Sunday, January 27, 2013

Publishing icon Ita Buttorse has been named 2013 Australian of the Year.

The 71-year-old former magazine editor was officially awarded the prestigious title by Prime Minster Julia Gillard on the lawns outside Parliament House at 6pm this evening.

The Alzheimer's awareness advocate, was given the honour for a groundbreaking media career and her role in raising awareness of health and media issues.

The Nine Network personality began her career as a 15-year-old copy girl at The Australian Women's Weekly and quickly became a cadet journalist on the women's section at the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph.

At just 23 she was appointed women’s editor of these two newspapers and, in 1971, created Cleo magazine for Sir Frank and Kerry Packer.

Three years later she was appointed editor of The Women’s Weekly.

In 1980 she became the first woman editor of an Australian metropolitan newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, and later the Sunday Telegraph.

She was the first woman appointed to the News Limited Board in 1981.

In parallel to her media career, Buttrose continues to champion social and health issues.

Since 2011 she has been National President of Alzheimer’s Australia and is also Vice President Emeritus of Arthritis Australia.

She has been Patron of the Macular Degeneration Foundation since 2005 and now uses her profile to raise awareness of breast cancer, HIV/AIDS and prostate cancer.

Emeritus Professor Ian Maddocks was named Senior Australian of the Year for his efforts to advocate peace and his work in palliative care.

He has been a key leader for many years in both the Medical Association for the Prevention of War and the International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War - an organisation which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its work in 1985.

After promoting the development of palliative care in southern Adelaide for some years, Professor Maddocks was appointed Professor of Palliative Care at Flinders University in 1988, pursuing a rigorous teaching and research program as well as caring for his patients.

He was elected first President of the Australian Association for Hospice and Palliative Care and first President of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Palliative Medicine.

Recognised internationally for his work in palliative care, tropical and preventative medicine, Professor Maddocks’ texts are used world-wide.

25-year-old Afghan refugee Akram Azimi was added to the National Honour Roll as 2013 Young Australian of the Year.

Azimi arrived in Australia in 1999 and is now studying a triple major - law, science and arts - at the University of Western Australia.

He now uses his leadership and pastoral skills to help young people in remote and rural Western Australia and in 2011 co-founded a student-run initiative to raise awareness about Indigenous issues in universities.

Australia’s Local Hero 2013 is Indigenous community leader Shane Phillips of Redfern, Sydney.

At 48, Phillips is a respected member of the Redfern Aboriginal Community in Sydney and is regarded as the voice of the community on issues including juvenile justice and Aboriginal deaths in custody.

He is the full time CEO of the Tribal Warrior Association, a non-profit organisation directed by Aboriginal people and elders that offers training for employment and helps at the grassroots level with emergency relief for struggling families.

Phillips also operates a mentoring program to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. 

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