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Graduate is Young Australian of the Year
30 January 2009
University of the Sunshine Coast business graduate Jonty Bush has been named Young Australian of the Year 2009 for her courageous work in leading the Queensland Homicide Victims’ Support Group.
Jonty, 29, received her Australia Day award from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd at Parliament House in Canberra on Sunday 25 January at a televised ceremony that attracted a crowd of 35,000 people.
She said the ceremony was an emotionally-charged event for her because her association with the victims’ support group began after the tragic loss of two family members to violent attacks in 2000.
“I’m still trying to find the words to describe the experience of receiving the award,” she said. “It was very emotional and I feel very humbled.
“When I heard my name read out, I felt relief, excitement and trepidation at the same time and I thought if I can just get through my speech, I’ll be happy.”
Jonty was a USC student in 2000 when her younger sister and her father were killed in separate violent incidents on the Sunshine Coast and in her home town of Gympie.
After graduating, Jonty worked in human resource management before joining the Queensland Homicide Victims’ Support Group as a volunteer in 2003.
Three years later, at age 27, Jonty was appointed CEO of the organisation and has since led a successful push for a review of the State’s laws surrounding murder and manslaughter which will begin later this year.
She also worked with other families to develop the One Punch Can Kill campaign which the Queensland Government adopted in a bid to prevent further tragedies.
“I’m deeply passionate about my work” Jonty said. “I am blessed to work with an amazing team, and with truly inspirational people, many of whom have lost someone as well. I may be the one receiving recognition, but there are many hundreds of people who are here beside me.”
Jonty said she credited her study at USC as a major factor in her success in leading the Queensland Homicide Victims’ Support Group.
She said she was able to work proactively and cooperatively with governments, the police and legal agencies, and had good skills to lead an organisation that is staffed mainly by volunteers.
“My business degree has helped in my capacity to manage the team, not just the five staff but 120 volunteers as well,” she said.
“Charities really are businesses. It’s often said that they are ‘not for profit’, but they are ‘not for loss’ either.”
Jonty said her business degree also had provided her with skills she needed in budgeting, business planning, strategic planning, succession planning, business law and marketing.
— Terry Walsh