2026 Australian of the Year Awards held in Canberra as winners announced

The first Australian to qualify as an astronaut under a homegrown space program has been named the 2026 Australian of the Year, alongside a group of visionaries honoured for their selfless contributions to Australian society.

South Australia’s Katherine Bennell-Pegg graduated from the highly competitive European Astronaut Centre in Germany in 2024.

Ms Bennell-Pegg beat out 22,500 applicants to be part of a class of six and was the first international applicant to be enrolled.

During her acceptance speech, Ms Bennell-Pegg reminisced on the moment she donned the iconic blue space suit, the first person to do so under the Australian flag.

“It was quite emotional because it marked something so, so much greater than myself,” she said.

“It said that the door has opened for Australia to take our place at the forefront of human endeavour … And it gave me hope that one day more Aussie flags on spacesuits will follow.”

She also reflected on her lifelong passion for space and the stars.

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

“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.”

But when Ms Bennell-Pegg first dreamt of being an astronaut, as a young child, the world was a different place.

“I remember when I wanted to be an astronaut, Australia didn’t even have a space agency, let alone a pathway to being an astronaut,” she said.

“I realised I had to go overseas to pursue a space career. I couldn’t see a pathway to do what I wanted to do in Australia, unfortunately, so I went overseas and lived around the world and worked on some of the most compelling missions I could have ever hoped for.

“Traveling around the world and doing this work has been an immense privilege, because I got to learn things I could bring back to Australia to help grow our Australian space sector.”

Widely considered a trailblazer in Australia’s emerging space industry, Ms Bennell-Pegg has advanced multiple space missions and technologies while being a passionate advocate for a national space program.

“For many, many years, I was the only woman in the room. And when you’re young in particular, and you feel like you don’t fit the stereotype, you often are underestimated, and you underestimate yourself,” she said.

“For that reason, we see so many young women backing out of STEM fields, when in fact they have so much to offer because they bring a unique perspective.

“What I want to do is to show people the power of the dream when you put in the effort to make it happen.

Sad update on 2025 Australian of the Year

Neale Daniher’s wife has delivered a sad update on the AFL great’s battle with neurodegenerative disease, while expressing hope for his recovery.

Speaking at the 2026 Australian of the Year awards, Jan Daniher revealed Mr Daniher - who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2014 - had struggled with his condition for the last few months, and was now unable to fly.

“We call MND the beast … MND has taken away Neale’s ability to move, talk, eat swallow and eventually it will take away his ability to breathe,” she said on Sunday.

“That is why it is so important we continue the fight to beat this disease, so one day if someone you know is diagnosed with MND, we will be able to say: ‘Hey, there’s a treatment, (and) eventually, hopefully, a cure.’”

While her husband had “lost a lot”, Mrs Daniher said he was a fighter.

“... He’s still extremely positive. He’s still so determined to beat this disease,” she said,

“If I was MND, I would be very nervous … we’re coming for this disease.

“With the help of everyone, I think we will get there.”

Aussie doc’s revolution after dad’s diagnosis

Professor Henry Brodaty AO has been named Senior Australian of the Year for his pioneering work in the diagnosis, care and prevention of dementia.

Professor Brodaty was deeply affected by the death of his father, 59, in 1979. Just seven years earlier, he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

At the time, the illness was poorly understood and often ignored, but Professor Brodaty dedicated his life’s work to changing that.

In 2012, he co-founded the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, leading research that has reshaped global understanding of dementia prevention.

His landmark Maintain Your Brain trial showed that targeted, cost-effective interventions can significantly delay or even prevent the onset of the disease, and he has been tireless in calling for a national program to increase awareness and showcase techniques for Australians to keep their brains healthy.

Professor Brodaty was also one of the experts involved in News Corp’s Think Again campaign, which called for more funding for dementia research.

“Dementia has been an area of darkness and we shouldn’t protest about the darkness. We should light a candle,” he said.

“I would like to inspire people to think about their brain health throughout their life. Don’t wait till you’re getting old. Plan for it in the future … what you do throughout your life will have a major impact on your brain health.”

During his acceptance speech, Professor Brodaty - the son of Holocaust survivors - described the award as a “very poignant and extraordinary” one, particularly in the wake of the Bondi massacre.

He went on to deliver a message of hope to Australians, saying: “... over four decades, we have moved from hopelessness to hope, from stigma to science,” and reiterated the importance of dementia as a national health priority.

Citing the preventable factors of the disease, Professor Brodaty urged Australians to “treasure our brains just as we have our hearts”.

“Australia’s got a proud record in prevention. Smoking, skin cancer, lots of other examples,” he said.

“It’s a yes-brainer. Australians would benefit from a national healthy brain promotion program. “We need the slip, slop, slap of brain health. And this needs to be a whole of life approach.”

Young Aussie’s hope to tackle ‘hidden’ crisis

Ultra-marathon runner Nedd Brockmann has been named Young Australian of the Year for 2026, after raising millions in funds and spending years pursuing equality for people experiencing homelessness.

Mr Brockmann’s passion to help those sleeping rough was sparked after a seemingly-simple journey to TAFE left him devastated at the number of homeless people on Sydney’s Eddy Ave.

“95 per cent of homelessness is those we don’t see. It’s hidden homelessness, and there’s categories of that,” he said.

“But once you kind of open up this gigantic issue, you then go, ‘oh, we need to start really doubling down.’”

In 2022, he ran from Perth’s Cottesloe Beach to Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, completing a 3,952km journey over 46 days, raising over $2.6 million for those sleeping rough.

The compassion and generosity of Australians, exemplified in the more than 37,000 strangers who donated to his campaign, was the “best thing about Australia”, he said.

“There’s a lot of people opening their hearts,” he said.

“No one chooses to be homeless, and no one deserves to be either.

“And I truly believe that no one, not a single human being, would choose to be on the street.”

In the years since his mammoth run, Mr Brockmann has raised more than $8m for those sleeping rough through his program, Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge.

He also raises funds for his charity partner, Mobilise, to change lives through innovative programs to reduce the number of people sleeping rough.

In his acceptance speech, a visibly emotional Mr Brockman made an urgent plea, asking the audience: “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,” he said.

Describing himself as an “eternal optimist”, Mr Brockman said his mission for social justice was inspired by the idea that national pride should encompass humanity, with the 27-year-old further paying tribute to the “house of love” that raised him.

And while he conceded there was a long way to go to tackle the homelessness crisis, Mr Brockman hoped the prestigious award would allow him to connect with “a new audience of people”.

He described a homelessness-free future for Australia as “very real”, saying it all started “with showing each and every Australian, no matter their circumstance, that very love I felt as a kid.”

Incredible act after Local Hero’s ‘death spiral’

Indigenous construction leader Frank Mitchell has been named Australia’s Local Hero for 2026, after dedicating the last 10 years of his working life to uplifting Indigenous Australians through work opportunities.

An electrical apprenticeship offered to him as a young, single father was a life-changing opportunity for Mr Mitchell, and when he opened his own business in 2015 he pledged to pay it forward.

“I was in a bit of a death spiral when I was in my early 20s, and two things happened over the course of the following five years that really, I can look back on and attest to my life’s outcomes turning around,” he said.

“One was the unplanned birth of my son at age 21 – it really shook me to my core, recognising that I had to provide for this beautiful boy.

“(The second,) I came across an opportunity to do an electrical apprenticeship. I really wasn’t feeling confident that I could achieve an electrical apprenticeship trade, but this one man believed in me. That was my uncle.”

Mr Mitchell, from Western Australia, has grown his business from eight staff and a $1.5m turnover to four companies with more than 200 full time staff.

Alongside his partners, he has created more than 70 Aboriginal upskilling positions in the electrical and construction industry, including 30 electrical apprenticeships, and awarded more than $11 million to Aboriginal subcontractors.

“Someone’s belief in one person can change someone’s life,” he said.

Speaking after he was announced as the Local Hero, Mr Mitchell described how the electrical apprenticeship offered to him in his youth was a “lifeline”.

“When I started my apprenticeship, my life shifted. I was a single dad from a small rural community, I had struggled at school, was grieving the deaths of two close friends and felt disconnected from who I was as an Aboriginal man on colonised land,” he said.

“My uncle offered me a lifeline. A mature age apprenticeship.

“I now understand that work and education are not just about income or career progression, they are determinants of health and wellbeing.”

The opportunities afforded to him after engaging in work and education, inspired Mr Mitchell to pledge to do his part in building a better future “for mob, for our children, and for all those who come after us”.

“I now understand that work and education are not just about income or career progression, they are determinants of health and wellbeing,” he said.

“Completing my electrical apprenticeship gave me pride, hope and stability, gave me the foundation to provide for my family and grow into a leader within my community.

“I want to pass that opportunity on to other mob, who, like me, might not yet believe that they have what it takes to complete an apprenticeship, to buy a home, to connect to community, and lead.”

Stars turn out for Australia’s top honour

The 2026 Australian of the Year will be announced at a star-studded event at the National Arboretum in Canberra on Sunday evening.

This year’s nominees include an astronaut, a digital addiction and gaming disorder specialist, an emergency rescuer and TV host turned brain cancer charity founder Carrie Bickmore.

The ceremony will also celebrate the Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Local Hero.

Opening the event on Sunday, Mr Albanese said the “creativity and genius” to change Australia and the wider world were key attributes of the 2026 winners.

“Every year, on the eve of our national day, we honour the people who represent our national values,” he said.

“The hard work and aspiration that have built our prosperity. The courage and resilience that carry us through adversity.

“The creativity and genius that have changed our country – and our wider world – for the better.

“And the kindness, service and sense of community that bind us together as Australians.

“These are the values that draw together our nominees for 2026, just as they defined the class of 2025.”

The winner of the Australian of the Year will take over the mantle from last year’s recipient, former AFL player and co-founder of Fight MND, Neale Daniher AO.

Mr Daniher has inspired millions through his perseverance and courage since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2014.

He has since raised more than $117m for research and care initiatives.

Other past winners include 2024’s melanoma treatment pioneers Professor Georgina Long AO and Professor Richard Scolyer AO, Grace Tame in 2021, Adam Goodes in 2014 and Professor Fred Hollows AC in 1990.

Government to partner with 2025 Australian of the Year

Anthony Albanese used his opening remarks to announce a groundbreaking new initiative that honours one of Australia’s most trailblazing sports’ stars.

The Prime Minister confirmed his government would partner with former AFL player and disability advocate Neale Daniher’s organisation FightMND to help fund research into prevention and treatment of motor neurone disease.

“Tonight, I announce our Government will be partnering with FightMND to create the Neale Daniher MND Clinical Network,” he said.

“Helping more Australians with motor neurone disease to access treatment, trials and care.

“Neale, your courage and advocacy has brought hope to so many – and we will ensure your work continues to change lives.”

Mr Daniher, who was named 2025’s Australian of the Year, has inspired millions through his perseverance and courage since being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2014.

He has since raised more than $117m for research and care initiatives.

Australian of the Year nominees

Each state and territory nominates their own Australian of the Year, with those winners forming the pool for a national victor.

This year’s state and territory winners are:

NSW – Dr Alison Thompson OAM

Victoria – Carrie Bickmore OAM

South Australia – Katherine Bennell-Pegg

Western Australia – Dr Daniela Vecchio

Queensland – Dr Rolf Gomes

Tasmania – Dr Jorian Kippax

Northern Territory – Dr Felix Ho ASM

ACT – Professor Rose McGready

More to come