26th January, 2016
Former Australian Army chief David Morrison was named Australian of the Year for 2016 on Monday night in recognition of his commitment to gender equality, diversity and inclusion.
The former lieutenant-general, who retired in 2015 after four years as army chief and 36 in the army itself, played an instrumental role in the "cultural shift" said to have taken place in Australia’s armed forces redressing gender inequality. This included his appearance in a now famous video in which he ordered misbehaving troops to ‘get out’ if they couldn’t accept women as equals.
Meanwhile, Professor Gordian Fulde, director of emergency at St Vincent’s Hospital and Sydney Hospital and the longest serving emergency department director in Australia, has been named Senior Australian of the Year, 21- year-old social entrepreneurs Nic Marchesi and Lucas Patchett, founders of a free mobile laundry service for the homeless, have been named joint Young Australians of the Year and youth educator Dr Catherine Keenan, executive director of the Sydney Story Factory, has been named "Australia’s local hero".
For a complete list of those honoured on Australia Day, see www.gg.gov.au/australia-day-2016-honours-lists.
– DAVID ADAMS
