The 2025 Young Australian of the Year is Dr Katrina Wruck, a scientist and Mabuigilaig and Goemulgal woman. ACM is proud to be a media partner for the 2025 Australian of the Year Awards.
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00:00Firstly, I really want to acknowledge and pay my deep respect to this land that has been cared
00:06for by the Ngunnawal people from the beginning of living memory and will be cared for until the end
00:12of time. On my mother's side, I have a connection to ancient Australia through the Wagadaga tribe
00:19of the Mabugulag and Gomulgul peoples of Mabiyag Island in the Torres Straits. I acknowledge my
00:26immigrant and Torres Strait Islander heritages as both integral parts of my identity. A long time
00:34ago in the Northern Hemisphere, humanity organised itself through empires ruled by emperors and
00:42empresses. Then came kingdoms governed by kings and occasionally queens. But here in pre-colonial
00:53Australia, we had country known by 250 unique, self-determining nations. These societies were
01:03guided by chosen, initiated elders, custodians of deep knowledge passed through thousands of
01:10generations. That knowledge and sovereignty were disrupted by the forces of colonisation,
01:18and today we still exist under the structures of the British Empire. Tomorrow, January 26th
01:27is known by many names. Australia Day. Invasion Day. Survival Day. To some, it is a day of celebration,
01:39a public holiday. To others, it is a stark reminder of the violent dispossession, a legacy,
01:47that continues to this day. I stand here as a neurodivergent black woman, a golden trifecta
01:57that by all accounts wasn't supposed to succeed. Early in my journey, I worked tirelessly to prove
02:06others wrong. But along the way, I realised I wasn't doing it for them. I was doing it for myself,
02:15for my family, and for the communities I represent. Rooted in my deep connection to country,
02:23my work as a lecturer and researcher in green chemistry and material science at the Queensland
02:29University of Technology is driven by a commitment to addressing urgent global challenges, championing
02:36environmental sustainability and pioneering solutions to combat harmful contaminants.
02:44This mission led me to establish my start-up, Nuki Kula Green Labs. Nuki Kula means water stone
02:51in Kalalagalya, a Torres Strait language. We are pioneering the world's first reusable laundry
02:59system to combat rheumatic heart disease, a condition that almost exclusively affects
03:07Indigenous Australians. Representation matters. When kids, especially Indigenous kids,
03:14see someone like me in this position, it tells them that they belong, that their dreams are valid,
03:22and their voices are powerful. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support
03:29of my husband, Nathan, who has been my rock through every high and every low, and my friends,
03:38family and supporters who have stood by me with love and encouragement. Your belief in me has
03:45carried me through the hardest moments and inspired me to reach higher. This award is not just for me.
03:52It is for the young people daring to dream big and the communities fighting for justice,
03:57and the elders who continue to keep the fire burning. Thank you for this honour.
04:03I carry it forward with pride, knowing there is still so much work to do. Together,
04:10we can build a future where culture, science and equity walk hand in hand. Thank you.