Australia’s former Chief Medical Officer, an Australia’s First Peoples advocate, a youth worker and the founder of a local charity have all been recognised for this year’s ACT Australian of the Year Awards.
The four Canberrans, Brendan Murphy (pictured centre right), Patricia Anderson (pictured centre left), Tara McClelland (pictured right) and Timothy Miller (pictured left), can now join the winners from other States and Territories for the national awards on 25 January.
Former Chief Medical Officer to the Federal Government and current Secretary of the Australian Department of Health, Brendan Murphy provided advice to the Federal Government on the closure of Australia’s international borders as COVID-19 was spreading around the world.
“I’ve been in health all my life; clinical work, health reform, health leadership, and the CMO role in the Commonwealth was just the pinnacle of my health career,” Professor Murphy said.
“I didn’t want this ghastly virus to come, but I was there when it came,” he said.
“I was determined to save the Australian people from what we saw in the rest of the world.”
Professor Murphy is also the Chair of the Australian Health Principal Protection Committee (AHPPC) and provided guidance to Federal, State and Territory Governments about restricting business and community activities.
“It’s important to me because I care about people and care about the health of our nation, I care about particularly vulnerable people who are the people who are tragically affected by this virus,” he said.
Candidate for Senior Australian of the Year, Patricia Anderson is a 76-year-old Alyawarre woman who has built a national and international reputation as a powerful advocate for the health of Australia’s First Peoples.
The ACT’s Young Australian of the Year, Tara McClelland works tirelessly to support and advocate for the rights and wellbeing of ACT’s young people as a Youth Worker with the Salvation Army and ACT Local Hero, Timothy Miller runs the national organisation ‘Lids4Kids’ which encourages households, schools, businesses, and organisations to collect plastic lids to be recycled into sustainable products for children.
The Australian of the Year Awards are to be presented on 25 January next year.
