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Former child soldier named 2017 NSW Australian of the Year

AAP November 8, 2016

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Refugee and criminal lawyer Deng Adut has been named the 2017 NSW Australian of the Year.

The former child soldier-turned-humanitarian received the top honour from Premier Mike Baird at a ceremony in Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art on Monday night.

Adut was forced to fight as a child soldier at the tender age of six in Sudan before he was smuggled out and made it to Australia.

From illiterate refugee to criminal lawyer, Adut is now studying for a second master’s degree while running AC Law Group, which he set up to fight for members of the Sudanese community from his home in Blacktown in Sydney’s west.

Adut was joined by celebrity doctor John Knight, better known as James Wright, who took the honour for NSW Senior Australian of the Year and reconciliation champion Arthur Alla, 27, who won NSW Young Australian of the Year.

Knight was awarded for his commitment to medicine and charity, spending decades supporting and fighting for elderly Australians and is well known for appearing as a regular guest on Nine’s Midday show for 30 years.

Alla scooped up his award for his work connecting city kids with indigenous communities.

In 2011 he set up Red Earth, which allows indigenous Australians from remote communities to host high school students from Sydney, who have raised more than $500,000 through community projects.

Broken Hill resident and veteran volunteer Josephine Peter won the NSW Local Hero award for her more than 70 years of service to her community and country.

“These individuals have pursued their passions, helped so many people and as a result made us all proud,” Baird said.