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ACT Ambassadors
for the National Year of Reading
Libraries ACT is thrilled to announce the support of some very special ambassadors for the ACT during the National Year of Reading. Each of them has a connection to Canberra and a commitment to literacy.
Watch out for these wonderful people in 2012 as they help spread the message that reading is both important and fun.
- Read the media release about the ACT Ambassadors announcement
- View photos from the ACT Ambassadors announcement
Katy Gallagher, MLA
ACT Chief Minister, Minister for Health, Minister for Territory and Municipal Services
ACT Government Ministerial profile
Katy Gallagher was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a Labor Member for Molonglo in November 2001, and joined the Stanhope Ministry in December 2002. In the 2004 election, Katy was re-elected to the electorate of Molonglo and was elevated to Deputy Chief Minister in 2006. Katy was appointed as the third ever female Chief Minister of the ACT on Monday 16 May 2011, after the resignation of long-serving Chief Minister Jon Stanhope. Continue reading Katy Gallagher's biography on the Chief Minister's website.
Canberra Roller Derby League
"Any future derby girl or referee worth their skates has to first cut their teeth on 35 pages of essential rules reading before they can even think about hitting the flat track. At CRDL we believe that reading is one of the most enjoyable and essential skills for children and adults to learn, love and embrace."
CRDL is a women’s roller derby league run by the skaters and for the skaters on a volunteer basis. CRDL promotes roller derby, women’s health, sport and community in the Canberra region. Established in 2008, by complete derby beginners, CRDL held its first bout season in 2009. Continue reading about the CRDL on their website.
Grace Gill
Canberra United
"Becoming absorbed by a book is like stepping into another world. I feel as though younger generations are increasingly moving further away from books. As an athlete, my role to promote reading and academic interest beyond the sporting arena is important - if I can encourage kids to pick up a book and experience a world beyond our own, then I'm playing my part."
Jack Heath
Author
Jack Heath started writing his debut novel, The Lab, at the age of thirteen and it was published when he was eighteen. His subsequent books include Third Transmission, Remote Control, Money Run, and Hit List. Remote Control was shortlisted in the 2008 Aurealis Awards for best sci-fi novel. Jack was named ACT Young Australian of the year in 2009.
Jack's book Hit List is shortlisted for the ACT category of Our Story for the National Year of Reading.
Jack Waterford
'Editor at Large' for The Canberra Times
Jack Waterford began his journalism career as a cadet with the Canberra Times in 1972. He was appointed deputy editor in 1987, editor in 1995 and editor-in-chief in 2001. Jack was named Canberra Citizen of the Year in 2007, and is currently Editor at Large for The Canberra Times.
Jackie French
Author
"TV and DVDs show you the pictures. But when you read a book you can taste the ice cream.
Reading is good for you - it helps you do better in everything from exams to explaining the universe. But that isn't why we read them. We read because it's fun."
Jackie French's writing career spans 20 years, 148 wombats, over 140 books, 36 languages, 3,721 bush rats, over 60 awards in Australia and overseas, mobs of possibly insane lyrebirds, 'Burke's Backyard' TV segments, radio shows, newspaper and magazine columns, theories of pest and weed ecology and 27 shredded doormats. The doormats are the victims of the wombats who require constant appeasement in the form of carrots, rolled oats and wombat nuts, which is one of the reasons for her prolific output: it pays the carrot bills. Continue reading Jackie's biography on her website.
Jess Bibby
Captain, Canberra Capitals
"In between training and playing for the Canberra TransACT Capitals, there's nothing I love more than settling in with a good book. For me, reading allows me to escape my busy day to day schedule as well as keeping my mind sharp.
A good book is right up there with winning championships on my list of favourite things to do!"
Kate Lundy
Federal Senator for the ACT
"I have always tried to instil a joy of reading in my kids from a young age. Reading can help drive a lifelong pursuit of learning and assist children to understand and engage with the world around them. My kids loved Harry Potter and as a mother I did my best to encourage and motivate their passion and interest in books. But as a parent I know it's mostly about setting an example because you're their first role model.
These days I like to relax with a good science-fiction novel or an interesting biography. I particularly enjoy reading stories that chart the experiences of some of our newest Australians who have overcome considerable barriers to successfully settle in our community. I don't care what genre my kids are passionate about, I just hope they continue to pick up books and read, read, read! I encourage all parents to pick up a book and read with their children. The fact is strong literacy skills empower children and give them the confidence in all facets of life.
Get involved in the National Year of Reading by picking up your favourite book or reading something new in 2012! You can also join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter (@Love2Read2012 and look out for #book2read), contribute to the National Year of Reading Wiki (http://love2read2012.wikispaces.com/Home) or keep an eye on the Libraries ACT website (www.library.act.gov.au)."
Louise Maher
Drive presenter, 666 ABC
Louise Maher is a journalist and broadcaster who presents the Drive show each weekday on 666 ABC Canberra.
"I can imagine just about anything - but not a world without books or a life without reading. Stories are the way we learn to understand our world and the people who inhabit it. Reading transports us to new places - whether it's the other side of the universe or deep into someone else's imagination or memory. Part of the thrill is never knowing where the journey will end. I remember the delight of being given books as a child, spending Saturday mornings at the local library and reading to my children before they went to sleep. Books have always been my solace and inspiration and I look forward to sharing my love of reading with those who've yet to discover it.
Marion Halligan
Author
Marion Halligan was born in Newcastle and grew up by the sea. She is rather surprised to find herself living in Canberra, instead of on the coast. She always believed she was going to be a writer, though took a while to get started. Halligan has now published some twenty books (including a children's book, The Midwife's Daughters) and has written short stories, articles, book reviews and essays for various publications. She believes fiction illuminates our lives, and for this reason she loves to read it as well as write it. Her most recent book is Shooting the Fox. Read more about Marion's books on her publisher profile.
Marion's book The Fog Garden is shortlisted for the ACT category of Our Story for the National Year of Reading.
Mark Carmody
Weather presenter, ABC News
Mark Carmody has been the ABC's weather presenter since September 2007.
While studying horticulture, Mark worked for ACT Parks and Conservation at various maintenance depots around Canberra. He went on to become the supervisor of the National Rose Gardens and then in 1982, the head gardener at the Prime Minister's Lodge (in the Fraser, Hawke years).
Other roles included included landscaping RAAF Base Tindal, just outside Katherine in the Northern Territory, managing the landscape around Lake Burley Griffin and the Parliamentary Triangle, and gardening adviser on 666 ABC Canberra's Saturday morning program. Continue reading Mark's biography on the ABC website.
Mark Sullivan
Managing Director, ACTEW
Matt Toomua
ACT Brumbies
"One of the best ways to switch off and relax at the end of a long day of training is to pick up a good book.
I haven't always been the biggest reader, but it's something I have become more involved with the older I get and I'd certainly like to encourage other people to follow my lead.
Having grown up in Australia where the literacy rates are among the highest on earth, we can often take the skills we learn as kids for granted.
As an Ambassador for the National Year of Reading, I'll be making a big effort to ensure that more people are reading books right around the ACT and broader Australia."
Omar Musa
Spoken word artist
Omar Musa is a rapper and poet from Queanbeyan, NSW, Australia. Born in 1984, he is of Malaysian-Australian heritage. He has lived in London and California and spends most of his time on the road, performing and writing. He has won numerous awards for poetry and music, including the Australian Poetry Slam in 2008 and the British Council's Realise Your Dream award in 2007.
While living in London in 2008, he recorded with MOBO award winning British rapper Akala. His first hip-hop record, The Massive EP, recorded in Seattle, USA with veteran rock producer Geoff Stanfield, was released in 2009 to critical acclaim. Since then he has been a featured guest at the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival in Bali, Singapore Writers Festival and the Sydney Writers Festival, as well as touring in Germany, Indonesia and around Australia.
He also published his first book of poetry, The Clocks, in 2009, and worked as an actor for the famous Bell Shakespeare Company. He releases his full length album World Goes to Pieces in 2010. Read more about Omar on his website.
Phil Davis
Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL player
"I am proud to be an ambassador for the National Year of Reading. As an AFL footballer with the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS, I am very conscious of the value of a good education for young people and the pleasure derived from reading in particular. It not only develops literacy skills and knowledge but provides tremendous enjoyment. I want to encourage all people, particularly those in the ACT, to support the National Year of Reading."
Rob Paxevanos
Host, Fishing Australia
"Read about what you love and you will gain a love of reading."
About himself, Rob says:
My dad migrated here from Greece at the age of 18 having only grade 4 Greek language skills under his belt. With English as a second language he brought up my 4 brothers as a single parent for much of our childhood.
Working at his factory, and on the farm, and enjoying being boys was the focus rather than reading and learning 'perfect' English. There are some ocker sayings that are still only understood by my brothers and I.
However we all realised that investing time in literacy is investing in a better quality of life, so while none of us were ever going to be Oxford scholars, we did our best and improved along the way.
You know the old saying about necessity being the mother of invention: reading about things I loved like fishing, sport, Tin Tin comics and much more was the biggest help for me and made me realise the joys and wonders of the written word.
15 years ago, my first fishing article took two weeks to write, I can now do a much better job in under an hour. (Thank goodness for spell check on computers when I started out ;)).
There is always more to learn, and knowing a new word is like having an extra lure in your tackle box - both are very handy when you need them.
I hope my journey in this area helps encourage people that anyone can learn to read and writer or further their literary skills.
Rod Little
Chairperson, ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body
Scotty & Nige
Breakfast presenters, FM104
"Nige has been labelled as Captain Grammar on the 104.7 Breakfast Show for years, such is his love of the English language and all things reading, it's a true story that in kindergarten he was marched around his school cause he could spell the word pharmacy, yep he was that kid.
Scotty on the other hand was a really late bloomer to reading, sure he read what he had to in school, but he would rather have been playing sport. Now you can't stop Scotty, in fact in 2011, he's quite proud of the fact he's read 24 novels (including the entire 16 Jack Reacher novels in 4 months).
To be asked to be ACT ambassadors for the 2012 Year of Reading is something both Scotty & Nige are quite excited about."
Simon Corbell, MLA
Attorney General, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Minister for Police and Emergency Services
ACT Government Ministerial profile
Simon Corbell MLA is a Labor Member for Molonglo and was first elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly in 1997. Simon has held the Attorney General and Minister for Police and Emergency Services portfolios since 2006. He has a strong interest in sustainable development policy and integrated transport and land use planning. Continue reading Simon Corbell's biography on the Chief Minister's website.
Tania McCartney
Author
Tania McCartney is an author, publisher, editor and marshmallow fanatic, with a deep passion for books and literacy. She founded popular site Kids Book Review and runs Bedtime Stories –– a literary initiative for Australian Women Online.
Tania is published in both children’s and adult’s books, and is the author of the Riley the Little Aviator series of travelogue adventures. She has lived and worked in England, France and China, where she wrote Beijing Tai Tai: life, laughter and motherhood in China’s capital, due for re-release in 2012. In keeping with her love of children’s literature, Tania is penning several books for the National Library of Australia, the first of which––Australian Story: An Illustrated Timeline––will be released early 2012.
Tania regularly speaks and presents to adults and children on literary topics, and is thrilled to support the National Year of Reading as an Ambassador for the ACT.
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