Victoria Nominees Announced For 2021 Australian of the Year Awards

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The nominees for the 2021 Victoria Australian of the Year Awards include two mums helping parents of kids with disabilities, a neurologist whose invention translates thought to action for paralysed patients, everyday heroes helping communities recover after bushfires and a 92 year old breaking new ground in the study of dementia.

They are among 17 Victorians in the running to be named the state’s Local Hero, Young Australian, Senior Australian or Australian of the Year.

The 2021 Victoria award nominees are:

2021 Victoria Australian of the Year

Stephen Bevington – Founder/Managing Director, Community Housing Limited (Healesville)

Amanda Hose & Kate Jones – Hosts of Too Peas In A Podcast (Maroondah)

 Associate Professor Thomas Oxley – Neuro-interventional surgeon and neurologist (Caulfield/New York)

Donna Stolzenberg – Founder/CEO, National Homeless Collective (Melbourne)

 

2021 Victoria Senior Australian of the Year

Bich Cam Nguyen – Founder/CEO/Honorary Secretary Australian Vietnamese Women’s Assoc (Melbourne)

Lorna Prendergast – Dementia advocate (Bairnsdale)

Professor Geoffrey Sussman OAM – Wound Management Expert (Caulfield)

Dr Rodney Syme AM – Campaigner for voluntary assisted dying (Yandoit Hills)

 

2021 Victoria Young Australian of the Year

Nathaniel Diong – Entrepreneur, founder of Future Minds Network (Vermont South)

Tayla Harris – Footballer, boxer, respectful relationships ambassador (Melbourne)

Keeley Johnson – Founder, Keeley’s Cause (Ballan)

Dylan Langley – Out of Home care reform advocate (Heathmont)

 

2021 Victoria Local Hero

Tenille Bull – Founder bushfire relief fund It’s My Shout (Lakes Entrance)

Matthew Charles-Jones – Founder, Totally Renewable Yackandandah (Yackandandah)

Nathan Rogers – CEO, The Bushfire Foundation (Kangaroo Flat)

Dr Kirby White – Founder, Gowns for Doctors (Bendigo)

 

The nominees are among 128 people being recognised across all states and territories as part of the program, which began in 1960.

The four award recipients from Victoria will be announced in an online, livestreamed ceremony at 6.30pm on Tuesday 27 October 2020.

The Victoria award recipients will then join the other state and territory recipients as national finalists for the national awards announcement on 25 January 2021. 

National Australia Day Council CEO Karlie Brand said the Victoria nominees spanned a wide range of community interests and achievements.

“In what is a challenging year, the award nominees give Victoria and all Australians an important reminder of how much good there is in our communities and how much Victoria has to celebrate,” said Ms Brand.