The mother and father of Brisbane mom Hannah Clarke, who was murdered along with her youngsters in a brutal home violence assault, have been named the 2022 Queensland Australians of the Year.
Sue and Lloyd Clarke have been honoured at a ceremony in Brisbane tonight forward of the nationwide Australia Day awards in January.
The grief-stricken couple have labored tirelessly in reminiscence of their daughter and grandchildren — Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4 and Trey, 3 — organising the anti-domestic violence charity Small Steps 4 Hannah.
They’ve mentioned the murders had been a line-in-the-sand second when the Australian group got here collectively and mentioned that “the place home and household violence is worried, sufficient is sufficient”.
Hannah was taking her youngsters to highschool when her estranged husband Rowan Baxter jumped within the automotive, doused them in petrol and set them alight in Brisbane’s Camp Hill in February final yr.
Regardless of their deep grief because the murders, Mr and Mrs Clark have devoted themselves to educating Australia on the hazards of coercive management and home violence.
By means of their basis, they continue to be dedicated to making sure their tragedy is rarely skilled by one other household.
‘A motion for change’
The Queensland judges mentioned the Clarkes “empower victims to talk up, information relations to pay attention to those that could also be in an unsafe setting, and create protected environments for many who want them most”.
The Clarkes have additionally supported the Queensland authorities’s Girls’s Security and Justice Taskforce, which is working to remodel the best way individuals perceive household and home violence.
Queensland Premer Annastacia Palaszczuk mentioned the deaths of Hannah Clarke and her three youngsters deeply shook the Australian group.
“For Hannah’s mother and father, Sue and Lloyd, it was a devastating, life-changing occasion and the beginning of a motion for change,” she mentioned.
“Their necessary work … has led to the Clarkes being honoured with the 2022 Queensland Australian of the 12 months award.”
Hannah Clarke had sought refuge along with her youngsters at her mother and father’ residence, after separating from her violent husband in late 2019.
However 50 days later, they had been lifeless.
The Clarkes knew she feared for her life, however they mentioned on the time they didn’t perceive the idea of coercive management.
It is a collection of behaviours, together with isolation, deprivation, demeaning behaviour, surveillance, threats to hurt and precise hurt.
After the Clarkes’ campaigned for adjustments to the legislation, the Queensland authorities has dedicated to criminalising coercive management, with legal guidelines anticipated earlier than state parliament early subsequent yr.
Boyhood dream to affix the police
The 2022 Queensland Senior Australian of the 12 months is Australia’s first Indigenous police officer, Dr Colin Dillon AM APM.
Raised in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, Dr Dillon mentioned it was his boyhood dream to affix the Queensland Police Service (QPS).
The award recognises his energy, braveness and resilience as a revered elder of the Kumbumerri peoples of the Yugambeh nation.
Ms Palaszczuk mentioned Dr Dillon was the primary serving police officer to voluntarily present essential first-hand proof to the Fitzgerald Inquiry into police corruption in 1987.
She mentioned since his induction into the QPS in 1965 he had been a robust opponent of racial discrimination and police corruption.
“In 1992, he was awarded the Australian Police Medal (APM) and in 2013 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his companies to the First Nations group, including to his lengthy checklist of achievements,” the Premier mentioned.
Disgrace, worry and stigma
The Queensland Younger Australian of the 12 months is psychiatry registrar and psychological well being advocate, Dr Tahnee Bridson.
Following the suicide of a widely known physician in 2016, Dr Bridson mentioned she discovered that a lot of her associates and colleagues had been additionally struggling in silence – too scared to talk up out of disgrace, worry and stigma.
It was then she determined her future can be devoted to psychological well being.
Dr Bridson based Hand-n-Hand Peer Assist in response to the rising emotional and psychological well being impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic amongst well being professionals, comparable to stress, anxiousness and despair.
“A small social media peer assist group has grown right into a motion throughout Australia and New Zealand,” the Premier mentioned.
Serving to hand for refugees
The Queensland Native Hero is multicultural group chief Saba Abraham, who arrange the social enterprise Mu’ooz Restaurant and Catering within the interior Brisbane suburb of West Finish.
Since arriving in Australia as a refugee from Eritrea, Ms Abraham has devoted her time to supporting different refugees, uplifting her group, and constructing multiculturalism extra broadly in Australia.
The judges mentioned in the course of the COVID-19 outbreak, Ms Abraham — as chairperson of the Brisbane Group Leaders Gathering — had performed an important position in stopping its unfold in Queensland.
The group of leaders from culturally and linguistically numerous communities ensured public well being messages had been translated into different languages so that each one individuals might obtain detailed and well timed data.
Her not-for-profit restaurant and catering enterprise has additionally supplied employment and coaching alternatives for ladies who’ve arrived as refugees.
The Premier mentioned Ms Abraham’s caring, compassionate and loving management had earned her the title ‘Mama Saba’, an honorary expression that recognises every part she does for her group.
Gratitude for his or her compassion
Ms Palaszczuk mentioned all 4 awards acknowledge excellent endeavours to enhance native communities, the state, the nation and the world.
“The awards once more encourage all of us {that a} brighter future is at all times achievable with laborious work, devotion and compassion,” she mentioned.
“All nominees in every of the 4 classes deserve our gratitude and admiration.
“Many are quiet achievers who work with out recognition, however tonight we have fun their efforts and dedication to their causes.”
The 4 class recipients will now symbolize Queensland on the nationwide awards within the new yr.
