Hero Bondi Junction officer honoured with Australian of the Year nomination

Sydney police officer Amy Scott’s bravery during the Bondi Junction stabbing attack has been recognised with a nomination for NSW’s Australian of the Year.

Scott, who fatally shot attacker Joel Cauchi during the April 13 rampage, is in the running for the top honour alongside journalist and author Jess Hill, while quadriplegic former rugby player Alex Noble is among the nominations for NSW’s Young Australian of the Year.

Inspector Amy Scott has been nominated for Australian of the Year.Credit: Kate Geraghty

Scott’s nomination said she displayed “unparalleled bravery and dedication to service” and “responded with exceptional courage, not waiting for backup and choosing to face the threat head-on and alone”.

“Her actions saved countless lives and showcased her unwavering leadership in the face of extreme danger. Inspector Scott’s fearless and decisive actions are an inspiration to all Australians,” it said.

Martha Jabour, who helped to found the Homicide Victims Support Group in 1993, has been nominated for the local hero award for her work supporting the overseas families of Bondi Junction attack victims.

Hill, whose book See What You Made Me Do won the 2020 Stella Prize, presents events on coercive control and delivers educational sessions on the topic.

Noble, who was 16 when he was left quadriplegic after breaking his neck during a 2018 rugby match, was expected to be paralysed from the neck down but recovered to be able to stand up wearing a 20 kilogram weighted vest.

Celebrity science commentator Dr Karl Kruszelnicki has been nominated for Senior Australian of the Year.

National Australia Day Council chief executive Mark Fraser said the nominees were “ordinary people who were doing exceptional things”.

“They remind us of what is possible when we choose to overcome challenges, be a force for good, take on leadership or educational roles, or step up when the occasion calls,” he said.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony on November 13 before joining award recipients from other states at the national awards in Canberra on January 25.

Here is the full list of nominees:

2025 Australian of the Year for NSW

• Jess Hill – Journalist, author and educator on coercive control
• Kath Koschel – Founder, Kindness Factory
• Daniel Principe – Youth advocate and educator
• Inspector Amy Scott VA – NSW Police officer

2025 Senior Australian of the Year for NSW

• Gwenda Darling – Dementia and aged care activist
• Professor Michelle Haber AM – Childhood cancer researcher
• Dr Karl Kruszelnicki AM – Science enthusiast and educator
• Aunty Glendra Stubbs OAM – Counsellor and First Nations leader

2025 Young Australian of the Year for NSW

• Noor Azizah – Co-founder, Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network
• Alex Noble – Founder, Alex Noble Foundation
• Maddison O’Gradey-Lee – Mental health advocate and researcher
• Molly Croft and Amy Parmenter – Co-founders, The Tie Dye Project

2025 Local Hero for NSW

• Adam DeMamiel – Co-founder, Boys to the Bush
• Martha Jabour OAM – Co-founder, Homicide Victims Support Group
• Claude Robinson – Manager, The Rainbow Lodge Program
• Renuka Fernando and Ben Stammer – Co-founders, ReLove