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That was the message from award recipients on a North Coast tour to inspire communities and encourage nominations for the 2017 Australian of the Year Awards.
Hastings Public School students met on Friday with Australia’s Local Hero Dr Catherine Keenan, NSW Australian of the Year Elizabeth Broderick and NSW Young Australian of the Year Melissa Abu-Gazaleh.
Senior Australian of the Year Professor Gordian Fulde joined the trio at the Glasshouse for a discussion session and later they toured the University of NSW medical campus and hospital.
Dr Kennan co-founded the Sydney Story Factory which has helped about 9000 school students express themselves through writing and storytelling.
She spoke to Port Macquarie students about the importance of following their passion and thinking about what difference they could make in the world.
“There are lots of platforms now where young people can engage and do small things to make the world better,” she said.
Ms Abu-Gazaleh established the youth-led Top Blokes Foundation which helps to combat anti-social and risk-taking behaviours among young men and busts negative stereotypes.
“My message is we all have a passion and we all have an issue that we might feel is very important, and there is no better time as a young person to try to make change,” she said.
Ms Broderick, the sex discrimination commissioner from 2007 to 2015, continues to champion gender equality.
“It’s very much about rewriting the rules and challenging the gender stereotypes,” she said.
Professor Fulde is the the longest serving emergency department director in Australia.
He said the tour was a chance to help people think about their lifestyle choices.
“Already we are seeing that younger teenagers and middle teenagers are doing less binge drinking,” Professor Fulde said.
But he said people aged 50-plus were drinking more than they should.
Nominations for the 2017 Australian of the Year Awards can be made at www.australianoftheyear.org.au