Individual Community Champion, or an individual who has made a significant personal impact in advancing end-of-life care or raising awareness of end-of-life choice. 

2026 finalists are:

1. Anthea Smith: Canberra-based advocate and member of both the VAD & MND lived experience communities. She was the carer and steadfast supporter of her husband, Jason, as he navigated MND and ultimately accessed VAD. Before and after Jason’s death in June this year, Anthea shared her experiences with the Australian people, via community forums, conferences, and national radio & TV interviews. Her experiences and insights provide an important perspective on the realities of VAD and helps ensure that the voices of carers, families and those directly affected by VAD remain part of the broader conversation.

2. Dr Scott Blackwell: Immediate past-Chair of the VAD Board of Western Australia. Scott has made an outstanding contribution to the establishment of a VAD service in Western Australia. He was a member of the Ministerial Expert Panel that developed the VAD legislation in WA. He was Chair of the Implementation Leadership Group that worked for 18 months to prepare all the processes and services required for the 2021 implementation of the service, and he was the inaugural Chair of the VAD Board of WA, retiring only recently after 5 years of service. His leadership, wisdom and people-centred approach has led to the design of a VAD service among the best in the country. Scott’s lasting legacy is a culture of generosity, mentorship and people-centred decision making.

3. Dr Laureen Lawlor-Smith: GP, VAD practitioner and podcaster from McLaren Vale, South Australia. Laureen is one of the busiest VAD doctors in the state, working both as a coordinating and consulting practitioner. In the last few years she conceived and created a podcast, “Voices from Voluntary Assisted Dying” which is a brilliant resource for the entire Australian community. Through the podcast, Laureen brings complex and sometimes challenging conversations into the public domain with empathy, integrity and respect. In doing so, she helps to reduce stigma, promote informed dialogue and support the growth of a compassionate and evidence-informed VAD community.

Organisational Community Champion, for a community group, organisation, or institution that has demonstrated innovation and excellence in end-of-life care or advocacy.

2026 finalists are:

1. Autonomy Team, Health New Zealand: Comprises Johanna McCamish, Annette Western, Manu Pelayo, and Reina Fiel-Magbutay from the Clinical Adviser Team. Their dedication, compassion, and unwavering commitment to supporting applicants and their whānau have made a profound difference to countless people, seeking support for assisted dying. Every day, they provide expert guidance, empathy, and care during some of the most significant and challenging moments in people’s lives. Their work consistently goes above and beyond expectations, ensuring applicants and whānau feel supported, respected, and heard throughout their journey. 

2. Statewide Care Navigator Service, Victoria: led by Susan Jury, the Vic Care Navigators provide compassionate, practical support to Victorians seeking information about voluntary assisted dying. The service helps patients, families, practitioners and health services navigate legal requirements and access trained practitioners. As the first VAD Care Navigator Service established in the country, its measurable impact, clinical expertise and person-centred approach was the template for other Care Navigator Services around the country and the team has been generous beyond measure in sharing their experience and expertise. This dedication was highlighted in Victoria’s five-year review, and each year in the feedback given to the VAD Review Board in which the Care Navs are routinely described as ”Angels”. 

3. The NT Campaign Team: expertly led by COTA NT and its CEO Sue Shearer. The team showed incredible dedication, commitment and tenacity in shepherding through the NT's long-awaited VAD legislation, with some members working for 30 years to see VAD restored to the territory. Members include: Judy Dent, president of the Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Society; Marshall Perron, former NT Chief Minister and architect of the 1995 Rights of the Terminally Ill Act;  Lindsay Marshall, the Clem Jones Group; Frankie Bennett, Go Gentle Australia; Suzanne James, DWD NSW; And the family advocates, including: the Bayliss family, Sharon Cramp Oliver, Lori Martin, Gavin Perry and (the late) Steve ‘SteveO’ O'Grady.

1. Miranda Batten: Senior Policy Officer, Canberra Health Services. A policy maker, pharmacist and researcher with over 15 years of experience in health service, regulatory, research, advocacy, consulting and policy roles Miranda has a particular interest in using evidence-based research alongside the voices of consumers and clinicians to pragmatically improve health policy and practice.

1. Casey Haining: Iinterdisciplinary researcher with qualifications in law, biomedicine, and population health. She holds appointments with the Australian Centre for Health Law Research at Queensland University of Technology and the University of Melbourne. Casey is currently completing her PhD part-time, examining VAD and dementia from the perspective of the medical profession. Her doctoral research is co-supervised by Distinguished Professor Ben White and Emeritus Professor Lindy Willmott.

2. Manu Pelayo: Assisted dying clinical adviser at Health NZ and a doctoral candidate at Victoria University of Wellington. Manu is the lead researcher on “Whānau and assisted dying: A qualitative study of family experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand,” a project he conceived, designed, and led with co-investigators Dr Jessica Young (Victoria University of Wellington) and Te Hurinui Karaka-Clarke (University of Waikato)