Northern NSW councils torn over Australia Day ambassador program for 2023
A number of Northern NSW councils have baulked at the offer of an Australia Day ambassador - while others have grabbed the chance to roll out the red carpet. See what your area has decided.
Coffs Harbour
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North Coast councils are split on whether to engage a celebrity ambassador to kickstart this year’s Australia Day activities.
The ambassador program, which sees a high profile person linked to a specific local government area (LGA), has been running successfully for more than 30 years.
But the times are a changing, amid a backdrop of perceived growing angst about the date of January 26.
In 2023, Byron, Lismore and Nambucca Valley councils have put their hand up for ambassadors.
So too has Kyogle, which is so keen on the arrangement it will have two celebrities on deck for the day - one for the ceremony at Woodenbong and the other for Kyogle itself.
But a host of local councils have baulked at the ambassador offer: Bellingen, City of Coffs Harbour, Clarence Valley, Tweed Shire, Richmond Valley and Ballina.
Tweed, though, runs with a different model - anointing a local ambassador.
“Instead of appointing an ambassador parachuted in from Sydney or Canberra for the day, we decided a few years ago to appoint our own local ambassador,” a Tweed council spokesperson said.
“Each year, our ambassador is usually a person who was a major award recipient from the previous year’s Australia Day Awards event.
“This year, our ambassador will be Grant ‘Jack’ Frost – who won the Volunteer of the Year award last year. He is the commander of the Murwillumbah SES who has worked tirelessly in the region for many years – especially in the aftermath of the 2017 and 2022 floods.”
A state government spokeswoman said all NSW LGAs were sent an invitation to register for a 2023 Australia Day ambassador.
“All LGAs that requested an ambassador have been allocated one,” she said.
“There are more than 100 LGAs hosting ambassadors on Australia Day - we are still finalising a couple of requests.”
From football stalwarts, mathematicians, environmentalists and farmers to humanitarians and local heroes - this year’s ambassadors will share stories of what it means to be Australian.
Long-time Australia Day ambassador Andy Paschalidis will head to Lismore to meet the locals, while joining the ambassador program for the first time is acclaimed ABC Health broadcaster Dr Norman Swan who will hold court at Orange.
“I have been blessed to visit so many different communities over the years and it has been eye-opening. Lismore will be one of the special ones,” Paschalidis said.
“This year I saw first-hand how the floods have devastated local sports in Lismore and how Australians are always resilient, bouncing back from adversity when everyone unites.”
Local ambassador line-up
Byron Shire
Allan Sparkes (former deputy commissioner of the Mental Health Commission of NSW, author, mental health and suicide prevention advocate)
One of Australia’s most highly decorated citizens. He is one of only five in the past 47 years to be awarded Australia’s highest bravery decoration and highest civil award, the Cross of Valour, for his part in the rescue of a small boy who had been washed 600 metres down a flooded storm water pipe at Coffs Harbour in 1996.
Kyogle
Mike Goldman (TV presenter)
His first role in television was in a 1991 episode of Home and Away, and he was also the narrator of Big Brother Australia. He has hosted some of the biggest events in Australia - from Sydney 2000 to the Commonwealth Games.
Kyogle - Woodenbong
Brad Farmer (founder of Surfrider Foundation and National Ocean Care Day)
His debut book was the first complete Surfing Guide to Australia and was a mid-’80s’ bestseller, as was his most recent benchmark book, written with fellow surfer Professor Andy Short, 101 Best Australian Beaches. In his travels to over 40 coastal countries (including the Soviet Arctic where he was captured by the KGB for activism to protect oceans), he has led a storied life of advocacy.
Lismore City
Andy Paschalidis (sports presenter and football commentator)
On-air football host/presenter/commentator. Founder of Heartbeat of Football, Australia Day Ambassador since 1996, member of the NSW Office of Sport multicultural advisory committee and life member of Sans Souci FC.
Nambucca Valley
Susie Elelman (author, TV and radio broadcaster)
The late great Bert Newton said of her: “I cannot think of anyone in Australian media who is more versatile, informed and professional. I have worked with her on two television networks over the years and Susie is one of those rare people with impeccable qualifications on both sides of the camera.”
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