Overview
- Vecchio was named WA Australian of the Year for pioneering Australia’s first publicly funded hospital-based gaming disorder clinic at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
- The clinic, opened in 2022, has treated more than 300 patients and is described as unique worldwide for early detection and intervention within a hospital setting.
- As head of mental health and addiction services and a director of the Australian Gaming and Screens Alliance, she advances research, education and policy on harmful online use.
- Professor Kingsley Dixon AO was named WA Senior Australian of the Year for decades of native plant conservation, including the 1992 discovery that smoke triggers germination and his work improving mine rehabilitation standards.
- Young Australians of the Year Dr Haseeb Riaz and Gareth Shanthikumar were recognised for Man Up’s extensive school outreach, while Local Hero Frank Mitchell was honoured for creating 70-plus Indigenous upskilling roles across construction firms employing more than 200 staff.