Astronaut and teen advocate crowned South Australia’s Australian of the Year winners
An awkward mixup didn’t spoil celebrations as a pioneering astronaut and 16-year old mental health advocate led an extraordinary group honoured at the 2025 SA Australian of the Year ceremony.
The 2025 South Australian of the Year ceremony hit an snag Friday night, when organisers announced the Senior Australian of the Year winner, abruptly revoked the title, then reinstated it — leaving the crowd confused.
ABC presenters Sonya Feldhoff and Jules Schiller announced meteorologist and long-time climate-change volunteer Malcolm Benoy as the winner of SA’s Senior Australian of the Year award — only for hosts to return moments later to declare there had been “a mistake” and the award actually belonged to fellow finalist James Currie.
What followed was several minutes of confusion as officials checked paperwork and attempted to clarify the situation, all while guests shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
Then came the final twist: an official stepped back to the microphone to confirm that the original announcement had been correct after all — Benoy was indeed the winner.
Video captured by attendees shows the full awkward exchange.
Once the chaos settled, the focus returned to the four South Australians honoured for their extraordinary contributions.
History-making astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg and teenage mental health champion Chloe Wyatt-Jasper are South Australia’s 2026 Australian of the Year and Young Australian of the Year, respectively.
In offering his congratulations, National Australia Day Council chief executive Mark Fraser said: “Katherine is making history and inspiring the next generation to follow her lead in Australia’s space program. At just 16, Chloe is changing perceptions and helping kids just like her.”
Ms Bennell-Pegg, 40, was previously named The Advertiser-Sunday Mail SkyCity Woman of the Year, in 2023, and just days later was asked to train with the European Space Agency – becoming the first international candidate selected from a field of more than 22,500 applicants.
Graduating from basic astronaut training in 2024 as part of a class of six trained by the European Astronaut Centre, in Germany, she has now gone on to make history as the first Australian to qualify as an astronaut under Australia’s space program.
Ms Bennell-Pegg had dreamt of being an astronaut since childhood, has advanced multiple space missions and technologies, and continues to inspire and create new opportunities for the next generation in Australia’s emerging space industry.
In 2024, Ms Wyatt-Jasper was The Advertiser’s 2024 Teen Parliament winner.
Her powerful speech described a horrific domestic violence tragedy that occurred when she was an infant, which has spurred her advocacy journey and hope to overcome the stigma associated with mental health.
Her account deeply moved Premier Peter Malinauskas, who said her speech was “probably one of the more powerful budget bids that I’ve heard in a very long time”.
Chloe’s impassioned plea was successful in securing $5m for improved mental health services.
Another winner is meteorologist Malcolm Benoy, who has been named SA’s Senior Australian of the Year, for his significant contribution to climate-change research.
The 78-year-old has volunteered with the Bureau of Meteorology for the past two decades, setting up a citizen science group to record and preserve valuable handwritten meteorological records from the 19th century.
These records have been used by international climate change and meteorological researchers to reconstruct historical weather patterns in the southern hemisphere and better understand global climate change.
Community leader Ayesha Fariha Safdar’s work in creating safe and inclusive spaces for newly-arrived migrant and refugee women in Australia has landed her the title of 2026 Local Hero for South Australia.
Her work in leading Adelaide Pakistani Women’s Association has helped empower women, build their confidence and develop the skills necessary to adjust to a new life in Australia.
National Australia Day Council CEO Mark Fraser AO CVO offered his congratulations to South Australian winners, saying: “Katherine is making history and inspiring the next generation to follow her lead in Australia’s space program; as a volunteer, Mac has ensured the safety of valuable Australian scientific history; at just 16, Chloe is changing perceptions and helping kids just like her; and Ayesha is a guiding light for women shaping new lives in our country.”
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Originally published as Astronaut and teen advocate crowned South Australia’s Australian of the Year winners
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