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Winner 2026 Queensland New Volunteer Award
MEDIA RELEASE: MONDAY 18 MAY 2026 Phil Smith of Mackay Wins “Queensland New Volunteer Award” in Queensland Volunteer of the Year Awards 2026 Grief turned into life-saving advocacy following wife Leah’s asbestos-related death BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND – Advocacy Australia and its Asbestos Education Committee are proud to announce that Mackay volunteer Phil Smith, has been named the recipient of Volunteering Queensland’s “Queensland New Volunteer Award 2026”. Presented by the Governor of Queensland, Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, at Brisbane City Hall on 15 May, the award recognises an individual having demonstrated exceptional dedication and making a significant…
GLOBAL ASBESTOS AWARENESS WEEK (1–7 April)
This week, Advocacy Australia’s Asbestos Education Committee is reminding Australians that asbestos remains one of Australia’s most significant and ongoing public health challenges. More than 4,000 Australians lose their lives each year to asbestos-related diseases – around three times the national road toll – with cases continuing to rise. According to the Australian Mesothelioma Registry Report (2025), diagnoses of malignant mesothelioma have increased year-on-year for both men and women, with experts predicting this trend will continue due to the ongoing disturbance of legacy asbestos in the built environment. The data highlights a critical shift: With 1 in 3 Australian homes…
Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) Inquiry
Advocacy Australia acknowledges Philip Donato for formally requesting an inquiry into the Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT). This request represents a critical step towards addressing long-standing concerns around the management of forensic patients and ensuring victims’ voices are appropriately recognised and considered. Advocacy Australia has been advocating for such an inquiry since launching our Justice For Biddy petition in 2024, which Phil sponsored. It shone a spotlight on the injustices victims face in their interactions with the MHRT and the broader implications for community safety. This progress would not be possible without the courage and persistence of victims and families…
Triple Finalist Honour for Advocacy Australia at Golden Target Awards
We are incredibly honoured to announce that today Advocacy Australia has been named a triple finalist in the Communication and Public Relations Australia annual 2025 Golden Target Awards, Australia’s oldest and most prestigious public relations and communications awards. Our Justice for Biddy campaign has been recognised in two categories: Public Affairs & Advocacy Campaign and Not-for-Profit Campaign. With our Co-founders; Clare Collins and Alice Collins – “The Collins Girls”, proud finalists in the Not-for-Profit Team of the Year category. The Golden Target Awards applaud the crème-de-la-crème of strategic thinking, creative execution, and communication excellence nationwide. In 2022, our Asbestos Education…
Advocacy Australia Founder Clare Collins Named Volunteer Of The Year: Sydney & Eastern Suburbs
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
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…
Community Rally Demands Justice Reform: 24 Women Killed in 19 Weeks – Counted as Statistics – Remembered as Lives Lost
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
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
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….
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July 07, 2026
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First Nations peoples should be aware that this website contains the images, voices, and names of people who have passed away.
First Nations peoples should be aware that this website contains the images, voices, and names of people who have passed away.