Tauranga City Council and the Government are considering separate inquiries.

The cane toad's devastating march across northern Australia is almost complete, with the invasive species expected to be widespread in Western Australia's Pilbara by 2041 if left unchecked, a sobering new study has found.

The toxic creatures could colonise three-quarters of the Pilbara, threatening 25 native species in the biodiversity hotspot, the study led by Curtin University has found.

These include several species of native marsupial predators like northern quolls, ghost bat and kaluta, as well as frog-eating snakes, blue-tongue skinks, and goannas.

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Eradicating the toads from the Pilbara once they're established would be "virtually impossible" and would cost "billions", according to the study's lead author, Dr Judy Dunlop.

However, co-author Dr Chris Jolly from Charles Darwin University says a containment strategy is still possible.

Cane toads require access to freshwater as they migrate and spread.

The pests have populated the Northern Territory in the last two decades.

"It is what we have learnt from toads in the NT that has provided the crucial information to inform the potential impacts of toads if they were to make it into the Pilbara, as well as understanding how and when they might get there," Jolly said.

The Northern Territory had naturally occurring containment zones using seawater, with coastal locations such as Groote Eylandt and the Tiwi Islands acting as refuges for wildlife like northern quolls.

Currently, the toads are approaching a naturally dry region where the Great Sandy Desert meets the ocean as they approach Western Australia.

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There, the only water sources are man-made cattle watering points.

Upgrading these water sources from open dams to concrete tanks and troughs designed to be inaccessible to the toads would remove the "stepping stones" used by the toads to cross the arid zone.

"This targeted intervention could halt their advance into the Pilbara, protecting its unique biodiversity and reducing the risk of catastrophic declines in native species such as northern quolls, ghost bats, goannas, and blue-tongue skinks," Dunlop said.

Dunlop said it was always preferable to prevent an environmental hazard before it occurs.

"The investment required for containment is modest compared to the astronomical costs and low feasibility of eradication."

The report authors suggest a similar strategy could also be used in the Northern Territory's arid zones, reducing their numbers during the dry season.

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Top Republicans are distancing themselves from the Trump administration over the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol in Minneapolis.

Typically the party has been in lockstep with the president on every position he takes.

But some influential figures are breaking ranks with the administration after the shooting death of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti.

READ MORE: Trump fires his chief enforcer in Minneapolis

In the hours after Pretti's death, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Pretti's actions as an "act of domestic terrorism".

"I don't know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign," she said of Pretti in the hours after his death.

"This is a violent riot when you have someone showing up with weapons and are using them to assault law enforcement officers."

Noem's comments have not been well-received.

"Officials who rush to judgment before all the facts are known undermine public trust and the law-enforcement mission," Utah Senator John Curtis said.

 "I disagree with Secretary Noem's premature DHS response, which came before all the facts were known and weakened confidence."

Six other Republican senators have also called for a more thorough investigation into the shooting.

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Multiple video angles of the shooting showed Pretti did not have his hands on his holstered gun at any point during the confrontation.

The gun had been taken away from him before the first shot was fired by Border Patrol agents.

Pretti was an intensive care nurse and was filming law enforcement agents at the time of his death.

He had been pepper-sprayed and was being held down on the ground by several agents before he was shot ten times in five seconds.

America's second most powerful Republican, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, has called for a change to the White House's approach.

"In general, we need to have respect for law enforcement officers in the country," Abbott said.

"They are law enforcement officers. And so they, being the White House, need to recalibrate on what needs to be done to make sure that respect is going to be re-instilled."

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State and local law enforcement are seeking an order preventing the federal government from destroying evidence in the Pretti investigation.

The administration is not co-operating with a local investigation, and the federal case is being handled by ICE itself.

Democrats, meanwhile, are pushing for Noem to be impeached as Secretary of Homeland Security.

Nearly two-thirds of the House of Representatives Democrats have signed on to a resolution to impeach Noem.

"We call for an immediate stand down of ICE and CBP interior enforcement operations and demand the resignation of the Secretary of Homeland Security," a statement from a group of Democratic lawmakers said.

"Current leadership has failed to protect civil liberties, ensure accountability, or maintain the public trust."

But no elected Republican has joined them yet.

Noem will testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3.

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An iconic lookout in the Blue Mountains has been closed after the local council claimed a growing number of visitors were ignoring safety warnings.

Lincoln's Rock is located in Wentworth Falls, west of Sydney, and features uninterrupted views of the World Heritage Blue Mountains National Park.

With the site being unfenced, visitors are able to sit on the edge of the rock and look out towards Mount Solitary and the Jamison Valley, making it a popular picture spot and giving the location a growing reputation on social media.

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There was a particular surge in visits to the rock after K-Pop star Jennie posted a video of herself sitting on the edge of the rock in 2023.

The singer and actress has over 89 million followers on Instagram.

Some people have also carved their names or initials in the rock over many decades, causing degradation concerns.

However, the Blue Mountains City Council announced it was closing the lookout until April, on the grounds that the site is not equipped to safely deal with the massive increase in visitors.

READ MORE: 'Calling us out': UN calls on Australia to do better on human rights

Mayor Mark Greenhill claims some visitors are ignoring basic safety warnings.

"Lincoln's Rock is a stunning but inherently dangerous clifftop location within a World Heritage-listed area," he said.

"While we understand how much locals and tourists value this site, we cannot in good conscience keep it open while people ignore basic safety precautions at an unfenced cliff edge."

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Greenhill said Lincoln's Rock would be closed until April 30 at least as the Council reviews options to make the site safer, as well as protecting the local environment.

"As the popularity of the site has grown, visitors have ventured further into intact bushland which significantly impacts upon native vegetation and wildlife," he claimed.

Greenhill said the Council would look to address several issues during the closure, including illegal parking, littering and traffic congestion.

The popular site didn't have a car park for years, with a small, basic one created in 2021.

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Multiple celebrities have begun posting about the recent shootings in Minneapolis by federal agents that claimed the lives of two American citizens.

Alex Pretti and Renee Good were both fatally shot by federal agents involved in supposed round-ups of illegal immigrants, with White House officials immediately classing both deaths as the result of "self defence" against "domestic terrorists" and "assassins".

Local authorities have proven more sceptical about the justified nature of the shootings, while video captured by bystanders at both scenes appear to show elements that contradict federal narratives.

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Federal agents from ICE and Border Patrol have also been accused of other violent acts in the city, including toward citizenship holders.

Now, on the back of Pretti's death after he approached agents, allegedly while in possession of a licensed firearm, Hollywood A-listers are speaking out.

Two celebrities known for speaking their values – The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal and singer Billie Eilish – were among the loudest.

READ MORE: New vision emerges showing the moments before fatal shooting of Alex Pretti

https://www.instagram.com/p/DT9490DDnWq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp

Pascal shared multiple posts to his Instagram Sunday night drawing attention to the killing of both Pretti and Good.

One of Pascal's posts included drawings of Pretti and Good with the words "Pretti Good reason for a national strike" along with snippets from a New York Times editorial titled "Two People Are Dead. Americans Deserve to Know the Truth."

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis shared the same image on Instagram. Actor Edward Norton, speaking to the Los Angeles Times at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, also called for a general strike.

Writing on Instagram, Pascal said: "Truth is a line of demarcation between a democratic government and an authoritarian regime. Mr Pretti and Renee Good are dead. The American people deserve to know what happened." He also tagged the New York Times.

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On Instagram, Eilish posted to her stories several times, including one calling Pretti "a real American hero".

Eilish called out the overwhelming silence from many of America's cultural luminaries, posting a selfie with the words: "hey my fellow celebrities u gonna speak up? or"

Others have joined the growing chorus, including singer Katy Perry, and actor-directors Natalie Portman and Olivia Wilde.

Actor Tessa Thompson, who has previously protested ICE, posted a message to her Instagram story saying "This is what service and protection looks like" along with a clip of media coverage.

By Monday morning, singer Katy Perry was urging her Instagram followers to write to their senators.

"I could not be prouder to be American right now, by the way the Americans are acting. And I could not be sadder to be American right now with the way the government is behaving," Portman told Deadline.

Actor and comedian DL Hughley also posted to social media – though earlier than most, shortly after Good's shooting.

"There is no living with this Trump magafascism. It must be removed from power before it commits even more horrific atrocities and forcibly shuts down any real possibility of resistance."

Hughley also shared a quote from poet Langston Hughes which read, "Fascism is a new name for the terror black people have always faced in America."

Elsewhere, actors Mark Ruffalo and Glenn Close, no strangers to speaking out, also condemned the violence by federal agents.

"Alex Pretti is a hero," Ruffalo wrote on Bluesky, resharing a post about Pretti being a nurse with the Veterans Administration and a dog owner.

Prior to that he also shared a link to the video of Pretti being shot, writing: "Cold blooded murder in the streets of the USA by an occupying military gang, creating havoc. We have fought wars in other countries for less than this."

On Instagram, Close read from prepared remarks, saying that while she has been mostly out of the country since September, she has "watched, with the rest of the world, our democracy being systematically disemboweled and torn apart."

Other voices also heard

Meanwhile, some Republicans in Congress are pushing for a deeper investigation into the shootings, and the White House has walked back some of its more flammatory rhetoric, but has warned protesters not to impede federal officers.

After weeks of sniping at each other, US President Donald Trump and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz actually spoke by phone, with both charactersing the conversation as positive.

Trump wrote in a social media post earlier Monday that the two "actually" seem to be on the same page in wanting to work together on immigration issues in Minnesota.

He said the people the administration is seeking "are any and all Criminals that they have in their possession" and Walz "very respectfully, understood that."

Walz's office released a statement saying the White House had agreed to look into either reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota or working with the state "in a more coordinated fashion on immigration enforcement regarding violent criminals."

With CNN and Associated Press.

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Australia has been urged to do better on keeping children and Indigenous people out of prison, treat refugees and asylum seekers more fairly and step up its efforts to fight climate change, in a major United Nations review of its human rights record.

The UN Human Rights Council review heard overnight from dozens of countries, many of whom also called on Canberra to implement a national human rights act, potentially including specific hate speech provisions

There was also a call for more action on climate change from some countries, including Pacific Island neighbours Fiji and Nauru.

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Australia came in for the heaviest criticism on the age of criminal responsibility, particularly in relation to the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in prisons.

Responding to the review, Australian Human Rights Commission President Hugh de Kretser said as a "wealthy, stable democracy, Australia should be leading the world on human rights", saying the review highlighted many areas where we "must do better".

"The strongest concerns raised by countries went to the rights of First Peoples, particularly around inequality, racial discrimination and justice outcomes.  

"In particular many countries called on Australia to raise the age of criminal responsibility. 

"In most Australian jurisdictions, children as young as 10 can be arrested, prosecuted and jailed. This is inhumane and remains out of step with international human rights standards. 

"First Peoples are hit hardest by these unjust laws. The international community is calling us out on this."

Kathryn Haigh, the first assistant secretary in the Attorney-General's Department international cooperation and human rights division, said Australian states and territories were primarily responsible for handling their own criminal justice systems but said there'd been improvements since 2021.

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"This has included investing in fit for purpose prisons, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, diversionary programmes and non-custodial options to reduce recidivism and prison populations, including programmes to reduce the over-representation of First Nations peoples," she said.

"Australia recognises that it must do more to address the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the criminal justice system".

She gave five commitments to the review from the Australian government. 

She said it would review the Disability Discrimination Act in accordance with royal commission recommendations, increase appropriate affordable housing for Indigenous people, deliver the Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices plan to end domestic and family violence, legislating the National Commission and National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, and to increase investment into dementia. 

National Indigenous Australians Agency CEO Julie-Ann Guivarra acknowledged more progress was needed to achieve lasting change for First Nations people but insisted the country was acting with "urgency and resolve".

"[Australia's] is a rich, proud and deeply remarkable story, a story of hope, achievement and survival against the odds," she said.

"Our stories are intertwined, but as the Closing the Gap Report routinely lays bare, there are still too many areas in which we are not together. 

"We have made progress, but real change takes continued effort to listen to First Nations voices, to act and to deliver practical outcomes that improves lives. 

"Our goal is clear, to close the gap and ensure equal life outcomes for all Australians."

The report is set to be adopted on Friday afternoon (early Saturday AEDT).

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Pet cats are running wild in Western Australia and council attempts to control them keep resulting in failure and frustration, new research has found.

Cats are roaming the streets unregistered and without microchips.

Many also haven't been desexed, which could contribute the state's stray and feral cat population.

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Now research from The University of Western Australia and Murdoch University has revealed that while the cats themselves may not be the problem, keeping them indoors could be the solution.

A survey of 103 of WA's 139 local government areas (LGAs) found there was poor community awareness of what responsible cat ownership involves.

WA's Cat Act 2011 requires owners desex, microchip and register their pets by the time they're six months old.

Cats should also wear an identification in public places.

But only 14 of the 139 LGAs reported high registration and microchipping compliance.

Just 17 reported high desexing compliance, and only five reported high levels of responsible pet cat ownership awareness.

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As well as putting cats at risk of illness and injury, low rates of responsible cat ownership in WA threatens the welfare and conservation of native wildlife.

But is permanent cat containment legislation (banning cats from roaming outdoors) the right solution?

An increasing body of research has shown that keeping cats indoors full-time and limiting outdoor access to enclosed areas or while on a leash is better for the cat's welfare.

It's also better for the welfare of other animals domestic cats often prey upon.

But many owners who allow their cats to roam are staunchly against such measures.

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According to the research, only three LGAs in WA have been successful in introducing permanent cat containment laws to keep cats indoors.

Others have tried but failed.

Despite this, 80 of the 103 LGAs surveyed said they would introduce permanent cat containment laws if there was a clear pathway to implementation.

"Many LGAs in WA want to (and many have tried to) implement restrictions to prevent pet cats from roaming, with limited success and considerable frustration," the report read.

"Addressing these legislative, community education and enforcement needs will ensure that feline, native wildlife and human values are improved in WA."

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Thousands of people have joined protests in cities around Australia today, with Invasion Day rallies and counter March for Australia demonstrations taking place.

January 26, the day Governor Arthur Phillip ran up the British flag at Sydney Cove, is officially Australia Day, but many ymark the date as Invasion Day, recognising the dispossession of Indigenous Australians.

Protests were organised in every Australian capital today, with NSW Police announcing recently they had tweaked the extended protest ban in place after the Bondi Beach attack in order to allow activists to march in certain areas of Sydney.

Warning: This article contains the name and image of an Indigenous person who has died.

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Man arrested over alleged neo-Nazi speech in Sydney

A man has been arrested over alleged neo-Nazi comments he made during an open-mic session during Sydney's March for Australia protest at Moore Park.

The 31-year-old was stopped on nearby Bourke Street in Surry Hills after his comments and taken into custody.

He was charged with "publicly incite hatred on ground of race causing fear".

Operation Australia Day Commander Brett McFadden alleged the man engaged in hate speech aligned with neo-Nazi ideology.

"We arrested a 31-year-old male who engaged in what we will allege is a hate speech during an open mic session at Moore Park," he told reporters.

"We will allege that the language he used, his presence, was clearly and unequivocally aligned with neo-Nazi ideology and his presence and language incited a response from the crowd, generating hate towards a particular group in our community."

NSW Premier Chris Minns said police were on high alert for any protesters who violate federal legislation during the marches in Sydney.

"There will be no tolerance for violence or hate speech on Sydney streets," he said.

"We live in a beautiful multicultural community with people from around the world, but we will not tolerate a situation where, on Australia's national day, it's been pulled down by divisive language, hate speech or racism."

Minns said he has not ruled out introducing stricter legislation, saying people have a right to enjoy the city. 

"I do believe we have to confront this idea that the centre of Sydney can be dominated weekend after weekend after weekend by the same protest," he said.

"People have got a right to protest, but other Australians have a right to enjoy the city.

"My responsibility is to keep the people of NSW safe, and to balance those rights."

Two others were arrested under Operation Australia Day.

A 17-year-old man was arrested in Bondi for allegedly assaulting police and is being questioned by police.

A 28-year-old was charged with domestic violence offences at Victoria Park, which were unrelated to the protests.

McFadden said despite the few incidents, the overwhelming majority of the crowds were respectful.

About 18,000 people turned up for the Invasion Day rally in Sydney, while 2000 attended the March for Australia rally. 

The Invasion Day protest kicked off with a heavy police presence in Hyde Park about 10am.

The rally began with a moving tribute to Sophie Quinn, an Indigenous woman who was allegedly shot dead by her former partner in Lake Cargelligo in NSW last week.

Quinn's aunt Neruda and her friend John Harris were also killed in the shooting.

Protesters at today's rally are holding signs that read "Stop killing us" and "sovereignty never ceded".

Members of the Palestine Action Group also showed their support at the rally.

Later, the March for Australia anti-immigration rally kicked off at Cleveland Street to Moore Park.

Tensions flared between opposing groups.

In one instance, residents were involved in an "exchange of views" with March for Australia protesters.

McFadden said police intervened and de-escalated the situation before anything could happen. 

Another protester was seen carrying a sign that called to "free Joel Davis", the neo-Nazi leader who is accused of allegedly urging followers to "rhetorically rape" Wentworth MP Allegra Spender.

A brief scuffle broke out between Invasion Day demonstrators and a group of men with Australian flags, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Police officers intervened again before the rally continued towards Broadway.

Invasion Day protest dwarfs March for Australia in Melbourne

About 19,000 people descended on Melbourne's CBD in opposing protests being held on the steps of Victorian Parliament and outside the Flinders Street train station.

A smoking ceremony took place outside parliament to mark the beginning of the Invasion Day protest, which attracted 17,000 marchers.

Meanwhile, 2000 March for Australia protesters waved the national flag as they walked through the CBD.

Aerial vision from the 9News helicopter showed thousands of people part of the Invasion Day rally, while there was a visibly smaller turnout for the opposing March for Australia rally outside Flinders Street station.

Some demonstrators could be heard chanting "always was, always will be, Aboriginal land".

9News captured footage of a confrontation between opposing protesters near the steps of parliament, which led to one woman being knocked to the ground.

Police were on the ground monitoring the situation.

There was "minimal conflict" between the two groups, according to police, although a handful of incidents were reported.

One man was sprayed in the face "by an unknown substance" on the corner of Swanston and Bourke streets by someone wearing an Australian flag as a cape, police said.

Another man, who police believe was part of the March for Australia group, was assaulted at a licensed premises on Bourke Street.

The offenders fled and the victim did not want to make a statement.

Separately, a male and female were racially abused by four while they were packing up their car near the intersection of Westwood Place and Little Collins Street, police said.

The attackers chased the victims' car and smashed the back window with what police believe was a stolen broken boom gate.

Police allege one of the men performed a Nazi salute during the attack. The offenders fled the scene.

All of the matters are being investigated by police.

Captain Cook statue under guard

A security guard kept an eye on a Captain Cook memorial statue in St Kilda after the monument was toppled by vandals on Australia Day two years ago.

Port Phillip Council hired a guard to protect the statue from potential defacement today.

The sculpture was sawn off at the ankles and painted with the words "the colony will fall" in 2024.

In 2022, red paint was also thrown across the statue over three consecutive days.

Pauline Hanson speaks to crowd in Brisbane

One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson made an appearance at an Australia Day march in Brisbane's Botanic Gardens in the CBD.

The Hoodoo Gurus anthem What's My Scene? played as she was welcomed to the stage.

She decried "mass migration" in Australia during her speech and said Anthony Albanese was the "worst prime minister I have ever known".

March for Australia protesters in Canberra

Meanwhile, in Canberra, an opposing March for Australia protest took place outside Parliament House.

The Australian Federal Police was out in full force as protesters waved Australian flags and marched towards Lennox Gardens in Yarralumla.

An Invasion Day protest also began at 10am in Canberra and is expected to finish at Old Parliament House.

Police warned the protests could cause traffic disruptions in the capital today.

'Zero tolerance' for hate speech, violence

NSW Premier Chris Minns said police were on high alert for any protesters who violate federal legislation during the marches in Sydney.

"There will be no tolerance for violence or hate speech on Sydney streets," he said.

"We live in a beautiful multicultural community with people from around the world, but we will not tolerate a situation where, on Australia's national day, it's been pulled down by divisive language, hate speech or racism."

Minns said he was confident protesters would respect exclusion zones and that police had been liaising with organisers for weeks to ensure today goes ahead without incident.

When asked about his plans to tighten protest laws further in NSW, the premier said he had not ruled out introducing stricter legislation.

Minns said he has not ruled out introducing stricter legislation, saying people have a right to enjoy the city. 

"I do believe we have to confront this idea that the centre of Sydney can be dominated weekend after weekend after weekend by the same protest," he said.

"People have got a right to protest, but other Australians have a right to enjoy the city.

"My responsibility is to keep the people of NSW safe, and to balance those rights."

He said the state government would also look at changing the scope of hate slogan laws in the wake of federal laws, which were passed in parliament last week.

Support for Australia Day rising 

Recent polls, including from Resolve and Roy Morgan, indicate that support for keeping Australia Day on January 26 is rising.

Roy Morgan found that 72 per cent of respondents agreed Australia Day should retain its current name and date, compared to 28 per cent who disagreed.

"This is the highest support for Australia Day recorded by Roy Morgan," chief executive Michele Levine said.

"There is majority support for Australia Day retaining its name and date across all age groups, genders, and all states."

However, there remains a political divide, with most Labor and Greens voters saying the date should be changed, while Liberal, National, and One Nation voters hugely supported it.

Police said 47-year-old Tekanimaeu Arobati was from Kiribati.

When Katherine Bennell-Pegg was asked at school to write down three career options, she chose just one: astronaut.

Australia didn't even have a space agency at the time but it didn't matter. In 2024 she became the first Australian to qualify as an astronaut under Australia's space program.

Now she can add one more honour to her already impressive CV: Australian of the Year 2026.

"As a kid, I used to lie on the dry grass in my backyard and gaze up at the stars in awe," she said tonight.

"That imperative to look to the sky and wonder, to innovate and explore is an ancient one on this continent.

"Australia's first nations, people's deep connection to Sky Country reminds us that, looking up, has always been part of who we are."

Bennell-Pegg said her childhood dream felt so far away but paid tribute to "incredible Australians"  Dr Paul Scully-Power and Dr Andy Thomas, who went to space with another nation's flag on their arm.

"So at the astronaut centre, when I received my blue flight suit, and right there, bright on the left shoulder was the Australian flag, it was quite emotional, because it marked something so, so much greater than myself.

"It said that the door has opened for Australia to take our place at the forefront of human endeavour, a chance to collaborate with other nations at the cutting edge of the cutting edge, showcase what we're made of, and access the collective discoveries and benefits that all involved countries will make.

"And it gave me hope, hope that one day, more of the flags on spacesuits will follow."

But Bennell-Pegg warned the nation was "leaving too much talent on the launchpad" as young people turned away from STEM subjects.

"A wonderful part of our culture, I think, is how we give it a go in sports, even if we're the weakest on the field," she said.

"But when it comes to maths and science, if we're not top of the class, or we don't fit the stereotype, we often shy away. We're even encouraged away.

"So if I may be allowed another dream beyond being an astronaut, it's this that we bring that same "give it a go" spirit from the sports field to the STEM fields, backing each other and ourselves with the trust that we can do hard, important things. 

"Imagine what more we would discover, what great problems we would solve, how our horizons would expand."

YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR

Nedd Brockman was named Young Australian of the Year for 2026 after capturing the nation's hearts and minds with an almost 4000-kilometre run across Australia on his mission to end homelessness.

After the 23-year-old electrician spent 46 days running from Perth's Cottesloe Beach to Bondi Beach in 2022, raising $2.6 million, he's shown no signs of slowing down.

Later, he ran 1000 miles (1600 kilometres) around Sydney Olympic Park, a gruelling feat he joked probably shaved about 20 years off his live.

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Since starting Nedd's Uncomfortable Challenge in 2024, Brockmann and his team have raised more than $8 million for those experiencing homelessness.

Admitting that he was a "blubbering mess", Brockmann called out singer John Farnham's 1987 Australian of the Year acceptance speech, in which he spoke about the importance of making sure our national pride encompasses humanity.

"Ever the eternal optimist, I think I see a bit of what I hope for in those words myself," Brockmann said tonight.

"We should be proud of this amazing country. We are so lucky to call it home. 

"But unfortunately, not everyone feels that way in a country as prosperous as Australia, why is it that 122,000 Australians sleep rough every night? 

"That number should stop us all in our tracks."

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2026 SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR

A psychiatrist whose father's Alzheimer's disease diagnosis kickstarted a life dedicated to fighting dementia was recognised with the Senior Australian of the Year award.

Professor Henry Brodaty AO dementia treatment research revolutionised his own field along with the lives of many people living with the disease and their families.

His Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, founded in 2012, has led internationally significant research and his Maintain Your Brain trial showed what a major difference simple preventions could make.

"Almost half the cost of dementia is caused by preventable factors that we can modify in our lifestyle," he said tonight.

"Now, our randomised control trial of an intensive online lifestyle coaching program had the best results yet in the world in maintaining cognition.

"We did a cost benefit analysis. The program paid for itself in reducing health costs, we designed this a decade ago. We can do better. We can do a lot better."

Brodaty dedicated the award to all older Australians, especially those and their families affected by dementia. 

"Oer four decades, we have moved from hopelessness to hope, from stigma to science and I'm proud to have been part of this transformation," he said.

"There is so much we can do. There's so much we must do."

2026 AUSTRALIAN LOCAL HERO

Indigenous business owner Frank Mitchell was crowned Australia's Local Hero in the first award of the night.

The proud Whadjuk-Yued Noongar knew it was a huge opportunity when he was offered an electrical apprenticeship as a young, single father  who'd been affected by suicide but wasn't sure if he could complete it.

When he started his own business in 2015, he pledged to offer the same opportunities to fellow Indigenous people.

Wilco Electrical started with eight staff and $1.5 million turnover, created more than 70 Indigenous upskilling positions and awarded more than $11 million to indigenous subcontractors. His four companies now employ more than 200 full-time staff.

"I used to advocate for organisations to simply give Mob a job, but I know now opportunity alone is not enough," he said.

"If workplaces are not not culturally safe, Mob may survive, but they are unlikely to thrive.

"Wilco, Kardan, Baldja and Bilyaa are places where Mob are given a chance to feel safe, and it still does not always work, because people's lives are complex, and there is no one size fits all approach, but when it does work, the impacts are powerful.

"That's what I represent standing here before you today. And I am just one success story among many."

READ MORE: Police respond to potential sighting of accused triple murderer

2026 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Australian Capital Territory – Professor Rose McGready (Thailand)

Professor Rose McGready, 61, has spent three decades providing health services to displaced people in the border region between Thailand and Myanmar.

Arriving as a young doctor, Rose discovered that refugees who had fled persecution in Myanmar had difficulty accessing medical assistance in Thailand. In response, Rose established training for local staff to focus on services for expectant mothers and in the critical period of childbirth. Over the past 31 years, she has built a network of locally run clinics and out-patient services which have saved thousands of lives.

Rose's research has also led to new treatments being developed to tackle maternal malaria. Her findings have been adopted by the World Health Organisation as the global standard for combatting the disease, helping to treat millions of women around the world.

Rose's commitment, compassion and clinical expertise provide life-saving aid to some of the most vulnerable communities in the world.

New South Wales – Dr Alison Thompson OAM (Sutherland Shire)

Dr Alison Thompson has deployed over 30,000 volunteers to the world's worst disaster zones – bringing humanitarian assistance and medical aid to over 18 million people.

It started on September 11, 2001, when as an investment banker, Alison rushed to New York's World Trade Centre with her first aid kit. She stayed nine months, offering disaster relief arm-in-arm with ordinary, like-minded people.

Galvanising grassroots momentum, Alison founded Third Wave Volunteers – a global movement of first responder volunteers who bring relief to the world's disaster and war zones, including Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. Following the 2004 tsunami, she set up the first Tsunami Early-Warning Centre and education museum, which continues to thrive.

By mobilising everyday people, 61-year-old Alison is building resilience in local communities through sustainable, locally driven disaster prevention and recovery. Drawing from her upbringing as a pastor's child, Alison believes that each person's small skills add up to drive big changes.

Northern Territory – Dr Felix Ho ASM (Darwin)

Dr Felix Ho tirelessly serves remote communities in the Northern Territory as a medical practitioner. But for Felix, that's not enough – he also volunteers thousands of his hours building the St John Youth Program and helps at public events as a St John first responder.

Since joining as a St John cadet in 1995 at the age of 13, Felix has faithfully served others, including overseas as an Intensive Care Paramedic on a United Nations mission to Timor-Leste.

In 2020, he took on national leadership of the youth portfolio for St John Ambulance Australia, where he's a guiding force for over 3,000 young people, equipping the next generation of first responders. Aligned with clinical standards, Felix developed interactive, accessible and engaging training for youth and cadets across Australia.

Now 43, Felix brings people together across geography and generations, to equip Australia's youth to save lives through first aid in an emergency.

Queensland – Dr Rolf Gomes (Kenmore Hills)

When Dr Rolf Gomes, 52, was confronted with how differently cardiac patients were treated in rural and remote Australia, he decided to do something about it. He designed and launched the first Heart of Australia mobile 'Heart Trucks' to visit remote communities.

Today the Heart Trucks bring regular specialist clinics to over 30 towns in rural Australia, providing early diagnostic services that would otherwise be out of reach. Since 2014, the trucks have treated more than 20,000 patients and saved countless lives. The truck fleet will expand to 11 trucks by 2027 to provide services nationally, adding new diagnostic services for a wide range of early intervention health screenings, including for lung cancer.

Rolf's vision, ingenuity and tenacity have had a far-reaching impact on rural health and medicine in Australia, helping to save lives and ensure that rural patients have access to clinical services without having to travel long distances.

South Australia – Katherine Bennell-Pegg (West Beach)

Katherine Bennell-Pegg is making history as the first Australian to qualify as an astronaut under Australia's space program, opening pathways for others to follow.

Katherine graduated from Basic Astronaut Training in 2024 as part of a class of six trained by the European Astronaut Centre in Germany – the first international candidate to do so. She was initially chosen for the program from a field of over 22,500 applicants.

Katherine has harboured ambitions of becoming an astronaut since she was a young child. As a space engineer, she has advanced multiple space missions and technologies.

Alongside her career achievements, Katherine is an energetic champion for Australia's space program, regularly presenting to audiences of schoolchildren and industry leaders to inspire the next generation and create new opportunities.

Katherine, 41, is a genuine trailblazer in Australia's emerging space industry. With her determination and drive to succeed, she is a powerful example for young Australians.

Tasmania – Dr Jorian (Jo) Kippax (Ridgeway)

Dr Jo Kippax was part of a specialist team of rescuers tasked to free a whitewater rafter who was trapped in perilous rapids on the Franklin River in 2024.

Lithuanian whitewater rafter, Valdas Bieliauskas, was retrieved from freezing water by Jo and his team.

The clinical team performed an operation to amputate Valdas's leg underwater, allowing him to be freed and ultimately saving his life. Throughout the rescue, Jo was instrumental in guiding the team with professionalism, courage and remarkable calmness under pressure.

For this life-saving act, the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda awarded the country's Life Saving Cross award to Jo, which he humbly accepted on behalf of his team.

The rescue of Valdas is just one chapter in Jo's long career in emergency medicine, disaster response, and search and rescue. Demonstrating outstanding skill, courage and team leadership in the aid of others, 55-year-old Jo displays selfless dedication to saving lives in often very challenging circumstances.

Victoria – Carrie Bickmore OAM (Melbourne)

Carrie Bickmore is a radio and television presenter who has changed the way that brain cancer research is funded in Australia.

Brain cancer kills more Australian children than any other disease, and more people aged under 40 than any other cancer – including Carrie's late husband Greg, who passed away in 2010.

Since 2015, Carrie has raised over $27 million. In 2021, she established The Brain Cancer Centre to bring together the brightest minds in research to find a cure.

The Brain Cancer Centre has leveraged investment by Carrie's Foundation to secure another $45 million of research funding. This supports research projects across the country and is delivering specific clinical trials for brain cancer patients that are the first of their kind in the world.

Carrie is striving to ensure that every Australian diagnosed with brain cancer can access the best treatments and has real hope of a positive outcome.

Western Australia – Dr Daniela Vecchio (Parklands)

Dr Daniela Vecchio is head of mental health and addiction services at Fiona Stanley Hospital. She is the pioneer in establishing the first publicly funded gaming disorder clinic in Australia in 2022.

She has seen increasing numbers of young people with addiction to video games and social media and was quick to recognise the distress and harms caused to them and their families. The clinic is unique worldwide in providing early detection and intervention in an acute hospital setting.

Daniela, 57, has driven the development of holistic assessments and a wide range of personalised treatments for her clients. She has fostered extensive collaborations, including internationally with Korea, Germany and Dubai, nationally with experts in the field, and locally with health, education and police services.

As a director of the Australian Gaming and Screens Alliance, she is promoting education and research into harmful online use and influencing national policy.

2026 SENIOR AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

• Australian Capital Territory – Heather Reid AM (Kiels Mountain)
• New South Wales – Professor Henry Brodaty AO (Double Bay)
• Northern Territory – Jenny Duggan OAM (Katherine)
• Queensland – Cheryl Harris OAM (Sunshine Coast)
• South Australia – Malcolm Benoy (Mount Osmond)
• South Australia – James Currie (Carrickalinga)
• Tasmania – Julie Dunbabin (Taroona)
• Victoria – Bryan Lipmann AM (Richmond)
• Western Australia – Professor Kingsley Dixon AO (Waroona)

2026 YOUNG AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

• Australian Capital Territory – Sita Sargeant (Canberra)
• New South Wales – Nedd Brockmann (Randwick)
• Queensland – Jarib Branfield-Bradshaw (Cunnamulla)
• South Australia – Chloe Wyatt-Jasper (Gawler South)
• Tasmania – Alyssia Kennedy (Heybridge)
• Victoria – Abraham Kuol (Narre Warren)
• Western Australia – Dr Haseeb Riaz and Gareth Shanthikumar (Peppermint Grove
• & City Beach)