Tasmanian Australian of the Year

The 2016 Tasmanian Australian of the Year Award is conservationist Jane Hutchison.

Ms Hutchison received the honour for her important and innovative conservation work with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC).

Ms Hutchinson is one of a handful of volunteers who started the TLC in 2001. Since then, the TLC has grown from a $50 bank account to a $30 million organisation which protects 65,000 hectares of habitat for threatened flora and fauna.

Each year our nation celebrates individuals who inspire us through their achievements and challenge us to make our own contribution to creating a better Australia.

There is no doubt the Tasmanian Award recipients have made a tremendous contribution to shaping our state and I congratulate them all:

* Tasmanian Senior Australian of the Year, glaciologist Prof Ian Allison AO AAM;
* Tasmanian Young Australian of the Year, mental health advocate Zac Lockhart and
* Tasmania’s Local Hero, printmaker and founder of Landscape Art Research Queenstown Raymond Arnold.

While there can only be four award recipients, every finalist deserves our gratitude and respect.

Our award winners will now be considered for the 2016 Australian of the Year Awards, which will be announced by the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, in a ceremony in Canberra on the eve of Australia Day.
Will Hodgman, Premier