Sue and Lloyd Clarke, the parents of domestic and family violence victim, the late Hannah Clarke, are the 2022 Queensland Australian of the Year award recipients.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk congratulated the Clarkes at a ceremony in Brisbane tonight, ahead of the national Australia Day awards in January.
In the other categories:
- The 2022 Queensland Senior Australian of the Year is Australia's first Indigenous police officer Dr Colin Dillon AM APM.
- The Queensland Young Australian of the Year is psychiatry registrar and mental health advocate Dr Tahnee Bridson.
- The Queensland Local Hero is multicultural community leader Saba Abraham.
The Premier said all four awards acknowledge outstanding endeavours to improve our communities, our state, our nation and the world.
"The awards again encourage all of us that a brighter future is always achievable with hard work, devotion and compassion," she said.
"All nominees in each of the four categories deserve our gratitude and admiration."
The four category recipients will now represent Queensland at the national awards in the new year.
Queensland Australian of the Year
The deaths of Hannah Clarke and her three children in February 2020 shook us with deep grief, the Premier said.
"For Hannah's parents Sue and Lloyd it was a devastating, lifechanging event and the start of a movement for change – Small Steps 4 Hannah – to educate the community and halt the cycle of domestic violence."
"Their important work that has led to the Clarkes being honoured with the 2022 Queensland Australian of the Year award."
The Premier said the experiences of Sue and Lloyd and others like them strengthened the resolve of the Queensland Government to establish the Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce.
They have also strongly advocated on the issue of coercive control.
Queensland Senior Australian of the Year
The Queensland Senior Australian of the Year recipient Dr Colin Dillon's award recognises his strength, courage and resilience as a respected Elder of the Kumbumerri peoples of the Yugambeh Nation and Australia's first Indigenous police officer.
Dr Dillon was the first serving police officer to voluntarily step forward and provide crucial first-hand evidence before the Fitzgerald Inquiry into Police Corruption in 1987.
The Premier said since his induction into the Queensland Police Service in 1965, Dr Dillon has been a strong advocate against racial discrimination and police corruption.
"In 1992, he was awarded the Australian Police Medal and in 2013 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to the First Nations community, adding to his long list of achievements," she said.
Queensland Young Australian of the Year
Queensland Young of Australian of the Year recipient and psychiatry registrar Dr Tahnee Bridson is awarded for her efforts to reduce the stigma around mental health within the medical profession.
Dr Bridson founded Hand-n-Hand Peer Support in response to the growing emotional and mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among health professionals, such as stress, anxiety and depression.
"A small social media peer support group has grown into a movement across Australia and New Zealand," the Premier said.
Queensland Local Hero
Queensland's Local Hero award acknowledges the vital work of multicultural community leader and social entrepreneur Saba Abraham to translate of COVID-19 public health messages into several languages for communities across the State.
Ms Abraham also dedicates her time to promoting multiculturalism and running her not-for-profit restaurant and catering business, Mu'ooz.
"That's has provided more than 200 refugee women in Queensland with vocational training and job opportunities," the Premier said.
The Premier thanked all nominees for the 2022 Queensland Australian of the Year Awards for their hard work serving their communities.
"Many are quiet achievers who work without recognition, but tonight we celebrate their efforts and dedication to their causes.
"Congratulations to the five outstanding Queenslanders who will go on to represent our State at the national awards ceremony on the eve of Australia Day 2022."
