Successful restaurateur Jimmy Shu, Indigenous activist and artist Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann and Darwin River Bushfire Brigade volunteer Beverley Shuker are among this years’ nominees announced for the 2021 Australian of the Year Awards.

They are among 16 Northern Territory residents in the running to be named a Local Hero, Young Australian, Senior Australian or Australian of the Year.

Nominations will also recognise Margaret Chamberlain, the principal of Kintore Street Special School in Katherine, renowned global expert in Indigenous health Dr Wendy Page, and Megan Hoosan, who played a key role in the critically acclaimed ABC documentary In My Blood It Runs.

National Australia Day Council chief executive officer Karlie Brand said the NT nominees were being recognised for their impact at a local, territory and global level.

“These extraordinary Territorians are hugely inspirational for their contributions and achievements – they reflect the richness of life in the territory and the importance of community,” Ms Brand said.

The 2021 Northern Territory award nominees

2021 NT Australian of the Year

Dorrelle Anderson – first Aboriginal executive director for Territory Families, Alice Springs

Dorrelle Anderson.

Dorrelle Anderson is the Southern Region executive director for Territory Families, an organisation which aims to reduce domestic, family, and sexual violence in the community.

She is the first Indigenous Australian to hold the position, and has achieved significant outcomes over the past seven years, including pushing key reforms, which improve efficiency and accountability, achieving the highest rate of children placed in kinship and family care in the Northern Territory, and establishing offices in remote communities, Ms Brand said.

“Dorrelle manages up to 150 staff and a budget of $30 million, and is known for her strong work ethic and dedication to the people of the Northern Territory,” she said.

Margaret Chamberlain – school principal and para-swimming official, Katherine

Margaret Chamberlain

School principal Margret Chamberlain has played a significant role in leading the development of the Kintore Street Special School, the only school in Katherine for students with physical and intellectual impairments.

Not only does she dedicate countless hours to raising funds for new school equipment, including organising the annual Katherine Crocodile Race since 2011, she also shows her commitment to differently -abled Australians through her volunteer work as one of Australia’s top para-sports officials.

Megan Hoosan – mother, contributor and collaborating director of In My Blood It Runs, Alice Springs

Megan Hoosan and her son Dujuan.

The Arrernte woman and mother who lives at Hidden Valley Town Camp in Alice Springs not only played a key role in the critically acclaimed ABC documentary In My Blood It Runs, but was also a collaborating director. Her story – shared with millions of Australians – has made a significant positive impact in Indigenous representation on screen.

The documentary is told through the eyes of Megan’s 10-year-old Arrernte/Garrwa son, Dujuan, who highlights the difficulties he faces in school and on the streets of Alice Springs.

Megan’s work as an advocate at the time of the film’s release highlights the challenges facing Indigenous women in their parenting journeys, as the documentary examines how the mainstream education system fails Indigenous children by not making space for their history, culture and first languages.

Dr Wendy Page – gobal expert in Aboriginal health, Nhulunbuy

Dr Wendy Page

Dr Wendy Page has worked tirelessly to eliminate a parasitic roundworm prevalent in Indigenous communities across Northern Australia. She set up the first national workshop for strongyloidiasis, a disease caused by the Strongyloides worm, and is currently the medical director at the newly established Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation in Nhulunbuy.

Ms Page’s efforts have been instrumental in reducing the prevalence of strongyloidiasis in local East Arnhem Land communities – reducing rates from a high of 60 per cent to below 10 per cent. Her many published papers on the Strongyloides worm have made her a world-recognised expert and are used to inform medical practitioners.

2021 NT Senior Australian of the Year

Dr Ollapallil Jacob – world renowned surgeon, Alice Springs

Dr Ollapallil Jacob

Dr Ollapallil Jacob has been a surgeon in Alice Springs for more than 20 years, and has dedicated his career to providing elective and emergency care – including neurosurgery, thoracic surgery and general surgery – to all Central Australia residents.

His work has significantly reduced the number of amputations among Indigenous people residing in and around Alice Springs. In addition to being an inspiring educator and mentor for junior doctors and medical students at the Flinders University rural clinical school, Dr Jacob has shone a spotlight on a number of public health issues and reduced rollover car-accidents and skin-infection rates in the NT.

Jimmy Shu – restaurateur, Darwin

Jimmy Shu

Brought up in Sri Lanka where his father owned a restaurant, Jimmy Shu is famous for his Hanuman restaurants in Darwin and Alice Springs which fuse Thai, Tamil and Nonya cuisines.

Aged 71 and still batting, he this month announced he would be taking a step back from the day to day operations of his iconic restaurants after becoming a TV sensation as the star of the culinary show ‘Jimmy Shu’s Taste of the Territory’, an eight-part series that aired on SBS and promoted the unique qualities of the NT.

Driven by passion for bringing people together over a meal, he is the owner of 13 restaurants, including 11 in Australia and two in Malaysia, but has carved out a special place in the NT’s local community.

Despite suffering numerous break-ins to his restaurants, Jimmy says he is determined to be part of the solution – calling for a round-table discussion between government and small business owners while fostering positive conversations with offenders.

Beverley Shuker – volunteer for Darwin River Bushfire Brigade, Darwin

Beverley Shuker has been a devoted volunteer firefighter, tanker driver and committee member for 42 years. Through a lengthy advocacy campaign with Bushfires NT, Mr Shuker was instrumental in having the brigades officially gazetted in 1984.

A dedicated wildlife carer with Wildcare NT for more than 20 years, she also volunteers on the management committee of the Berry Springs Recreation Reserve, where she supports the running of the reserve and instrumental in organising the Berry Springs Markets.

Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM – Aboriginal activist, educator and artist, Daly River

Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann

Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM is an Indigenous elder from Nauiyu and a renowned artist, activist, writer and public speaker.

Miriam-Rose became the Territory’s first fully qualified Indigenous teacher in1975 and as an art consultant for the NT Government’s Department of Education, she visited schools through the Top End, advocating for the inclusion of visual art as a key part of childhood education.

In 2013, she established the Miriam Rose Foundation, to bridge the divide between Aboriginal culture and mainstream society – driving reconciliation at a grassroots level.

In recognition of her leadership, she has been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia medal and an Honorary PhD in Education from Charles Darwin University.

2021 NT Young Australian of the Year

Matthew Axten – educator and mentor, Alice Springs

Matthew Axten

Matthew Axten is an Arrernte man and a teacher from Alice Springs where he has shaped the lives of hundreds of students at Gillen School.

Working to enhance literacy and numeracy centres to target specific learning needs, Mr Axten has been proactive in understanding and implementing key concepts of school-wide positive behaviour support, innovatively ensuring students receive positive reinforcement for behaviours that will help them achieve at school.

Nicole Civitarese – Community champion, Tennant Creek

Nicole Civitarese

Nicole Civitarese has been hailed as a community champion after she helped deliver essential food supplies to vulnerable community members in the wake of the burning of Tennant Creek’s only supermarket.

Holding leadership positions on many community organisations, including the local Lions Club, the Country Women’s Association, and the Tennant Creek Show Society, she used her social media platforms to share crucial and lifesaving information with the community during the COVID-19 pandemic and in August 2020, Nicole raised thousands of dollars for breast cancer research.

Dr Sanjay Joseph – medical practitioner and co-founder of Healthy Start Darwin, Darwin

Dr Sanjay Joseph

Dr Sanjay Joseph is a junior doctor at the Top End Health Service, dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of all Territorians.

Passionate about rural and Indigenous health, Dr Sanjay was awarded the Northern Territory Junior Medical Officer of the Year and the Australian Junior Doctor of the Year in 2019.

He also started Healthy Start Darwin in 2016, an education project which provides refugees with health information and helps them transition to Australian life.

As lead coordinator, Dr Sanjay and his team say they have already conducted sessions for more than 400 refugees – empowering them to access medical services in Australia.

Stuart McGrath – Aboriginal health practitioner, Galiwin’ku Community, Elcho Island

Stuart McGrath

Aboriginal health practitioner, Stuart McGrath, upon graduation became the first Yolngu registered nurse.

Overcoming significant challenges to follow his dreams – including completing his first year of a Bachelor of Nursing degree remotely while working full-time and being a father to two young girls, he helped produce the ‘Ask the Specialist’ podcast, with the Menzies School of Health Research, to improve communication between health professionals and patients.

2021 NT Local Hero

Josephine Crofts – community worker, Maningrida

Josephine Crofts

Josephine Crofts is a mentor to Indigenous women and has dedicated countless hours fostering the Maningrida community by providing healthy meals to children at the Maningrida Community Education Centre and the Mala’la Greats Youth Services.

Working in a part of the country where hheumatic heart disease – a life-threatening, but completely preventable disease disproportionally impacting Indigenous Australians – is rife, Ms Crofts has worked to bolster healthy living among young children in the community.

Sergeant Erica Gibson – NT Police officer and safer communities advocate, Katherine

Sergeant Erica Gibson

An integral mentor of other women in the Katherine police force, Srgt. Gibson’s integrity and leadership have won her recognition in the Australian of the Year Awards.

A police officer for more than 30 years, she says she is passionate about driving and supporting community programs which help to combat family violence.

The officer implemented the Family Safety Framework program, which provides a network of safe homes in remote communities for people in domestic violence situations and actively supports the Stars Foundation of East Arnhem region, which helps women and girls choose healthy, active lifestyles and positive relationships.

Jason Hanna – business leader, Darwin

Jason Hanna

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced Jason Hanna’s business to close he turned to supporting others struggling through one of the worst recessions since the great depression.

Mr Hanna was integral in starting Deliverish, a commission-free food and beverage online-ordering app, available to all businesses in the Northern Territory.

He then launched ‘Music on your Driveway’, which saw food orders delivered by musicians who played 45-minute, socially distanced sets, and promoted a pay-it-forward scheme, allowing people to shout a coffee in the botanic gardens for those who had lost their job.

“His actions have supported the local hospitality and entertainment industry and provided a positive contribution to those feeling isolated and vulnerable during the pandemic,” National Australia Day Council CEO Karlie Brand said.

Reanna Sanders – founder of Aunty’s Free Feeds, Palmerston

Reanna Sanders

Reanna Sanders is the founder of Auntys Free Feeds, which she says sees more than 100 free meals served up to Palmerston locals in need every week.

Having once been in a position where she needed help herself, she said she started Auntys Free Feeds as a one-day-per-week venture in the Palmerston pool carpark.

But what started as just meals for Palmerston’s most disadvantaged population has now expanded to help meet the broader needs of people within the community.

Auntys Free Feeds is supported by a small group of volunteers who assist by cooking and bringing along additional meals and providing warm clothes, blankets and other essential items.

‘Shining examples of care and compassion’

Chief Minister Michael Gunner is expected to announce the award recipients next week at the Darwin Convention Centre at 6pm on Wednesday, November 4.

The Northern Territory award recipients will then join the other state and territory recipients as national finalists for the national awards announcement on January 25, 2021.

Australia Day Council NT chair Nigel Browne congratulated all the Northern Territory nominees asserting the collective is a “shining example of care and compassion, of role models and of people who make the Northern Territory a better, safer place to live.”