Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education and Training Senator the Hon Scott Ryan congratulated 2015 Young Australian of the Year Drisana Levitzke-Gray, who was recognised for her leadership in and advocacy for the deaf community.

Senator Ryan said the award will allow Ms Levitzke-Gray to continue working to help deaf people and advocating for them.

Senator Ryan hosted Ms Levitzke-Gray and other 2015 Young Australian of the Year finalists at a function in Canberra on Saturday 24 January.

“Drisana is an excellent role model for both the deaf community and the wider Australian community. She goes to great lengths to promote a positive image of deafness and to encourage everyone to accept diversity,” Senator Ryan said.

“Like all of the 2015 Young Australian of the Year finalists, Drisana is a leader who has shown young Australians what can be achieved when you show passion and commit to a cause.”

Ms Levitzke-Gray was the 2015 Western Australian Young Australian of the Year. She is the fifth-generation of her family to be born deaf.

She was the only Australian selected to attend the Frontrunners international deaf youth leadership course in 2012 and 2013 and used skills developed from the course to expand leadership capacity and human rights understanding among deaf youth in Samoa and around Europe.  In 2014, Ms Levitzke-Gray became the first deaf Auslan user to attend jury duty.

The Australian Government is a sponsor of the Young Australian of the Year Award.

The Australian of the Year Awards are an initiative of the National Australia Day Council. More information is available at: www.australianoftheyear.org.au