The founder of the Men of Business (MOB) Academy Marco Renai is the 2024 Australian of the Year for Queensland.
The MOB Academy provides leadership and mentoring programs to support at-risk young men for a brighter future.
Acting Premier Steven Miles MP congratulated Mr Renai and three fellow award recipients at a ceremony held in Brisbane.
The recipients in other categories were:
- 2024 Senior Australian of the Year for Queensland – Havafeed Relief Founders Reverend Robyn and Reverend Dr Lindsay Burch
- 2024 Young Australian of the Year for Queensland – Australia’s most successful Olympian and UNICEF Ambassador Emma McKeon AM
- 2024 Local Hero for Queensland – Co-founder of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History and outback tourism operator David Elliott OAM
There were 17 nominees who were celebrated and recognised for their outstanding achievements, with five recipients announced for the four awards.
The Queensland recipients will join those from the other states and territories for the national Australia Day awards, which will be held in Canberra on 25 January, the eve of Australia Day 2024.
Quotes attributable to the Acting Premier Steven Miles:
“The 2024 award recipients are inspiring, everyday Queenslanders from all walks of life who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to enrich and empower communities across Queensland.
“The recipients have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to Queensland and Australia, and their tireless efforts and dedication to making positive change and improving the lives of others.
“Congratulations to the recipients and all of the nominees for their great work in our communities and for making a positive difference for Queenslanders.”
2024 Australian of the Year for Queensland recipient profiles
2024 Australian of the Year for Queensland: Marco Renai
Founder, Men of Business
Marco Renai is founder of Men of Business (MOB) Academy. The senior secondary school focuses on empowering at-risk-young men with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to be happy, healthy and successful.
After experiencing troubles at school as a teen and later volunteering in youth justice, Marco realised there were no programs for young men who struggled to engage with life and education. Inspired by his Italian heritage, which holds that family, food and doing good can make a difference, he piloted the first MOB program in 2011.
Marco and his community raised $1 million to open the MOB Academy in 2020. Young men participate in education, work pathways and social and emotional wellbeing programs. Meals are provided and they can also engage with community in real-world experiences.
Today MOB is a federal and state-funded accredited academy with two branches, 35 passionate staff, thousands of past graduates and 195 thriving students.
2024 Senior Australian of the Year for Queensland: Reverend Robyn and Reverend Dr Lindsay Burch
Founders, Havafeed Relief
Reverend Robyn and Reverend Dr Lindsay Burch’s not-for-profit organisation Havafeed Relief has fed more than one million people.
The couple started Havafeed in 1994 with a van and donated loaves of bread. It’s now a regular fixture at the Mermaid Beach Community Centre. Six days a week, visitors can enjoy a hot meal, pick up a hamper, connect with others or talk with a local support service if they need help.
Robyn and Lindsay have dedicated their retirement years to Havafeed. They start before dawn to make sure they have enough food and volunteers for each day’s work. The organisation receives no funding and relies entirely on donations from the community. The couple have never asked for wages, often using their own funds to keep their work afloat.
Havafeed Relief currently provides more than 300 meals a week and has raised almost $2 million in donations over the last 30 years.
2024 Young Australian of the Year for Queensland: Emma McKeon AM
Olympian
Emma McKeon AM is the most successful Australian Olympian of all time – a title she claimed before her 28th birthday. She comes from a strong family of Australian swimmers. In fact, her father, uncle, brother and mother have all represented Australia.
Back in 2012, Emma just missed out on being chosen for the London Olympics. She took a break, but rediscovered her passion and went on to make a splash at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she claimed six medals from six races.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Emma became the first female swimmer and the second woman in history to win seven medals in a single Olympics. She has also broken Commonwealth Games, Olympic and World records.
Now aged 29, Emma has other titles to her name. In 2022 she was made a Member of the Order of Australia, and in 2023 she was named Gold Coast Young Australian of the Year.
2024 Queensland Local Hero: David Elliott OAM
Co-founder, Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History
David Elliott’s chance discovery of a dinosaur fossil during routine sheep mustering in 1999 led to the revival of Australia’s palaeontology field – and the creation of a palaeo-tourism industry that put outback Queensland on the map.
David’s initial fossil discovery was followed by others. As palaeontologists began to return to the region to investigate, David and his wife Judy founded the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History in 2002 as a not-for-profit charity.
The Museum first operated on the couple’s property, where they conducted dinosaur digs and built an impressive collection of fossils. Later, it was moved onto donated land.
Today, it houses Australia’s most significant collection of fossils from the country’s largest dinosaurs. A major tourist attraction, it serves as a centre for Australian paleontological research and discovery in Australia.
David was recognised for his contributions to science with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2015.
