Australian of the Year finalists endure one last challenge

Heroic cave divers, champion athletes and relentless community advocates are “shattered” are facing one last challenge ahead of the final celebration tonight.

Happy but weary - Australian of the Year finalists, Craig Challen, left, and Dr Richard Harris, at a morning tea at The Lodge in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

The eight Australian of the Year finalists may have worked exceptionally hard to get to the final celebration tonight but they faced one last challenge: six fire alarms at the hotel in which they were staying.

Australia Day Council chair Danni Roche told Scott Morrison at a morning tea at The Lodge today that the group of state winners — including five-time Paralympian and disability advocate Kurt Fearnley and Thai cave divers Craig Challen and Richard Harris — that they are all “shattered.”

“They’re all a bit tired today, we had six fire alarms last night … and no one’s had any sleep,” the former Hockeyroo told the Prime Minister.

The other state finalists include former Essendon footballer Michael Long and Queensland detective inspector Jon Rouse who leads the world-renowned Task Force Argus, a dedicated team that tracks and catches child sex abusers and paedophiles.

Victoria’s entrant, Mark Sullivan, is the founder and managing director of Medicines Development for Global Health which ensures millions of disadvantage people around the world but particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, can access life-changing medicine.

In Tasmania, Bernadette Black is the state finalist for her work in founding and running BRAVE Foundation which works with teenagers while they are pregnant and after they become mothers.

Mr Morrison will announce the recipient of Australian of the Year at a ceremony tonight in Canberra which begins at 7.30pm.