News & Media Releases - Advocacy Australia

Advocacy Australia Founder Clare Collins Named Volunteer Of The Year: Sydney & Eastern Suburbs

August 13, 2025

Advocacy Australia is proud to announce that our founder, Clare Collins, this week was recognised with two prestigious honours at the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards – Sydney City and Eastern Suburbs Region, hosted by The Centre for Volunteering. Clare was named both the Senior (Over 65) Volunteer of the Year and the overall 2025 Sydney City–Eastern Suburbs Volunteer of the Year, in recognition of her exceptional dedication to supporting victims of serious crimes and their families, and her tireless advocacy for asbestos education and awareness. The awards ceremony, held at Club York in Sydney’s CBD, was a moving…

AdOz Named Best Social Justice Advocacy Organisation In Global Awards

July 27, 2025

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We are proud and deeply honoured to announce that Advocacy Australia has been named Best Social Justice Advocacy Organisation – Australia at the Global 2025 Non-Profit Organisation Awards, presented by Acquisition International. This award recognises organisations driving meaningful, lasting change across the globe. We are humbled to be acknowledged for our unwavering commitment to advancing awareness, promoting equity, and advocating for social justice. At Advocacy Australia, we remain firmly dedicated to giving a voice to victims of crime when they are silenced, standing alongside those whose experiences have too often been ignored. Our work also extends to preventing future harm…

Saving Lives Through Awareness: $18K and Counting Raised in Leah Smith’s Honour Through National Asbestos Awareness Raffle & Auction

June 12, 2025

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At 8:45am on Friday 13 June, the founder of the national “Ride in Shorts for Leah” initiative, Phillip Smith of Balberra (Mackay), and his dedicated team of supporters will be at the Clermont Courthouse in honour of Leah Smith to draw the raffle winners in their latest asbestos awareness and fundraising campaign activities to help save lives. When mother of two, 49-year-old Leah Smith lost her battle with malignant mesothelioma on 22 August 2024, Leah’s husband Phillip, their family and friends began their life-saving mission to prevent other families from suffering the same tragic fate as Leah had. Devastated when…

Community Rally Demands Justice Reform: 24 Women Killed in 19 Weeks – Counted as Statistics – Remembered as Lives Lost

May 9, 2025

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TOMORROW, Saturday, 10th May at 12pm, the aunt of 18-year-old murder victim, Emerald Wardle, will be co-hosting the Community Rally Against Violence in Newcastle, to honour her niece and all women and children who fall victims of heinous crimes. “So far this year, 24 women in Australia have been murdered, and by the time we rally, that number could sadly be higher. This is a heartbreaking reality we can no longer ignore,” said Ms Smith. “On Saturday we’ll be walking and calling for critical change to the justice system that failed Emerald, our family and many other victims of violent,…

Beware Asbestos Risks Following ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s Flood Devastation

March 11, 2025

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In the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, heavy rains and flooding have caused extensive damage across Southeast QLD and Northern NSW, displacing thousands of people and leaving homes, businesses, and properties severely affected. As communities wait for floodwaters to recede and rainfall to ease before beginning cleanup, homeowners, businesses, and rural property owners are urged to be aware of potential asbestos risks in damaged structures and debris. Cherie Barber, Ambassador for the National Asbestos Awareness campaign is urging those impacted to be wary of potential dangers posed by damaged asbestos-containing materials found in homes, buildings, structures and flood debris that…

Advocacy Australia Welcomes MHRT Reforms but Calls for Further Action

February 24, 2025

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Advocacy Australia has welcomed NSW Government amendments to the Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 and the Mental Health Act 2007, strengthening oversight and governance in forensic mental health matters but says more needs to be done. Key amendments to the Acts are: Clare Collins, Chair of Advocacy Australia said, “We’re deeply grateful to Mr Philip Donato MP, Member for Orange and The Hon. Rose Jackson MP, Minister for Mental Health for their commitment to initiating essential reforms and to MLCs and MPs who voted to support them to help better protect the community from forensic killers….

Advocacy Australia Welcomes Coronial Inquest Into Bridgette “Biddy” Porter’s Death

November 27, 2024

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In response to our request for an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the tragic killing of Bridgette “Biddy” Porter on behalf of Biddy’s parents, overnight we learned that after considering our application the NSW State Coroner, Her Honour Magistrate O’Sullivan, is of the opinion that an inquest should be held. Clare Collins, Chair of Advocacy Australia said, “We welcome the State Coroner’s decision in the hope that Biddy’s parents will learn what led to Biddy’s horrific killing, and hope that the knowledge gained through an inquest might help prevent other similar killings.” The request to the NSW State Coroner was…

20,000+ Voices Strong: Justice for Biddy Porter Advances to NSW Parliament Debate

September 2, 2024

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When Rebekah Porter, mother of 10-year-old Bridgette “Biddy” Porter initiated the campaign seeking justice for her precious little girl, she could not have imagined how deeply Biddy’s tragic story would touch the hearts of so many, with media and the community throwing their full support behind the #Justice4BiddyPorter campaign. After four agonising years since Biddy’s brutal killing at the hands of a young person she trusted, today, less than two months after Advocacy Australia launched the Justice for Biddy Porter campaign, the NSW Parliament e-petition has achieved the minimum 20,000 signatures required for Independent MP for Orange, Philip Donato, to…

Urgent calls for Inquiries into DPP, Mental Health Review Tribunal & DCJ Victims’ Services

July 7, 2024

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On the fourth anniversary of the brutal killing of 10-year-old Bridgette “Biddy” Porter by a teenage girl known to her; Biddy’s parents, Rebekah and Dominic are fighting for justice for their precious little girl who, until now, has been made invisible by a system her parents say is focussed on protecting their daughter’s killer, rather than meeting community expectations and achieving justice for their daughter and her loved ones.

Westfield Bondi Junction Massacre

April 15, 2024

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Following the extreme act of violence that took six lives and harmed many others at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday 13th April, Advocacy Australia extends our heartfelt sympathies to all affected by these senseless actions. We commend the remarkable bravery and equanimity of community members, police and other first responders in the face of such horror. Australia must address the rising incidences of violent crimes perpetrated by individuals afflicted with severe mental health disorders. We have reached a critical juncture demanding decisive action and it’s imperative that the Prime Minister and the leaders of all state and territory governments respond…

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