2013 Australian of the Year: Ita Buttrose

On the grounds of Parliament House, Prime Minister Julie Gillard announced Ita Buttrose as Australian of the Year on Friday January 25, on the eve of Australia Day.

Ita Buttrose, journalist, businesswoman and health awareness advocate, was recognized for her “brilliant and groundbreaking media career” as well as championing health education. She rose from a copy girl at The Australian Woman’s Weekly magazine to establishing the Cleo magazine in 1971. She was also the first female editor of a city newspaper in 1980, working at the Daily Telegraph in Sydney.

In her year of honour, the 71-year old Buttrose aims to promote dementia and champion the rights of ageing Australians.

Afghan refugee, Akram Azimi, was named Young Australian of the Year for his work with youth in remote Western Australia. Community leader, Shane Phillips, was honoured as the Local Hero, while palliative care specialist, Emeritus Professor Ian Maddocks, was named Senior Australian of the Year.

In addition to the major awards, 571 Australians have been honoured in this year’s Australia Day Honours List.

MARTINA NICOLLS

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MARTINA NICOLLS is an international human rights-based consultant in education, healing and wellbeing, peace and stabilization, foreign aid audits and evaluations, and the author of: The Paris Residences of James Joyce (2020), Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...

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MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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