Australia Day Ambassador announced

Lachlan Shire Mayor John Medcalf OAM is pleased to announce that award winning anti-violence campaigner Mel Thomas has been named Lachlan Shire’s 2020 Australia Day Ambassador.

Ms Thomas, a black-belt martial artist, public speaker and published writer, established the violence prevention education program KYUP! in 2013.

She will be a special guest of the Council and joining Mayor Medcalf when he presents the 2020 NSW Local Citizen of the Year Awards on Australia Day morning at the Lake Cargelligo Sail and Power Boat Club. Ms Thomas will then join Mayor Medcalf in travelling to Tullibigeal and then on to Burcher for their evening celebrations.

Mayor Medcalf welcomed the appointment of Ms Thomas as our Ambassador and said, “we are incredibly lucky to be joined by Ms Thomas who will be delivering her Australia Day Ambassador Address at the Lachlan Shire Australia Day Award Ceremony and who will be joining us in celebrating the various Australia Day activities across the Shire, I am sure she will be warmly received.”

Australia Day Ambassadors are outstanding Australians who are past recipients of the Australian of the Year Awards, sportspeople, scientists, businesspeople, actors and community workers. Australia Day Ambassadors are past recipients of the Australian of the Year Awards, sportspeople, scientists, businesspeople, actors and community workers who provide inspiration and pride to Australia Day events. They provide inspiration and pride to Australia Day events in cities and regional areas.

With more than 17 years of specialist self-defence training with the Australian Hapkido Association (2005 AHA Woman of the Year), Ms Thomas has risen above dramatic circumstances of domestic violence and poor choices as a younger woman to become a leader in violence prevention education. She is passionate about the benefit of self-worth and self-protection skills for young people and women in domestic violence crisis.

Since winning a 2013 scholarship with the Layne Beachley Aim for the Stars Foundation Ms Thomas and her grass-roots campaign to end the cycle of violence with the KYUP! Project has impacted the lives of thousands of students from primary, high school and university across Australia and NZ.

In 2016, thanks to her community work with at risk youth and women in domestic violence crisis Ms Thomas was nominated as CBA Australian of the Day. https://www.commbank.com.au/australianoftheday/mel-thomas.html

For more information about the Shire’s Australia Day celebrations, please contact Executive Assistant Paula Ewing on (02) 6895 1900 or visit the Australia Day website: www.australiaday.org.au.

RELEASE ENDS