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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