2009 Suncorp Queenslanders of the Year Awards – Winners and finalists
The 2009 Suncorp Queenslanders of the Year were announced on the 9 June at the Tivoli, Fortitude Valley.
These awards are an outstanding testament to the desire of Queenslanders to go above and beyond. In their dedication and commitment to a project, belief or passion, they have significantly contributed to their communities and the state.
Congratulations goes to all recipients of this prestigious award.
The 2009 award recipients are:
The Suncorp Queenslanders of the Year finalists are:
Suncorp Queenslander of the Year
Suncorp Young Queenslander of the Year
Sergeant Dimitrios (Jim) Bellos
Regional Cross Cultural Liaison Officer, Metropolitan South Region, Queensland Police Service
2009 Suncorp Queenslander of the Year
Sergeant Dimitrios (Jim) Bellos
The Metropolitan South Region in Brisbane has experienced a rapid increase in the number of new residents speaking over 150 different languages and practising over 130 different faiths.
In response to the issues associated with this change, Sergeant Bellos formalised links between the communities and the police to instil trust, understanding and harmony. Sergeant Bellos formulated community consultative groups, multi faith dinners, information sessions and, most notably, the award winning youth sporting program 'For the Love of the Game', to encourage interaction and improved understanding of more than 6000 youths from diverse backgrounds.
Since the formulation of this program there has been a noted decrease in youth crime in the region. Sergeant Bellos has gained the respect and trust of local community leaders and residents and has received three national and State awards for the 'For the Love of the Game' and six national and State awards for his own outstanding contribution.
Mr Chiu-Hing Chan - 25 years old
Vice Chairman, Australian Chinese General Chamber of Business
2009 Suncorp Young Queenslander of the Year
Mr Chiu-Hing Chan
Chiu-Hing is a dedicated Chinese community spokesperson acting in many influential roles that began with the Gold Coast Chinese Club, Chair of the Cultural Advisory Committee for the Fortitude Valley Chamber of Commerce and later, at age 23, the youngest appointed President and Chair of the Queensland Chinese Forum and the Queensland Police Chinese Community Crime Prevention and Consultative Committee.
He was an Executive of the Beijing Olympic Committee for the Queensland Olympic Council and was recently appointed Executive of the Gold Coast Committee of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2008, he became Vice Chairman of the Visa 457 Joint Task Force committee.
Chiu-Hing promotes Chinese cultural understanding, community engagement and has most notably contributed to making a significant difference in crime prevention and national youth opportunities through various projects.
Ms Heather Nancarrow
Director, Queensland Centre for Domestic Violence and Family Violence Research, Central Queensland University
2009 Suncorp Community Spirit Award
Ms Heather Nancarrow
Heather oversees a research centre that provided advice and support to more than 1000 agencies, policy development bodies and individuals in the last year alone. Heather has been appointed to many national and State advisory groups; she is Chair of the Queensland Ministerial Advisory Council on Domestic and Family Violence and Deputy-Chair of the National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children.
Heather has more than 27 years experience in the domestic and family violence prevention field, including direct service, policy development, research and professional development. She is particularly dedicated to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to address family violence and instigated the annual Indigenous Family Violence Prevention Forum, commencing in 2004.
Suncorp Queenslander of the Year - Finalists
Mr Bill Bristow AM
Founder and Chairman, Angel Flight Australia
In 2003 Bill Bristow personally funded and established a national organisation of volunteers to provide a free community service to rural Australia.
Based in Brisbane, Angel Flight coordinates free, non-emergency flights for people in rural and outback communities who need medical treatment at major medical centres. This enables patients to reach treatment quicker and more comfortably. Bill overcame obstacles in regulation, insurance, tax, medical and funding to build a successful charity which is now funded solely by the Australian community.
Through Bill's persistence and hard work, Angel Flight now has 2000 volunteer pilots, 2500 land based drivers and helpers and has undertaken 7000 mission flights to date. As well as being a Partner of a successful company, Bill has freely dedicated his time to oversee the daily running of the charity's operation and pilots' missions.
Mr David Conry
Chairman, Youngcare
As a result of a personal situation, David became appalled by the lack of appropriate care on offer for young people with high care needs, as many were inappropriately placed in aged care facilities. He set out to create the organisation Youngcare to provide hope and dignified care for all young people and their families and make real differences in their lives.
In the first two years, David rallied to raise in excess of $10 million worth of goods, services and cash. This enabled the creation of the first Youngcare Apartments in Brisbane, purpose built 24 hour care apartments that are now widely recognised as the best in the world.
Youngcare, led by David, also provides a Home Care Grant supporting those wishing to stay at home and is now in the planning stages of new full time care and holiday accommodation on the Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne. In credit of David's and Youngcare's achievements, both have been honoured with many awards for humanitarian, marketing, building and care virtues.
Associate Professor Noel Hayman
Clinical Director, Inala Indigenous Health Service
Noel has worked tirelessly for the last 19 years to improve Indigenous health within Queensland. He has developed successful Indigenous focused initiatives and projects, including improved access to mainstream health services, improved infant nutrition, a teaching unit for the University of Queensland, contributed to Indigenous policy at both State and national level and wrote the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Nutrition Survey 2002.
Noel is currently lobbying to create a Centre of Excellence in Indigenous Primary Health Care at the Inala Community Health Centre with the intention to improve health, research and teaching.
Mrs Vanessa Seekee OAM
Director, Torres Strait Heritage
Vanessa's commitment to a range of issues has seen her become a Horn Island and Torres Strait World War II historian, researcher, author, advisor, veterans advocate and conservationist.
Vanessa plans remembrance ceremonies, marches and camps, was instrumental in the implementation of the Horn Island World War II Memorial and is the founder, curator and tour guide of the Horn Island World War II Tours and Torres Strait Heritage Museum, which has created a tourist industry on the island and provided the local community with a new economy.
Vanessa's dedication in campaigning has preserved the memories of the Torres Strait Light Infantry on Horn Island. This has helped members of the infantry and non-Indigenous servicemen and women in their quest to gain access to veterans medical benefits and resulted in the presentation of the Star Medal and thousands of individual Gold Cards and Civilian Service Medals.
Vanessa's outstanding contribution has gained her an Order of Australia Medal.
Suncorp Young Queenslander of the Year - Finalists
Mr Alan Huynh - 25 years old
Youth Chair, Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia
A burns survivor before his first birthday, Alan Huynh is a now a committed multicultural issues campaigner, youth advocate and medical student. He is a youth ambassador for Brisbane and Queensland, is the Youth Vice-Chair of the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland and was the first Queenslander to be elected Youth Chair of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia.
Driven by a strong compassion for young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Alan has volunteered as a tutor for the Queensland Program for Survivors of Torture and Trauma. There he led a volunteer team to develop an innovative social initiative, the 'Partners in Peace' youth leadership camp to build self-esteem among young refugee students, which has attracted almost $20,000 in sponsorship.
Alan was selected to attend the Australian 2020 Youth Summit and was an Australian youth delegate to the 18th Ship for the World Youth, a global cultural exchange program.
Miss Sophee McPhee - 22 years old
Founding Editor, QCG Magazine
While studying a double degree, working part-time, and volunteering for a number of children's charities, Sophee battled with anorexia for five years. She refused to be admitted to hospital, instead finding her own cure by targeting the core of her illness (a lack of self-esteem and sense of achievement) in the creation of a women's magazine.
The publication offers a fresh approach to women's media, having no anti-esteem articles or advertising. The free QCG magazine aims to connect, inform, support, inspire and celebrate Queensland women just the way they are.
Mr Andrew Northcott - 25 years old
Founder and Managing Director, LSA Recruitment, Labour Solutions Australia
In 2004, Andrew started a small labour hire business and was his first labourer for hire. He has since grown the business to a multi-million dollar organisation ensuring a ranking on a number of business related lists, including Queensland's top 400 privately owned businesses and featured in BRW magazine.
Andrew is currently growing the company by launching a franchise recruitment agency, of which in five short months, already has six franchisees. He has also donated services from his company to help build the Youngcare apartments.
Mr Timothy (Tim) O'Shea - 22 years old
Member, Engineers Without Borders
At 15 years of age Tim's close friend injured his spinal cord in a sporting accident and became a quadriplegic. This motivated Tim to pursue a career in biomedical engineering and he recently completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Medical) at Queensland University of Technology.
Tim was awarded the General Sir John Monash Award which he plans to use to fund a Doctorate of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering at the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology in America. Tim aims to develop regenerative medicine strategies for repairing spinal cord injuries. While at university, Tim was an active member of the Engineers Without Borders organisation and was awarded QUT's Dean Scholarship for the Developing World, which he used to undertake three volunteer trips to India, working in the Karigiri Leprosy Hospital and the Christian Medical College. Motivated by the extreme conditions in India, Tim successfully developed a baby incubator, a prototype respiratory monitoring device and the design of an artificial hand suitable for Indian hospitals.
Awards sponsors
The Suncorp Queenslanders of the Year Awards are proudly supported by:
Last reviewed: 16 July, 2009
Last updated: 22 July, 2009
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