Australian of The Year

Australian Of The Year

Since 1960 the Australian of the Year Award has been part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day (26 January), during which time the award has grown steadily in significance to become Australia’s pre-eminent award. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a very prominent part of the annual Australia Day celebrations. The official announcement has grown to become a major public event, with thousands of onlookers witnessing the televised ceremony in Canberra. The award offers an insight into Australian identity, reflecting the nation’s evolving relationship with world, the role of sport in Australian culture, the impact of multiculturalism, and the special status of Australia’s Indigenous people. It has also provoked spirited debate about the fields of endeavour that are most worthy of public recognition. In this way the awards have advanced a national conversation. "Money and power aren't the point here. The rich have no place on the list. Raw success isn't enough. There has to be something more, some sense of distinction that lifts a candidate out of the ruck of the famous."

The Awards have served an important role in drawing attention to Australia’s national day which, despite very strong participation has struggled to find a rich resonance with all Australians. The award program has also grown in importance as a way of promoting active citizenship and recognising role models. Three companion awards have been introduced, recognising both Young and Senior Australians, and proclaiming the efforts of those who work at a grass roots level through the ‘Australia's Local Hero’ award.

With over fifty years of history and a high public profile, the Australian of the Year Awards are unique around the world. It is unusual for such a program to have broad public support and the endorsement of its national government. In the USA the Time Magazine ‘Man of the Year’ (more recently ‘Person of the Year’) predates the Australian award by 33 years, but the Time award has not been reserved for any particular nationality. Furthermore, it does not necessarily focus on positive role models and has chosen such figures as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. Elsewhere, the Canadian Club of Toronto honours a 'Canadian of the Year', but the award does not have a strong link with the national government. Since 2004 the ‘Great Britons’ awards program has honoured such figures as author J.K. Rowling and Olympian Sebastian Coe, but relies almost entirely on financial support from the bank Morgan Stanley and the newspaper The Daily Telegraph. The Australian of the Year award receives substantial sponsorship from private companies, including a relationship in excess of thirty years with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, but its close association with the Australian Government ensures that its profile and reputation is significantly enhanced. "Nothing comes with this office except an inscribed chunk of green glass. There's no title; no stipend; no uniform; no official residence; nothing to pin in the lapel; and only the haziest of duties. What the winners are given is a voice."