· For the first time since these annual awards began in 1957, two fathers will receive the Australian Father of the Year Award, the much loved father and son, grandfather and father duo.
· These recipients demonstrate the importance of fostering safe environments for children, a theme brought to life in the new #SafeWithYou campaign.
· The awards and #SafeWithYou are key components of The Fathering Project's work to educate, connect and mobilise fathers and families to create brighter futures for children.
Sydney, Australia – 29 August – The Fathering Project proudly announces the recipients of the 2024 Australian Fathering Awards, celebrating the essential role that fathers, father figures and workplaces play in fostering safe, thriving families and communities. This year's awards align closely with The Fathering Project's #SafeWithYou campaign, which emphasises the importance of creating secure, loving environments where children can flourish.
The 2024 Australian Fathering Awards celebrate three individual fathering categories and one workplace whose efforts exemplify the importance of fathers and male role models in positively impacting child wellbeing and development, as well as building thriving communities. These recipients recognise what research has proven: that fathers and father figures significantly impact a child's social, mental, emotional, physical and academic outcomes.
Father and son duo, Jimmy Barnes AO and David Campbell OAM, have been recognised as joint Australian Father of the Year.
Barnes and Campbell have been open in sharing their parenting journeys to break multi-generational cycles of trauma and build a relationship of respect, love and mutual support.
As a child, Barnes fled from an abusive upbringing before having his first son Campbell, whom he left shortly after his birth due to feelings of hopelessness and difficulty navigating his life as a new, young dad. Over the years, the duo has repaired their relationship to form a strong bond, as Campbell now raises his own children in a safe, loving household with Barnes as an active grandparent, breaking the familial pattern.
By sharing their experiences, they inspire others to embrace vulnerability, strengthen family ties and demonstrate unconditional love regardless of circumstances.
The Awards recognise three other recipients, including:
- Community leader Shaun Chandran as Australian Community Father of the Year 2024 for his work in fostering a supportive and safe community of dads and families while raising awareness of perinatal mental health for new dads. His efforts are guided by the principle of "why dad alone, when we can dad together".
- Adam Desmond as the Australian Sporting Father of the Year 2024 after founding and growing Binar Futures to become the first Aboriginal basketball association in Perth's metro area. His work engages over 2,000 primarily Aboriginal children each year, ensuring that no child is left behind.
- Ansvar Insurance as Australia's Best Workplace for Fathers 2024 for its work in embedding flexible policies to ensure fathers can connect with their kids away from work. Ansvar Insurance provides support for fathers in critical times through staff-led efforts and has raised more than $15 million to support at-risk youth. Their work creates a culture of parental support, responding to historically low utilisation of parental leave among Australian fathers.
Each recipient has actively contributed to building positive environments for children, a theme brought to life in The Fathering Project's #SafeWithYou campaign. Launched to coincide with the awards, the campaign reflects the important role that fathers and father figures play in creating safe, loving homes – a core element of the awards. The campaign shines a light on the importance of positive father involvement in ensuring their child is raised in a safe home. It eliminates a gender bias when it comes to violence by prioritising child wellbeing through the use of the child's voice.
This Father's Day, The Fathering Project is celebrating all fathers, father figures and positive male role models who embody the #SafeWithYou philosophy.
Together, we can create a generation of children who feel secure, supported, and ready to thrive. We call on fathers and father figures to join a movement that is changing children's lives.
Quotes attributed to:
Káti Gapaillard, CEO of The Fathering Project
"The 2024 Australian Fathering Awards, along with our #SafeWithYou campaign, reflect our unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow up in a safe, supportive and loving environment."
"This year's award recipients embody the #SafeWithYou premise, from their experience in breaking cycles of disadvantage, to creating safe spaces for children and fathers to play, grow and learn, and enabling fathers to connect with their children away from the workplace. We thank them for their leadership and commitment."
Jimmy Barnes AO, Australian Father of the Year
"Fatherhood takes a lot of skills, you have to learn on the job. But no job has ever been so rewarding. From the moment you look into your baby's eyes until the day they are about to walk through the door to venture out on a life on their own, joy flows freely. That joy is accompanied by constant feeling of worry and trepidation. But regardless of that worry it is still the greatest gift I have ever been given. I have watched David on his journey, grow from a small child into an awkward young man, along the way we both made mistakes but nothing we couldn't sort out with patience and love. I then saw him grow into a confident, generous, caring young man who had found his feet and was ready to start a family of his own. His greatest lessons were about to begin. He learned fast and it wasn't long before I watched proudly from the sidelines as he became a wonderful father himself. I love David so much and I am so proud of the man he has become."
David Campbell OAM, Australian Father of the Year
"This honour hasn't quite sunk in yet. That could be the years of interrupted sleep or just the fact it's quite overwhelming. To be able to share this award with my Father is extremely special on many levels. He is the template for how I navigate my life as a parent. While it feels premature to receive this award - as my twins are in Primary school and my son is only in year 8 - it means so much to me all the same. I can't wait to use it to make them do chores or go to bed on time. I may wear it on a chain until they all finish high school."
Shaun Chandran, Australian Community Father of the Year
"To be recognised as Australia's Community Father of the Year is a huge honour, I'm proud to be this year's recipient and an example of an involved and engaged father for my children, and children, fathers and families in the community."
"Connecting with other dads who felt the same way I did showed me the power of community. 'Why dad alone when you can dad together' has been our guiding principle, and it's incredible how this group has grown into something truly impactful."
Adam Desmond, Australian Sports Father of the Year
"I'm deeply honored to be recognised as Australian Sports Father of the Year by the Australian Father's Day Council and The Fathering Project. Binar Futures has always been about ensuring that no child is left behind, and seeing our community grow and thrive over the years is the greatest reward."
"Binar started with just a small group of boys and a big dream – to build a community where every child feels valued and supported. Today, watching those same boys inspire the next generation is what drives me to keep pushing forward."
Warren Hutcheon, Chief Executive Officer, Ansvar Insurance, 2024 Best Workplace for Fathers
"I know from personal experience that being a father is the most important job a man can have. It's why I'm immensely proud that Ansvar has been recognised as Australia's Best Workplace for Fathers, highlighting our commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive environment where fathers can succeed both professionally and personally. It's a testament to our belief that supporting families strengthens not only our workforce but also the communities we serve."
"This recognition underscores the effectiveness of our new policies – like extended parental leave, flexible working arrangements, and mental health support — in helping all parents at Ansvar balance their roles at home with their professional responsibilities."
"Being named Australia's Best Workplace for Fathers is a reflection of our holistic approach to employee well-being and engagement. At Ansvar, we strive to lead by example, showing that comprehensive support for fathers is necessary to create a dynamic and productive workplace."
