AOTY nod fitting for brave advocacy work

A YOUNG Hobart advocate for sexual assault victims is in the running to be named 2021 Tasmanian Australian of the Year.

Grace Tame, 25, from Bellerive, is one of four Tasmanians nominated for the award which will be announced on October 30.

Ms Tame has been an outspoken advocate for survivors of sexual assault, particularly those who were abused in institutional settings.

From age 15, Grace was groomed and raped by her 58year- old maths teacher, who was found guilty and jailed for his crimes. However, under Tasmania’s sexual- assault victim gag laws, Grace couldn’t legally speak out about her experience.

Working with the # LetHerSpeak campaign, Grace applied to the Supreme Court to win the right to publicly selfidentify as a rape survivor – becoming the first Tasmanian woman to do so.

Ms Tame is vying against marine scientist and founder of Otlet Dr Madeline Green, from Glebe, Dr George Razay, a leading researcher in Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease from Launceston and Joe and Fiona Riewoldt, the founders of Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision.

In the running in the Tasmanian Senior Australian of the Year are Derek Benson, a volunteer at City Mission ( Norwood), Nel Smit, an educational leader and sustainability advocate from Taroona and Brian Williams, a Scout

Leader and mentor from Blackman’s Bay and Owen Tilbury.

Mr Tilbury is the director of the Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air Festival, which has become hugely popular and went online in 2020, reaching 27,000 viewers nationwide.

The 2021 Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year nominees include Robert Bramley, from Kindred, who took off to become the youngest person to circumnavigate Australia solo by plane after almost losing two close friends to suicide.

Eighteen- year- old Bob formed an organisation called Surviving Turbulence and then completed his first solo flight in 2018. The following year he undertook a 15,000km unassisted journey while raising funds for Beyond Blue.

Also nominated are footballer and Make Runs Maxi founder Rulla Kelly- Mansell, climate action and youth empowerment advocate Toby Thorpe and Lend a Hand to Hugo founder Luke Williams.

The Tasmanian Local Hero nominees for 2021 are Toni Johnstone, team leader for the Tasmanian Lost Pet Register, Eva Mackinley, Founder of The Last Straw Australia, Edna Pennicott OAM, founder of Kingborough Helping Hands and Suzanne Smith, a volunteer ambulance officer.

The Tasmanian winners will join the other state and territory recipients as national finalists for the national awards announcement on January 25.