Inspector Amy Scott, the police officer who stopped the Bondi mall attacker in April, has been nominated for the 2025 Australian of the Year Award for NSW.
Inspector Scott joins science educator Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, Kindness Factory founder Kath Koschel and paralysed rugby player-turned-motivational speaker Alex Noble among the 18 NSW nominees.
A police officer for 19 years, Inspector Scott pursued and shot the man who fatally stabbed six people and wounded 12 others at Bondi Westfield. Her courageous actions earned the NSW Police Force's highest honour, the Commissioner's Valour Award.
Award recipients for NSW in four categories will be revealed on November 13 and go on to represent NSW in the national Australian of the Year Awards presented in Canberra on the eve of Australia Day in January 2025.
The NSW nominees are:
Australian of the Year
- Jess Hill - Journalist, author and educator on coercive control (Coogee)
- Kath Koschel - Founder, Kindness Factory (Cronulla)
- Daniel Principe - Youth advocate and educator (Bondi Beach)
- Inspector Amy Scott VA - NSW Police officer (Sydney)
Senior Australian of the Year
- Gwenda Darling - Dementia and aged care activist (Finley)
- Professor Michelle Haber AM - Childhood cancer researcher (Coogee)
- Dr Karl Kruszelnicki AM - Science enthusiast and educator (Maroubra)
- Aunty Glendra Stubbs OAM - Counsellor and First Nations leader (Bullaburra)
Young Australian of the Year
- Noor Azizah - Co-founder, Rohingya Mayafunor Collaborative Network (Roseville)
- Alex Noble - Founder, Alex Noble Foundation (Gladesville)
- Maddison O'Gradey-Lee - Mental health advocate and researcher (Bateau Bay)
- Molly Croft & Amy Parmenter - Co-founders, The Tie Dye Project (Dubbo/Paddington)
Local Hero
- Adam DeMamiel - Co-founder, Boys to the Bush (Albury/Wodonga)
- Martha Jabour OAM - Co-founder, Homicide Victims Support Group (Carlingford)
- Claude Robinson - Manager, The Rainbow Lodge Program (Glebe)
- Renuka Fernando and Ben Stammer - Co-founders, ReLove (Bronte/Cremorne)
The nominees for NSW are among 137 people being recognised across all states and territories.
The NSW award recipients will be announced on the evening of November 13 in a ceremony at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney, which will be available to watch online at australianoftheyear.org.au.
The recipients of NSW awards will then join other state and territory recipients as finalists for the national awards to be announced by the Prime Minister on January 25, 2025, in Canberra.
National Australia Day Council chief executive Mark Fraser congratulated the nominees as "ordinary people who are doing exceptional things".
"They remind us of what is possible when we choose to overcome challenges, be a force for good, take on leadership and educational roles or step up when the occasion calls," Mr Fraser said.
ACM, the publisher of this masthead, is official media partner of the 2025 Australian of the Year Awards.
The following profiles and pictures of the NSW nominees have been supplied by the National Australia Day Council, organisers of the Australian of the Year Awards.
2025 NSW AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Jess Hill - Journalist, author and educator on coercive control
Jess Hill is a journalist, author and speaker on gender-based violence.
With more than one woman a week murdered by her current or former partner, Jess is fiercely advocating for a safer world for women and children. She's presented at almost 400 events about coercive control and delivers education for magistrates, communities and frontline workers. Jess is also regularly consulted on law reform, and this year sat on the Rapid Review of Prevention Approaches panel.
Her book on domestic abuse, See What You Made Me Do, won the 2020 Stella Prize and was adapted into a docuseries for SBS. Following this came podcast series The Trap about coercive control, another docuseries on SBS on consent called Asking For It, and a Quarterly Essay on how #MeToo has changed Australia.
For more than 10 years, 41-year-old Jess has been living with brain cancer. Despite this, she continues to work relentlessly towards ending gender-based violence.
Kath Koschel - Founder, Kindness Factory
A former professional cricketer and Ironman competitor, 38-year-old Kath Koschel has faced unimaginable hurdles. In her twenties, she broke her back and was told she may never walk again. Shortly afterwards, she lost her partner to suicide. Then, piecing her life back together, she was hit by a 4WD and learned to walk again a second time.
Kath's resilience helped her to not only overcome these challenges, but to see the good in the world. In 2015, Kath founded Kindness Factory. The not-for-profit, now based across three countries, has inspired over seven and-a-half million acts of kindness. Its curriculum teaches the power of kindness to children at more than 3500 schools across Australia and had been downloaded 60,000 times globally.
Kath's incredible story of courage and hope in adversity has become a global kindness movement, touching people from all walks of life. She consults to organisations globally, teaching the same principles of kindness.
Daniel Principe - Youth advocate and educator
Daniel Principe champions boys across Australia, challenging them to live courageous, respectful and empathetic lives. Daniel helps them find their purpose, clarify their values and get intentional about the kinds of men that they want to be. And he's inviting others to join him on the path towards forming good men.
By partnering with schools and communities, 36-year-old Daniel has encouraged more than 70,000 young Australians to recognise and resist distorted attitudes towards bodies, relationships and sex. He invites his audiences to instead aspire to healthy relationships built on mutual respect and empathy.
As the face of the Australian Government's 2024 "Consent Can't Wait" campaign, Daniel plays a pivotal role in promoting consent education and combating harmful behaviours among young people. His leadership in this national initiative underscores his effectiveness in driving social change on a large scale.
Daniel exemplifies hope, compassion and a relentless dedication to strengthening the next generation.
Inspector Amy Scott VA - NSW Police officer
Inspector Amy Scott VA, 39, has dedicated 19 years to the NSW Police Force, where she has been recognised on numerous occasions for her courage and leadership.
On 13 April, 2024, Inspector Scott displayed unparalleled bravery and dedication to service during a mass casualty event at a Sydney shopping centre. The day's events involved a knife-wielding offender attacking people within the centre, resulting in death and chaos.
Without hesitation or regard for her own safety, Inspector Scott responded with exceptional courage, not waiting for backup and choosing to face the threat head-on and alone, a decision that would define her heroism.
Inspector Scott located and advanced towards the offender, reflecting a dedication to protecting the public's safety and putting service before self. Her actions saved countless lives and showcased her unwavering leadership in the face of extreme danger. Inspector Scott's fearless and decisive actions are an inspiration to all Australians.
2025 NSW SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Gwenda Darling - Dementia and aged care activist
Gwenda Darling, a Palawa woman, was diagnosed in 2012 with younger onset dementia; at 59, it was a shocking and challenging discovery. She had already survived many traumatic experiences with an alcoholic father who struggled with PTSD following World War II, incest and domestic violence.
Gwenda has invested her life and career advocating for trauma-informed care for all age groups and people, including Aboriginal Australian children, LGBTI+ and other minority groups. Since her diagnosis, she remains a respected, influential voice for choice and control in aged care settings, and believes that medication, isolation or restraint should be a last resort.
Gwenda participates in dementia research and is actively involved with the Aged Care Council of Elders, Older Persons Advocacy Network and Dementia Australia. She advocates for the human rights and dignity of all older Australians.
The living embodiment of commitment, strength and resilience, 71-year-old Gwenda's no-nonsense attitude has improved understanding, giving hope for countless older Australians.
Professor Michelle Haber AM - Childhood cancer researcher
Professor Michelle Haber AM has dedicated her professional life to improving outcomes for children with cancer. When Michelle began her research, children with the same cancer type were all treated the same way - because doctors had no way of knowing what was best for any given child.
For children with the commonest cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, the game changer came when Michelle and her team developed technology that could show who was at high risk of relapse and therefore needed more intensive treatment. This led to a doubling of survival in children in the high-risk group, from 35 per cent to 70 per cent.
Michelle then applied this personalised approach to other cancer types. Now, because of her work, Australia is the first country to offer precision medicine to every child with cancer - and it's yielding remarkable results. Today, 68-year-old Michelle is recognised as one of the leading scientists in the field globally.
Dr Karl Kruszelnicki AM - Science enthusiast and educator
Dr Karl Kruszelnicki AM brings science to life with wit and charm. In 1981, he walked into ABC Radio station Triple J and offered to talk about the Space Shuttle launch. Great Moments in Science ran while Karl pursued his medical career.
Karl may have continued in paediatric medicine had it not been for the death of a baby from whooping cough. At the time, disinformation was circulating that vaccines didn't work. Appalled by the harm caused, Karl decided to quit medicine and make science communication his full-time career.
Karl presented on Quantum, co-hosted Sleek Geeks and appears regularly on radio and TV. His national weekly, one-hour science talkback show on Triple J, Science with Dr Karl, attracts more than 750,000 listeners, while the podcast downloads are over six million.
He's authored 48 popular science books and even built a machine to pick up electrical signals from the human retina for Fred Hollows. With infectious enthusiasm, 76-year-old Karl continues his mission to spread the good news about science and its benefits.
Aunty Glendra Stubbs OAM - Counsellor and First Nations leader
Aunty Glendra Stubbs OAM is a proud Wiradjuri woman who has lived in the Blue Mountains all her life. She has been the elder-in-residence at the University of Technology Sydney since 2020, and is a trained counsellor with over 40 years of experience providing advice and practical assistance to survivors of trauma.
Glendra has worked with several state and national bodies, including as an Aboriginal engagement advisor for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, and is the aunty-in-residence at Knowmore, a legal service supporting victims of child sexual abuse.
In her personal and professional capacities, 70-year-old Glendra has learned a great deal about the range of issues involved in supporting strong, resilient individuals, families and communities. This has led to her membership on a range of boards and committees, including leading as CEO of Link-Up (NSW) Aboriginal Corporation, assisting those affected by past government policies.
2025 NSW YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Noor Azizah - Co-founder, Rohingya Mayafunor Collaborative Network
Noor Azizah, a Rohingya refugee, has overcome immense challenges to become an outstanding human rights advocate and educator. At the age of eight, she and her family resettled in Sydney, having fled the genocide of Rohingya people in Myanmar's Rakhine state.
Despite these hardships, 29-year-old Noor has emerged as a strong voice for Rohingya women who have experienced unimaginable atrocities, such as systematic rape, torture and the loss of loved ones. Their plight remains a constant motivation for her work.
Noor co-founded the Rohingya Mayafunor Collaborative Network - a women-led, Rohingya-led, refugee-led organisation that focuses on addressing Rohingya human rights issues and sexual and gender-based violence through education and solidarity.
Noor's leadership within this organisation is a testament to her commitment to bringing about positive change for the Rohingya community, especially for the most vulnerable members of this population. Noor's life journey is a shining example of resilience, courage and unwavering determination.
Alex Noble - Founder, Alex Noble Foundation
Alex Noble was a 16-year-old rugby star when he broke his neck in an on-field injury, severely damaging his spinal cord. While Alex was in hospital, his brother Zac didn't want to complete his final school exams. Alex's first words after a four-day coma were: "Zac, if I fight ... you fight".
This inspired the online campaign, IFIGHTYOUFIGHT. It has more than 50,000 followers and a website reaching 300,000 people.
Diagnosed with C4 quadriplegia, Alex was not expected to have any movement from the neck down. Defying the odds, he has gone from learning to breathe again to standing up with a 20kg weighted vest.
At 22, he is a bestselling author, motivational speaker and fundraiser for spinal cord injury research and rehabilitation. He's also studying full-time at university, working in a law firm and runs his own boat rental company. Alex inspires others to find happiness and reach their true potential.
Maddison O'Gradey-Lee - Mental health advocate and researcher
Maddison O'Gradey-Lee aims to improve the measurement of mental ill-health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people through her PhD research.
In 2020, Maddison co-founded the Orygen Global Youth Mental Health Fellowship, a six-month program providing youth advocates with support, mentorship and education modules to increase the impact of their advocacy projects in their communities and globally.
Together with Orygen Global, Maddison facilitated one of the largest global youth consultations on mental health. She heard advocates felt unsupported and lacked training. Within four years, the Orygen Global youth fellowship has trained 76 youth advocates in mental health education, lived experience advocacy and peer support across 42 countries.
More than 21,000 young people have been reached through the direct and indirect impact of the program. At 27, Maddison has created a global community that's combating taboos around mental health and was the first person from Oceania to win the Dalai Lama Peace Fellowship.
Molly Croft & Amy Parmenter - Co-founders, The Tie Dye Project
At the age of 12, Molly Croft (now 18) was in hospital battling sarcoma cancer when she met elite netballer Amy Parmenter. During her off-season in 2017, Amy started The Tie Dye Project, and soon after, Molly joined in, bringing with her the support of the Dubbo community.
The Tie Dye Project makes and sells tie-dye t-shirts to raise funds for sarcoma cancer research. So far, the project has tie-dyed 16,930 items and raised more than $1 million.
For 27-year-old Amy, the fight against cancer is personal, having lost her mum to the disease when she was just 15. Together, Molly and Amy are working tirelessly to spread awareness about sarcoma and inspire Australians to invest in research and support those affected by this devastating illness.
Their relentless dedication has influenced the medical community to prioritise sarcoma research, making a profound impact on the lives of children and families nationwide.
2025 NSW LOCAL HERO NOMINEES
Adam DeMamiel - Co-founder, Boys to the Bush
Adam DeMamiel taught students with behavioural issues for more than 10 years before he saw an opportunity in 2017: to start Boys to the Bush.
For boys experiencing trauma and facing bleak prospects, Boys to the Bush provides wholistic early intervention support. For these boys, 88 per cent don't live with an adult male, 85 per cent are living away from home and 57 per cent are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
The support Adam provides to many of these young men can make the difference between life and death. Boys to the Bush leans in to offer mentoring and practical support to boys who have nobody else in their corner. The program has touched more than 8000 lives through 1:1 mentoring programs, camps, school programs and community engagement.
Adam, 43, has now created a scalable model that is changing the lives of our most vulnerable; the ripple effect enables communities to become far more connected.
Martha Jabour OAM - Co-founder, Homicide Victims Support Group
Martha Jabour helped establish the Homicide Victims Support Group in 1993 to care for families and friends of homicide victims throughout NSW. It provides life-changing counselling, support and referrals to more than 4200 members.
Using her experience across grief, trauma, policy development, strategic planning and crisis management, in 2013, Martha developed a vision for a world-first trauma recovery facility for those impacted by homicide. She inspired politicians, public servants, community organisations and others to raise funds, while land for the facility was donated by Blacktown City Council and the Western Sydney Parklands Trust. Grace's Place opened in 2023.
In April 2024, Grace's Place provided care for the overseas families of the victims of a Sydney shopping centre attack, including accommodation, counselling and funeral assistance.
At 61, Martha is also a community member representative on the NSW State Parole Authority, representing the families of homicide victims once an inmate becomes eligible for parole.
Claude Robinson - Manager, The Rainbow Lodge Program
Claude Robinson cares for the men that no one else cares for. As manager of The Rainbow Lodge, Claude helps men to transition back into the community following a period of incarceration.
Every year, almost 20,000 people leave prison in NSW, but less than three per cent of them get a bed in an accommodation program. The residents of Rainbow Lodge are among the lucky few.
With a focus on helping men heal from trauma, 54-year-old Claude's "never give up" attitude helps men to survive and thrive after incarceration, some who have spent decades in prison. His care and dedication help prevent men from becoming homeless and reoffending.
By taking in the men no one else will, Claude cares for those who've fallen through the cracks of society. He's determined to change people's lives for the better and has been doing so for years with care, love and kindness.
Renuka Fernando and Ben Stammer - Co-founders, ReLove
Renuka Fernando (54) and Ben Stammer (56) were friends in a Sydney running group. As part of their "Run for Good Project", they helped five women from a domestic violence shelter set up homes in social housing. Renuka and Ben collected good quality furniture and put the call out for donations.
The experience opened their eyes to the critical needs of vulnerable people when they move into safe housing. So, in 2020, the charity ReLove was born.
Renuka and Ben have since furnished homes for more than 2000 families, providing over $20 million worth of furniture.
ReLove has become a leading support service for people in crisis who need to set up a home from scratch. Renuka and Ben provide good quality rescued furniture and household items at no cost to 25 families each week. They have made exceptional contributions to the lives of at-risk Australians through generous compassion and practical support.
- ACM, publisher of this masthead, is official media partner of the 2025 Australian of the Year Awards.
