Mandurah local legend Reg Lambert missed out on being WA’s Australian of the Year ‘Local Hero’ on Wednesday night, when founder of Shalom House drug rehabilitation centre Peter Lyndon-James took out the honour.
The 2018 Western Australia Australian of the Year Award recipients were announced at a ceremony hosted by WA Governor Kerry Sanderson at Government House Ballroom in Perth.
Her Excellency said she was inspired by the stories of courage, advocacy, leadership and determination from all of the nominees and was very proud of the four Award recipients.
The Western Australia Award recipients will join a cohort of 32 State and Territory recipients from around the country. These recipients will represent their state at the national Awards on 25 January 2018 in Canberra, where the four Australians of the Year will be announced.
2018 Recipients
- WA Australian of the Year: Psychologist Dr Tracy Westerman of Perth.
- WA Senior Australian of the Year: Women’s health champion, 66-year-old Kathleen Mazzella OAM of Perth.
- WA Young Australian of the Year: 24-year-old footballer Samantha Kerr of Fremantle.
- WA Local Hero: Henley Brook addiction treatment specialist Peter Lyndon-James.
National Australia Day Council chief executive Jenny Barbour said the WA award recipients were inspirational.
“The Australian of the Year Awards allow us to recognise and celebrate the achievements of outstanding Australians – people making extraordinary contributions to our society,” she said.
“The Western Australia Award recipients have challenged boundaries, shown great leadership, overcome personal challenge and made a difference for others.”
The Western Australia Awards presentation concludes the State and Territory level Australian of the Year Award announcements.
The list of national finalists for the 2018 Australian of the Year Awards is now complete and all the state and Territory recipients will gather in Canberra for the national Awards announcement on January 25, 2018.
