26/01/2026
Australian Day 2026
Today we celebrate Australian of the Year and all the incredible recipients who inspire us with their dedication and service.
And I'd also like to celebrate something else.
Every single person who shows up each day to make this country a little bit better.
The teachers who see potential in every child.
The healthcare workers who hold space for people's pain.
The volunteers who give their time without recognition.
The small business owners who create community hubs.
The neighbours who check in on each other.
The people doing the quiet, unseen work of care.
The ones who choose kindness over judgment.
Who build bridges instead of walls.
Who show up for their communities, their families, their own healing.
Australia isn't brilliant because of one person or one achievement.
It's brilliant because of the collective - all of us choosing to contribute, to care, to do better, to be better.
So today, I celebrate you.
The counsellors, the carers, the healers, the helpers.
The people doing their own inner work so they can show up more fully.
The ones breaking generational patterns.
The ones choosing to heal instead of harm.
Every act of compassion matters.
Every moment of showing up counts.
Every person doing their bit makes a difference.
That's what makes this country extraordinary.
Not perfection, but participation.
Not one hero, but all of us together.
Happy Australian Day 🇦🇺
