state last November. Miss, and Australia would go home and fail to qualify for a fifth straight World Cup appearance, leaving all of us broken-hearted. With enormous pressure of a nation and the eyes of the world upon him, he calmly slotted the ball into the net, to the ecstasy of his teammates and the rapture of his adopted country Australia.

Awer saw game time in Qatar where Australia caused a boilover in winning two group games against Tunisia and then Denmark to book a round 16 clash with Argentina, led by the mercurial Lionel Messi. The Socceroos gave the eventual World Cup winners an almighty scare in losing 2-1 in an absorbing match, which saw them earn global praise and respect. Awer Mabil is a hero and an inspiration in every sense. I strongly commend the motion, and I thank the member for bringing it forward.

The Hon. S.L. GAME (16:38): I rise in reply to this motion in support of Awer Mabil and his 2023 Young Australian of the Year award. Awer has demonstrated extraordinary resilience in overcoming an extremely difficult childhood to become a role model and focused on positive contribution for those most vulnerable. Awer is a highly talented footballer who grew up playing barefoot using rolled up socks as a ball. In an Australian society where parents feel pressured to purchase for their children the best sporting shoes and sporting equipment, Awer is evidence of the effect of discipline, tenacity, not being handed anything, fighting for everything, and ending up at the top of his game.

These award winners are role models to our young people. They display the qualities of resilience, gratitude, philanthropy and, most importantly, their contributions to Australia. These are the qualities that we need to be instilling in our youth in school programs moving forward. I am a big believer that it is by looking outside ourselves on how we can improve the lives of others and contribute to society that we maximise happiness and satisfaction in our lives. Too much introspection is a source of dissatisfaction and frustration.

No matter the trauma or injustice, the question will always arise: what next? The achievements that the Young Australian of the Year has accomplished, despite great adversity, will inspire the younger generation to make good decisions and improve their community. The many contributions made by young Australians span a range of areas. They are at the forefront of innovation, science, technology, entrepreneurship and, most importantly, being of service to others. Honouring these contributions sends a powerful message that their voices matter and actions are valued.

The Hon. T.T. NGO (16:40): I rise to speak in support of this motion. I thank the Hon. Heidi Girolamo MLC for moving this motion to acknowledge the achievement of Awer Mabil and the contribution made by refugees to Australia. I thank her for all the work she has been doing in the multicultural community recently as well.

Before I talk about Awer, I will speak briefly on the history of this iconic honour which has, in recent years, attracted the interest of foreigners. Nick Bryant, former BBC journalist and foreign correspondent, was quoted in the media as saying that our Australia Day award, and I quote:

…offers an intriguing perspective on the Australian national character, which is both reinforcing and revelatory.

Since 1960, when the first Australian of the Year was awarded, we have indeed celebrated many truly inspiring and accomplished Australians who have made a range of contributions to our great nation. For the first 20 years of the Australian of the Year Awards, there was no explicit honour reserved especially for younger Australians. However, during this first 20 years, several young sports stars won the main award, including Dawn Fraser, Shane Gould, Lionel Rose, and Evonne Goolagong.

Shortly after the formation of the National Australia Day Council in October 1979, a new award that focused especially on the achievements of younger Australians was created, with the inaugural winner being youth unemployment worker, Julie Sochacki, who was named Young Australian of the Year in January 1980.

In the 1990s, in an attempt to encourage unified national celebrations, the National Australia Day Council was a strong promoter of both multiculturalism and reconciliation. The process of choosing the Australian of the Year has evolved considerably for over half a century, including both the make-up of the selection committee and the system of nominations. Today, the award represents only one of many ways in which national identity is expressed, but after 50 years they have become a significant part of Australia's past, present and future.

On 10 November last year, Awer Mabil was South Australia's Young Australian of the Year. The Premier, the Hon. Peter Malinauskas, along with the Hon. Nat Cook, Minister for Human Services, attended this presentation and witnessed Awer's family accept the award on his behalf. Awer is a professional soccer player who now plays for Czech powerhouse Sparta Prague. He was born 15 September 1995 in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. Awer and his family fled the civil war in Sudan and at the age of 10 he and his family came to Australia through a humanitarian settlement visa, eventually settling in Adelaide in 2006.

It was in the refugee camp in Kakuma where his remarkable life journey began. Mabil discovered his love for football, or what we call soccer, learning his skills on a dirt pitch, with balls made out of plastic bags while dreaming about playing in a world club. Awer began playing for local clubs once he and his family settled in Adelaide's northern suburbs. With no English he credits football as an important means of communication when he arrived in Australia. He excelled in the game at junior level and became an outstanding senior player for Campbelltown in 2012 at the age of 16, and this led him to a professional contract with Adelaide United.

He made his first appearance with Adelaide United 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. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar he fulfilled his dream to compete at the FIFA World Cup.

Beyond Awer's achievements on the soccer pitch, he has raised awareness about refugee issues and promoted social change through his role as an ambassador for UNICEF Australia. He has been actively involved in initiatives aimed at supporting young refugees, and opened doors for them to engage in sports. In 2014, Awer and his brother returned to the Kakuma Refugee Camp, where they donated football jerseys and footballs.

They realised then that the kids were playing football barefoot, and this 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. It is now common to see teams wearing the shirts of Australian football teams playing each other in the Kakuma premier league or the women's Divas League.

Barefoot to Boots has stated its aim to work towards creating better health and education policies and gender equality for refugees. This not-for-profit is not limited to football. The organisation's visits to Kakuma have highlighted the need for educational materials, medical supplies and sanitary products, as well as sport, art and musical equipment. Contributions such as incubators, ultrasounds, laptops and books have already been sent to address some of these needs, while there are regular consignments of containers being sent to camps.

There are often tragic personal stories when we hear about the lives of our Australian migrants, especially those like Awer and his family, who fled their wartime homeland in search of peace and hope for safety and a future they can look forward to. After fleeing the second Sudanese Civil War in 1994, tragedy struck again for Awer and his family: Awer's sister was killed in a car accident in Adelaide on her way home from a Socceroos match in 2019. I can only imagine the great sadness this tragic loss had on Awer and his family, and my heartfelt condolences go out to them.

South Australia has rightly celebrated Awer's resilience and leadership as he stands up for his community and honours his sister's memory by continuing to fight for a better life for those who are in more need in his homeland. I commend and celebrate Awer and his remarkable journey and congratulate him for being an outstanding and extraordinary recipient of the Young Australian of the Year for 2023. He is indeed part of the Australian national character, just as all of our refugee migrants are.

Awer exemplifies what a person can achieve when they have to flee from their homeland with absolutely nothing but the clothes on their back, then begin to navigate a new country, language and culture as they build a new life.

On behalf of the South Australian government, I thank Awer for his contributions and for shining a bright light on the significant role our refugee migrants play, not only in the South Australian community but in communities throughout our nation and all over the world. Once again, I thank the Hon. Heidi Girolamo MLC for moving this motion. I hope we all give this motion our full support.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (16:50): As a huge supporter of the work of the Australia Day Council and a strong advocate to promote success stories of people from multicultural backgrounds, I rise to support this motion and thank my esteemed colleague the Hon. Heidi Girolamo for moving this motion.

I also add my congratulations to Awer Mabil on his 2023 Young Australian of the Year Award. Awer is a most worthy recipient of this award which recognises the impact young people have on the wider Australian community. As the shadow minister for multicultural South Australia, I am constantly moved and inspired by the talents and contributions made by migrants and refugees of our wonderful multicultural community.

Awer is well known for his distinguished professional soccer career, as well as an inspiration both on and off the soccer field. His incredible talent is matched by his altruism and passion to be a role model to those who look up to him. Awer's earliest memories are playing soccer barefoot with a rolled up sock as a football at the Kenyan refugee camp where he was born before his family settled in Adelaide.

After fleeing civil war at the age of seven with his parents, his brother was sadly separated from them in 1994. He lived in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya for six years, eating just one meal a day. Awer highlighted his humble beginnings when, during a 2022 World Cup qualifier, he said, 'I was born in a hut, a little hut. My hotel room here is definitely bigger than the hut, the room we had as a family in that refugee camp.' Now as a co-founder of the not-for-profit organisation Barefoot to Boots, Awer advocates for better health and education outcomes and policies that promote gender equality for refugees.

Through Barefoot to Boots, important resources are provided to refugees living in camps and their neighbouring host communities including sports, art and musical equipment, education materials, medical supplies and sanitary products. I have great admiration for those who, despite enduring hardship and struggles as refugees, find the courage and strength to settle in Australia in their newfound home to follow their passion to gain education, to excel in their professional careers and to continue making positive contributions to Australia.

These individuals have overcome incredible odds and face great adversities, yet they radiate compassion and strive to help others. Many have proudly represented their adopted home, Australia, on the world stage like Awer Mabil has. Others, through locally supporting their communities, make a huge difference in every aspect of our society.

As shadow minister for multicultural South Australia, I have had the opportunity to meet many young people and their families who fled from their country of birth. Despite personal hardships, family hardships and the socio-economic insecurity that they experience as refugees, they are energetic, innovative and hopeful for the future.

These positive contributions made by our refugee communities are in large part due to the inspiration, support and hard work by role models and public figures such as Awer Mabil. We should celebrate Awer's success and we should congratulate him on his wonderful recognition as the Young Australian of the Year. I wholeheartedly support and commend this motion.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (16:55): I rise on behalf of the Greens to support this motion that congratulates Awer Mabil, a professional soccer player and co-founder of the not-for-profit organisation Barefoot to Boots, on his 2023 Young Australian of the Year award, as well as highlighting the outstanding contribution that not only he has made but also refugees have made to our state and to our country.

It is an honour to acknowledge the work and story of the 2023 Young Australian of the Year, Awer Mabil. Awer's journey is one that embodies resilience, determination and a deep commitment to making a positive impact in our world. Awer grew up in Kakuma, a refugee camp in north-western Kenya, after his family were forced to flee war-torn Sudan. It was here that Awer first learned to play football in dirt patches in the camp before coming to Australia at the age of 10. Arriving in our country with no English, he said he used football as a way to communicate. He is quoted as saying:

It was tough at the start because we came here and didn't speak any English at all. Football was like a saviour for me and it was a way I could communicate.

It was here that Awer's true talents began to shine. His exceptional skill, unwavering dedication and sheer determination earned him opportunities to showcase his abilities on national and then international stages. He made his senior debut for Adelaide United in 2013 and now plays soccer overseas in Europe. He recently represented Australia in last year's FIFA World Cup and scored a penalty in a must-win qualification game against Peru, helping the Socceroos secure a place in the competition.

Off the pitch, of course, Awer utilised his platform to bring about positive change and make a difference in the life of others. In 2014, he and his brother Awer Bul co-founded the not-for-profit organisation Barefoot to Boots. The organisation Barefoot to Boots started off providing old football boots and shirts to young refugees and has since gone on to support health care, education and gender equality in the camp. Awer has said his proudest achievement was donating incubators to a camp hospital. He is quoted as saying:

That for me means the world, because we've given a life with a simple thing.

It is more than a simple thing, I think.

Awer Mabil has used his voice to raise awareness about the plight of refugees and challenge negative stereotypes. He has openly shared his personal story, shedding light on the resilience, talent and contribution that refugees bring to our nation and that those communities strengthen our nation with. Awer's advocacy has humanised the refugee experience, encouraging empathy, understanding and compassion in the face of a global displacement crisis and in the face of previous government actions where people were seen as numbers rather than names and their stories were not heard and they were restricted from being embraced by our communities.

Through his actions and words, Awer exemplifies the values of inclusivity, social justice and the power of education. He has become a role model for young people, inspiring them to pursue their dreams despite the obstacles they may encounter along the way. Awer's story serves as a powerful reminder that no matter what one's background, one's dreams and aspirations are valid and worthy of pursuit. It is a beautiful game, soccer, and this is a beautiful story that all Australians should be very proud of. I congratulate him for his recognition as the Young Australian of the Year.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (16:59): I thank all honourable members for their wonderful contributions. Awer and Barefoot to Boots are quite incredible. For someone so young to have excelled in a soccer career and to have also contributed and given back on a world stage is quite remarkable. Many members have mentioned the words 'role model' throughout their speeches and I think Awer is an example of a true role model and it is wonderful that he has been celebrated as the Young Australian of the Year. Thank you very much to honourable members for their support with this motion.

Motion carried.

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