Logan refugee advocate and criminologist Queensland Local Hero

It was a meeting of the minds when refugee advocate Elijah Buol met entrepreneur Tony Sharp hours before he was named this year’s Queensland Local Hero.

Substation 33 founder, entrepreneur Tony Sharp, nominated Queensland Australian of the Year with Elijah Buol, named Queensland’s Local Hero. PHOTO: JUDITH KERR

IT was a meeting of the minds when refugee advocate Elijah Buol met entrepreneur Tony Sharp hours before he was named this year’s Queensland Local Hero.

The two men, both from Logan, forged a quick friendship hours before they attended the Queensland Australian of the Year awards on Friday night.

Both vowed to work together to improve life for people from all walks of life.

Elijah Buol from Logan’s Regents Park is Australian of the Year Queensland Local Hero.

“We might come from very different backgrounds but we are united in our plans to help people who are struggling in Logan,” Mr Buol said.

Mr Sharp, nominated for Queensland’s Australian of the Year award, said their partnership was on two levels — to help each other and to create change for Logan.

Mr Buol, a softly-spoken criminologist and father of four, has lived life to the fullest since arriving in Australia as an unaccompanied minor from South Sudan in 2002.

And although life has not been easy, the 33-year-old is a walking success story.

His advocacy work was instrumental in helping remove children under 18 from adult prisons in Queensland.

“It is a great honour to be able to be recognised for the service in a state and country that has given me hope,” he said.

“I arrived in 2002 with nothing but only a bag of hope and aspiration to change my life as a 16-year-old.

“I am very proud to be Australian and call Australia my home — a home which has given me an opportunity to realized my potential, aspirations and hope rooted in principles of a fair-go if you dare to dream.”

He said the award was testament to Australia being a fair country and hoped it would inspire members of minority groups who had worked to prove their “Australianiness”.

He also said it was his hope that his four children would have a sense of belonging and would not be judged by the colour of their skin or cultural affiliation but by their actions as Australians.

The former refugee spends much of his time helping young and disadvantaged community members integrate into Australian society.

And there is nobody better qualified to be Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland director.

His long list of qualifications, including a Master of Law, Master of Justice in Intelligence and a Bachelor of Human Services, is impressive.

Mr Sharp, who founded social enterprise Substation 33 which trains and employs disabled and creative people, congratulated Mr Buol.

The well-loved Logan identity and social advocate, was one of four Queenslanders nominated to be Australian of the Year.

Substation33 founder Tony Sharp was nominated at for this year’s Queensland Australian of the Year. He is pictured here with volunteer Chris Fuller. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Sharp, from Bethania, has provided more than 150 first-time jobs and vital skills at his Kingston Substation 33, where staff turn electronic waste into power packs and even flashing “Road Flooded” signs.

Woodridge Mp Cameron Dick congratulated both men and said both had made the Logan community proud.

“These men have been changing lives locally for a long time, so it’s fantastic that their work has been recognised,” he said.

“Tony and Elijah give hope to the young and disadvantaged in our community. The worth of their work cannot be valued highly enough.”

Queensland African Communities Council president Elijah Buol was named this year’s Queensland Australian of the Year Local Hero. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Buol will join other state and territory recipients at the national awards in Canberra on January 25.