Lindt Cafe siege hostages nominated for Pride of Australia Bravery Medal

THE Lindt cafe hostages have been collectively nominated for The Pride of Australia Bravery Medal to recognise the community’s most outstanding members.

A WINTRY wind is swirling outside, but it’s warm and sweet-smelling inside the Lindt cafe, the site of last year’s terrifying hostage drama.

Siege survivor Joel Herat feels at home here.

Staff and regular customers are like a family, drawn closer still by the events of December 15, when self-styled cleric Man Haron Monis held 18 people captive at gunpoint.

That sense of belonging is why Joel, 22, didn’t hesitate about returning to work when the Martin Place cafe reopened in March, despite it being the scene of traumatic, still-raw memories.

Elly Chen, another Lindt cafe worker held hostage, has also returned, along with the majority of the pre-siege staff.

“It was an easy decision to come back,” Joel says, shortly after clocking off from his morning shift last week.

“It’s the tight-knit group of staff here that pulled me back.”

The 17-hour ordeal claimed the lives of Lindt manager Tori Johnson and barrister Katrina Dawson, along with Monis, who was killed in a hail of gunfire when police stormed the building.

Joel and close mate Jarrod Morton-Hoffman armed themselves with kitchen knives soon after Monis took control of the cafe.

In the end, they decided against attempting to disarm the “volatile, trigger-happy” Monis for fear it would put other hostages at risk.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it every day,” Joel says.

“I especially miss Tori — he used to greet us every day when we came in. In a way, I went back to work to honour his memory.”

The Lindt cafe hostages have been collectively nominated for The Sunday Telegraph and Daily Telegraph Pride of Australia Bravery Medal to recognise and reward the community’s most outstanding members.

Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson lost their lives in the Sydney siege.

Quietly spoken and modest, with a composure that belies his youth, Joel is quick to deflect praise.

He says everyone in the cafe that day reacted well in an extraordinarily tense situation.

“There’s no right or wrong way to react but having that tight-knit group, I guess it made a difference in the end,” he says.

“If you were to ever be in a situation like that, I’m glad it was with those people. They had your back.”

Though the cafe has now become a somewhat unusual stop on the tourist trail — “They’re just curious,” Joel says of the gawkers — the siege survivors have found the support of the public humbling.

The survivors were, Joel says, ordinary people who endured an extraordinary experience together.

“We’ve come out stronger than we were before,” he says.

Now in its 11th year, the Pride of Australia Medal proudly champions leaders, campaigners, caregivers, volunteers, teachers and everyday Australians whose exceptional actions have set them apart.

NewsCorp Australia CEO Julian Clarke said: “Since launching in 2004, our Pride of Australia Awards have honoured hundreds of Australians, highlighting the remarkable contributions they make in their local communities.

“More often than not they receive little recognition and no reward for their selfless efforts, so this program aims to celebrate and thank these true Aussie heroes.

“This year The Sunday Telegraph will bring the inspiring stories of our Pride of Australia nominees and winners to our readers, and appropriately recognise their outstanding contribution to making NSW a better place,” Mr Clarke said.

NOMINATE NOW: GO TO dailytelegraph.com.au/news/pride-of-australia

Nominate someone worthy for a Pride of Australia award this year.

PRIDE OF AUSTRALIA CATEGORIES

These are the ten Pride Of ­Australia medal categories and their criteria.

Outstanding Bravery Medal

For those who have helped save, or attempted to save, a life.

Courage Medal

For those who have overcome personal adversity through ­determination and strength of character.

Heroism Medal

For those, professional or ­volunteer, who have protected the community through their work with the emergency ­services or the defence force.

Community Spirit Medal

For those whose selfless and largely unacknowledged actions have enriched the lives of those in their community.

Pride of Australia Medal nominations are now open.

Child of Courage Medal

For those aged 16 years or under who have overcome adversity through strength of character or helped save, or attempted to save, a life.

Young Leader Medal

For those aged 25 years or under who have advanced a ­community through academic or personal endeavour.

Care and Compassion Medal

For volunteers, carers or medical professionals who have made a significant improvement to the lives of those around them.

Inspiration Medal

For teachers and role models whose compassion and wisdom while teaching, coaching or ­mentoring our youth has been truly inspiring.

Environment Medal

For those whose actions prove that making a difference to the environment can make a difference to the broader community.

Fair Go Medal

For Australian citizens and permanent residents who were born overseas and have enriched Australia through their community involvement.