Tony Sharp and Elijah Buol named as Australian of the Year nominees
A SOCIAL entrepreneur and a refugee advocate from Logan have been named as nominees in the 2019 Australian of the Year Awards. Full list of Queensland’s nominees inside.
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A SOCIAL entrepeneur and a refugee advocate from Logan have been named as nominees in the 2019 Australian of the Year Awards.
Substation 33 founder Tony Sharp was one of four Queenslanders nominated to be Australian of the Year and social justice advocate Elijah Buol was announced as a state nominee for Australia’s Local Hero award.
Mr Sharp, from Bethania, has provided over 150 first-time jobs and vital skills to unemployed members of the community through his social enterprise.
Substation 33 recycles electronic waste and has found unique ways to develop products using recycled materials — including powering electric bikes through recycled laptop batteries.
Mr Buol, from Regents Park, has been named as a Queensland nominee for Australia’s Local Hero.
Mr Buol, who founded the African Australian Women’s Association, first came to Australia in 2002 as an unaccompanied minor and refugee from South Sudan.
The father of four, criminologist, and director of Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland spends much of his time helping young and disadvantaged community members integrate successfully into Australian society.
Tomorrow night the state award winners will be announced at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Queensland award recipients will then join other state and territory recipients from around Australia in the national awards, which will be held in Canberra on January 25.
National Australia Day Council CEO Karlie Brand said the Queensland nominees are among more than 120 people being recognised across Australia in the awards.
“The Queensland nominees are extraordinary people doing what they see needs doing most,” said Ms Brand.
“Through their experiences, skills and contributions, they are all making a difference and making their mark.”
Full list of nominees
2019 QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Lorraine Hatton - Veteran and community leader (Paradise Point)
Jon Rouse - Detective Inspector and children’s champion (Ashgrove)
Tony Sharp - Social entrepreneur (Bethania)
Dr Harry Stalewski - Founding father of paediatric surgery in North Queensland (Townsville)
2019 QUEENSLAND SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Lillian Burke - Community elder and volunteer (Gympie)
Professor James Dale AO — Scientist (Moggill)
Professor John Grant-Thomson AM RFD - Medical engineer and inventor (New Farm)
Sandra Richards - Farmer, environmentalist and volunteer (Townsville)
2019 QUEENSLAND YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Angel Dixon - Model and activist (Gold Coast)
Kristen Larsen - Activist and volunteer (Upper Kedron)
Chaz Prezident – Entrepreneur (Bundall)
Mikhara Ramsing - Social enterprise CEO, youth suicide activist (Anstead)
2019 QUEENSLAND LOCAL HERO
Joan Beacroft - Social justice advocate (Bloomfield)
Elijah Buol – Advocate (Regents Park)
Elisabeth Ewen - Swimming coach volunteer (Stafford Heights)
Barbara Kienast – Volunteer (Samford)
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