Australian of the Year

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What do you think of the award and how the position is used? Do we need more grass roots winners instead of sports stars?
 
Oct 23, 2014
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Grace Tame is inadvertently one example of how it should be used. She was chosen to score political points for a Government with a problem relating to women, but it ended up unearthing a lot of cultural sexual assault problems amongst people in high office.

It should also be used to celebrate quiet achievers. Someone like Dylan Alcott, although I'm sure he's a fantastic person, mainly gets chosen because of his celebrity. So maybe they could have chosen a more low profile disability advocate, like maybe someone who set up a charity to build wheelchairs, or something like that.

People always say "Shane Crawford for AOTY, or Neale Daniher for AOTY" as though there aren't similarly inspiring people working away outside the limelight. We only nominate the Shane Crawfords because we know of them and their work already.

The problem is the system, they need to get rid of the popular vote altogether, and set up a panel to unearth exciting new Australian individuals who are doing truly inspiring work that we don't already know about. Raise the profile, and the work of people similar to Neale Daniher, but who more sorely need the boost in awareness and funding for their issue or their work.
 
Grace Tame is inadvertently one example of how it should be used. She was chosen to score political points for a Government with a problem relating to women, but it ended up unearthing a lot of cultural sexual assault problems amongst people in high office.

It should also be used to celebrate quiet achievers. Someone like Dylan Alcott, although I'm sure he's a fantastic person, mainly gets chosen because of his celebrity. So maybe they could have chosen a more low profile disability advocate, like maybe someone who set up a charity to build wheelchairs, or something like that.

People always say "Shane Crawford for AOTY, or Neale Daniher for AOTY" as though there aren't similarly inspiring people working away outside the limelight. We only nominate the Shane Crawfords because we know of them and their work already.

The problem is the system, they need to get rid of the popular vote altogether, and set up a panel to unearth exciting new Australian individuals who are doing truly inspiring work that we don't already know about. Raise the profile, and the work of people similar to Neale Daniher, but who more sorely need the boost in awareness and funding for their issue or their work.

You're pretty much describing the nomination method for the Order of Australia I think.
 
Sep 21, 2009
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I think that no one gave a s**t about AOTY, until activists got it for their activism.

We love Indigenous people, until the get lippy.
We love women, until they get lippy.


While a group of people are able to do things for us, that entertain or support us, we love them. If they remind us that they have any position above us... we will attempt to destroy them.

We love the tall poppies, while decrying tall poppy syndrome.

We support activism, unless they use their position for activism. Where the bloody hell are you?
 
Feb 7, 2009
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We don't seem to have a dedicated thread in here.

Share your thoughts.

View attachment 1316503


What do you think of the award and how the position is used? Do we need more grass roots winners instead of sports stars?
The main one should go to grassroots people. They should just have one for Sportsperson of the year.
 

Belnakor

Brownlow Medallist
Apr 10, 2005
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Look into Alcotts tennis career and tell me if his “victories” are legitimate and against people of similar disability. It’s a joke he is able to compete in the category he did.

Also plenty of stories of him acting like a prick behind the scenes. I suspect the profile he gets from this may expose a few things.
 

Belnakor

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Apr 10, 2005
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I realise it it is me that needs to change.

Dylan is a very worthy AOTY.

I fully support his position on NDIS and disability support.

But his presentation/persona just leaves me cold.

Just because someone is disabled doesn’t give them a free kick to act like a twat.

I used to like him until I saw him in some of his tennis matches. Acts like an absolute tosser.

Acts like his tennis was some grand achievement. He won the French open in 2 matches. Seriously look into it. It’s a joke.

When he played legitimate wheel chair tennis he was cannon fodder.

I disagree 100%. He isn’t worthy. Plenty of people out there working harder have a bigger impact while acting like less of a prick.
 
I disagree 100%. He isn’t worthy. Plenty of people out there working harder have a bigger impact while acting like less of a prick.
Where's your wheelchair tennis thread? Would like to see news about these other great players.
 
For those interested, go and listen to the Howie Games podcast episode with Alcott. Great stuff.
This is great, thanks for the suggestion!

/happened on this post by complete accident the first time, then had to find my way through the labyrinth to find it again and say thanks 😅
 
Jun 30, 2009
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Btw :

<<<
And in May last year, Ms Tame also blasted the PM’s response to her groundbreaking and emotional Australian of the Year acceptance speech in an interview with the Betoota Advocate.

“Do you know what he said to me, right after I finished that speech and we’re in front of a wall of media? I s**t you not, he leant over and right in my ear he goes “Well, gee, I bet it felt good to get that out’,’’ she said.>>


Posted in newscorpse today :)

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The main one should go to grassroots people. They should just have one for Sportsperson of the year.
Someone like Barnaby Joyce, liar, adulterer, fraud, racist, nationalist, right wing, religious pretender, hypocrite and thief.
Surely as "grass roots" as you get in this current Government without being Scott Morrison.
Looking forward through the ******* windscreen so they can't see the bodies and carnage they have caused.

Like those inbred, cultist campaigners?

Is that what you mean by "grass roots"
 

Brunswick Trap King

Lord Mayor of Melbourne
Jun 1, 2009
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Look into Alcotts tennis career and tell me if his “victories” are legitimate and against people of similar disability. It’s a joke he is able to compete in the category he did.

Also plenty of stories of him acting like a prick behind the scenes. I suspect the profile he gets from this may expose a few things.
Yeah, it seems the media has given him a pass for the past few years. I've heard a few stories of him being sleazy/gropey around women.
 
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