One of WA’s favourite rockers and the brains behind a revolution for transporting human organs ahead of transplant surgeries are in the running to be WA’s nominee for 2027 Australian of the Year.
Eskimo Joe frontman Kav Temperley and Dr Emily Zhen join renowned Shark Bay indigenous marine environmentalist, Professor Michael Wear and Esther Oh, whose personal quest after her son lost his vision due to delayed treatment has led to better and faster telehealth services in remote regions, as finalists for the honour.
Ms Oh’s quest led her to found Agili8 to teleport the ‘virtual’ eyes and hands of multi-disciplinary medical experts – using smart glasses and smartphones – to remote frontline areas. She pioneered her telehealth solution with remote Aboriginal communities to deliver a culturally safe model of care and in one example, a patient in Port Hedland was saved from deadly infection and potential amputation in just 15 minutes using Agili8’s solution.
Malgana man Professor Wear leads a marine restoration project of the seagrass reserve around Shark Bay and has also founded Tidal Moon, an Indigenous-owned and led sea cucumber harvesting enterprise which also undertakes research into the health benefits of sea cucumbers.
Dr Zhen’s innovation has led to new and better ways of preserving and protecting vital donor organs and tissues during transportation.
The precision preservation platform developed by her company is portable, reusable and designed to actively control temperature, also transports blood and cells and could have future uses for emergency and military medicine and in veterinary science for artificial insemination.
Temperley, who co-founded Eskimo Joe 30 years ago, remains a huge presence in WA’s music scene, mentoring thousands of emerging musicians through his Fremantle studio and songwriting camps.
The band’s chart-topping songs helped put the WA music scene on the map and hits like Black Fingernails, Red Wine continue to transcend time with their enduring popularity.
Twelve other West Australians have today been named as nominees in the categories of Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year and Australia’s Local Hero, joining the quartet of finalists for the main category.
West Australian winners will be announced Friday, October 30 and go on to represent the state at the 2027 Australian of the Year awards held in Canberra on January 25.
2027 Australian of the Year for Western Australia
Esther Oh - Telehealth innovator
Kav Temperley - Musician and mentor
Professor Michael Wear - Indigenous marine environmentalist
Dr Emily Zhen - Organ transplant pioneer
2027 Senior Australian of the Year for Western Australia
Tina Baldwin - Long-serving Lifeline volunteer
Michelle Blakeley - Community housing champion
Sheena Edwards - Digital technology mentor
Professor Charitha Pattiaratchi - World-leading oceanographer
2027 Young Australian of the Year for Western Australia
Pheobe Ho - Mental health advocate
Tara Jeisman - Founder of Sea Gals community group
Kurt Krispyn - Marine scientist and communicator
Joshua Wigley - 3D-manufacturing innovator
2027 Australia’s Local Hero for Western Australia
Adam Desmond - Indigenous community leader
Michael Elwan - Social worker and mental health advocate
Victoria (Vicky) Pellowe - FIFO community leader
Dr Dayna Pool - Neurological rehabilitation pioneer