Australia's Living National Treasures
15 Australians honoured as
'national living treasures'

 

 

 

The National Trust has announced 15 new "Australian Living Treasures", which were selected by a popular vote conducted over several months.

They replace 15 of the original 100 Living Treasures who have died since the list was first released in 1997.

Those who have departed include Sir Donald Bradman, Ruth Cracknell, Slim Dusty, RM Williams and Judith Wright McKinney.

Living Treasures committee chair Michael Ball says months of voting by Australians has resulted in a diverse list of new names.

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The new names include last year's Australian of the Year Professor Fiona Stanley; refugee advocate Julian Burnside; Australian Breastfeeding Association founder Mary Paton; actors Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman; and sportsmen Pat Rafter and Steve Waugh.

It also included Australians working in medical and social services overseas, such as Mavis Taylor in East Timor, who at age 86 set up a sewing co-operative for East Timorese women; and Dr Catherine Hamlin, who has treated birth injuries in Ethiopia for 30 years.

Perth burns specialist Dr Fiona Wood, who received worldwide recognition for her work with Bali bombing victims, says she is honoured by the recognition.

"I think it's really very important for us, I think it's very important for society to realise that there's an awful lot of people out there who are doing their best and contributing and there's an awful lot more as well," Dr Wood said.

"But to have a balance and to realise we need all different facets of society I think is very positive."

Other new names are: New South Wales Governor Marie Bashir; Victorian Governor John Landy; singer and administrator Ted Egan; singer Jimmy Little; and scientist Dr Basil Hetzel.

Director of Western Australia's Institute of Child Health Research and last year's Australian of the Year, Professor Fiona Stanley, says she is extremely proud of her latest award.

"I love it because, not just because it's an acknowledgement of what I've tried to do but it actually acknowledges the work we've done at the Institute here in Western Australia to improve child health and wellbeing," Professor Stanley said.

"It acknowledges the kind of public health approach I have - in other words all the people who are working in trying to prevent disease and improve outcomes for children and young people."

Living Treasures committee chair Michael Ball says the people chosen are deemed to have added lasting attributes to our culture and heritage.

"Some of them I'd never heard of and obviously some are very famous, but no, some of the scientists and academics and those involved in social service, some of those were very unfamiliar to me and to others," Mr Ball said.

"So it proves the good sense of the Australian people."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phillip Adams AO Shane Gould MBE Greg Norman AM
Betty Archdale MBE * Dr Germaine Greer Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE
Dr Faith Bandler AM Dr Catherine Hamlin Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue AC CBE AM
Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC Rolf Harris AM OBE Dr Pat O'Shane AM
John Bell AM OBE John Hatton AO Sir Mark Oliphant AC *
Prof Geoffrey Blainey AO Hazel Hawke AO Dr Margaret Olley AO
Arthur Boyd AC OBE * Dr Basil Hetzel AC Mary Paton
Raelene Boyle MBE The Most Rev Peter Hollingworth AO OBE Noel Pearson
Sir Donald Bradman AC * Gabi Hollows Charles Perkins AO *
The Rev Father Frank Brennan AO Janet Holmes a Court AO Kieren Perkins OAM
Senator Bob Brown Donald Horne AO Pat Rafter
Julian Burnside The Hon John Howard Prof Henry A. Reynolds
Don Burrows AO MBE Robert Hughes AO Ken Rosewall
Evonne Cawley AO MBE Barry Humphries AO Prof Peter Sculthorpe AO OBE
The Rev Tim Costello Elizabeth Jolley AO Dick Smith AO
Ruth Cracknell AM * The Hon Barry Jones AO Mum (Shirl) Smith AM MBE *
The Rev Bill Crews AM Caroline Jones AO Professor Fiona Stanley
Russell Crowe The Hon Paul Keating Dame Joan Sutherland OM AC DBE
Bart Cummings AM Thomas Keneally AO Mavis Taylor
Betty Cuthbert AM MBE Cheryl Kernot Richard Tognetti
Sir Roden Cutler VC, AK, KCMG, KStJ, KCVO, CBE * Nicole Kidman The Hon Tom Uren AO
Judy Davis Ian Kiernan AO OAM The Rev Sir Alan Walker Kt OBE DD *
His Excellency the Hon Sir William Deane AC KBE The Hon Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG Nancy Bird-Walton AO OBE
Ernie Dingo AM Prof Dame Leonie Kramer AC DBE Anthony Warlow
Dr Michael James Dodson AM His Excellency John Landy, AC, MBE Gai Waterhouse
Pat Dodson Rod Laver Steve Waugh
Prof Peter Doherty AC Michael Leunig Morris West AO *
The Hon Don Dunstan AC * Jimmy Little The Hon Gough Whitlam AC QC
Slim Dusty AO MBE * Ted Mack Margaret Whitlam AO
Ted Egan David Malouf AO R M Williams AO CMG *
The Hon Justice Marcus Einfeld AO QC Ted Matthews * Robyn Williams AM
Herb Elliot AC MBE Dr Colleen McCullough David Williamson AO
John Farnham AO Garry McDonald AO Tim Winton
 Dawn Fraser AO MBE  Mr Walter Mikac Dr Fiona Wood AM
The Hon Malcolm Fraser AC CH Dr Jack Mundey AO Roger Woodward AC OBE
Cathy Freeman OAM Graeme Murphy AM Judith Wright McKinney *
Margaret Fulton OAM Les Murray AO Dr John Yu AC
Peter Garrett AM John Newcombe AO OBE Galarrwuy Yunupingu AM
Jennie George    

* deceased