ACHIEVERS OF THE YEAR
2018 Tasmanians of the Year named
A THEATRE director, an organic farmer, a dentist, and a woman who has raised more than $400,000 for breast cancer research have been named the 2018 Tasmanians of the Year.
Boat Harbour’s Scott Rankin, a theatre director, writer and founder of arts charity Big hART, was named Tasmanian of the Year.
Mr Rankin is the charity’s chief executive and creative director, and leads a team that helps tell the stories of regional, remote and urban Australian communities.
“Wherever you look there are hidden stories and people get hurt because the rest of us don’t know,” he said.
“Our thing in terms of our work is to make sure that the people on the margins are included in the telling of the story ... Including people in the community can solve a whole range of other issues.”
Organic farming pioneer Tony Scherer, who moved to Australia from California in 1990, said he was especially honoured to be recognised in his adopted country.
Mr Scherer was named Senior Tasmanian of the Year.
He has been promoting sustainable farming methods for more than 50 years and, as a founding owner of Frogmore Creek Wines, has shown organic viticulture was possible and profitable.
Mr Scherer has been keen to help other farmers learn about organic methods, and in 2012 he co-founded the notfor-profit Sprout Tasmania to expand and encourage organic and sustainable farming businesses.
Channel dentist Jessica Manuela, 29, was named Young Tasmanian of the Year.
Ever since she was a child Dr Manuela has enjoyed going to the dentist and she wants to
help change the perception of dentistry so that others do not fear the dentist.
She said about half of the first-time patients she sees are fearful of dentistry.
“I really want to change that perception,” she said. “Dentis- try has come a long way.”
Dr Manuela has also developed a scheme with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the South East Tasmanian Aboriginal Corporation, which started in April, that helps indigenous Tasmanians access dental care. “It’s pretty early days but ... we’re seeing stabilisation of dental disease,” she said.
Dr Manuela said she was also seeing improvements in the patients who had come to her after years of avoiding seeing a dentist.
“Really nervous patients come back, we get their mouths sorted and then they come back for their preventive health checks,” she said.
“Building relationships is so important.”
Moonah’s Judi Adams was named Local Hero.
Ms Adams took on the voluntary chairwoman position for the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s Hobart committee and in 14 years has raised more than $400,000 for breast cancer research.
One of Ms Adams’ most recent fundraising efforts was tackling Spain’s Camino de Santiago, raising $15,000.
The four Tasmanians were recognised in a ceremony at Government House in Hobart yesterday and will join a cohort of 32 state and territory recipients in the national awards, to be held in Canberra on January 25.