Tennis champion Dylan Alcott named Australian of the Year 2022

Tennis champion, Paralympic gold-medallist, advocate and philanthropist Dylan Alcott has been named Australian of the Year.

Tennis champion, Paralympic gold-medallist, advocate and philanthropist Dylan Alcott has been named Australian of the Year, becoming the first person with a disability to win the top award in its history.

Mr Alcott travelled from Melbourne to Canberra to accept the honour just hours after he secured a spot in the 2022 Australian Open mens quad final – his last before retirement from professional tennis.

The 2022 Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The 31-year-old said he hoped he made Australia “proud” in the final, but added “winning grand slams and gold medals isn’t my purpose”.

“My purpose is changing perceptions so people like me can get out there and live the lives they deserve to live,” he said.

In a heartfelt and humorous speech, Mr Alcott noted the irony of receiving a “standing ovation” for the award, and said he has come to consider his disability the “best thing that ever happened to me”.

“But for the 4.5 million people in (Australia) that have a physical or non-physical disability, they don’t feel the same way I do, and it’s not their fault,” he said.

Mr Alcott called for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) to be fully funded, describing it as an “investment in people with disabilities, so they can get off pensions and start paying taxes,” and offered frank advice to Australians.

He paid tribute to his disabled sporting idols and offered frank advice to Australians about how they treat people with a disability.

“Non-disabled people, it’s time for you to challenge your unconscious biases, … and lift your expectation of what you think people with disability can do, because it’s always more than you think,” he said.

Young Australian of the Year Dr Daniel Nour. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Australia’s Local Hero Shanna Whan. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Alcott’s sporting achievements include Australian Open champion seven years running, 15 grand slam quad singles and eight doubles titles.

In 2021 he became the first man in history to a achieve a golden slam of all four major singles titles as well as Paralympic gold in one year.

Outside sport, Mr Alcott has founded Get Skilled Access, helping make organisations more inclusive, and AbilityFest – Australia’s first and only fully accessible music festival.

He also started the Dylan Alcott Foundation to provide scholarships and grant funding to marginalised Australians with a disability.

Senior Australian of the Year Valmai Dempsey. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Two NSW residents were also recognised with awards, including 26-year-old founder of Street Side Medics, Dr Daniel Nour, who was named the 2022 Young Australian of the Year.

Dr Nour’s not-for-profit mobile medical service has 145 volunteers and four clinics across NSW treating more than 300 people experiencing homelessness with illnesses including diabetes, hepatitis C, HIV and cancer.

Fellow NSW resident, founder and chief executive of Sober in the Country, Shanna Whan, 47, from Narrabri was named the 2022 Australia’s Local Hero.

When Ms Whan almost lost her life to alcohol addiction in 2015, she gave up drinking and began volunteering to help others, ultimately forming her charity.

She appears everywhere from paddocks to conferences to speak about her harrowing journey to sobriety and help others.

Valmai Dempsey, who dedicated more than half her life to St John Ambulance, was named Senior Australian of the Year. She co-ordinated the deployment of 2020 summer bushfire teams to first aid posts and led a 40-strong team of volunteers as they supported fire-affected communities.

Ms Dempsey also created Project Survival, which took St John’s first aid education and messages into the places drug users frequented.