Celebrity Ambassadors

Each year, Barnardos Australia’s Mother of the Year Awards enjoys the wonderful support of our Celebrity Ambassadors.

Read below to find out more about our Ambassadors.

NATIONAL AMBASSADOR - Noni Hazlehurst AM

Distinguished actress and television host, Noni Hazlehurst returns for her fifth year as the National Ambassador for Barnardos and the Barnardos Australia’s Mother of the Year Awards. "If I can help to draw attention to the invaluable work that Barnardos does in our community – as well as encourage more Australians to support that work – then I’m very happy to contribute."
As a devoted mother of two boys, Charlie and William, Noni says, "every one of us has a responsibility to look after children and their carers in our community, in our nation and worldwide."
"I admire the work that Barnardos does in caring for children and families. The Barnardos Australia’s Mother of the Year Awards recognise the importance of mothers and highlight the remarkable achievements of mothers all around Australia. "Noni undoubtedly has one of the most impressive and wide-ranging career portfolios in the business – as a beloved Playschool presenter, Better Homes and Gardens host and a celebrated film, theatre and TV actress.
She recently added another notch to her impressive list of awards when she was bestowed an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from Flinders University in South Australia.
With four AFI's (Little Fish, Waiting At The Royal, Fran, Monkey Grip), two Logies (Best Supporting Actress in a Mini-series for Waterfront, Best Supporting Actress in a Mini-series for Ride On Stranger) and an Order of Australia, Noni's talents have made her a household name for more than 30 years.
Her latest role is Detective Superintendent Bernice Waverley on the Seven Network’s City Homicide. "It's great to be playing a professional woman who commands the respect of her peers," says Noni.
When not on stage or screen, Noni devotes a lot of energy and time to Australia’s children. She fulfils numerous speaking engagements, writes articles for parenting magazines and is interviewed on many occasions on the subject of families and children’s welfare.
She has also recorded several CD’s and spoken-word cassettes for children, written lyrics for children’s songs, and recorded and performed for children with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
In 1996, Noni received an Order of Australia for her contribution to the lives of Australian children.

AMBASSADORS

Paul Mercurio

It all started at the age of nine when Paul first told his mum that he wanted to learn to dance. Encouraging of her young son, Paul went on to study classical ballet, jazz, tap and vaudeville. Then at thirteen he joined an amateur theatre group and studied the various disciplines of theatre for four years. Combining these two disciplines has informed and shaped his career as a performer, a choreographer and as a director ever since.
Paul’s career has been one of diversity. The first stage was very much focused on dance and choreography. From 1982 – 1992 Paul toured extensively around Australia and the world, performing and choreographing with Sydney Dance Company where he was principal dancer for ten years. He formed his own dance company Australian Choreographic Ensemble in 1992 for which he directed, choreographed and danced. He was awarded the Mo Award for Dance Performer of the year 1992.
He contributed choreography on "Strictly Ballroom" and has also choreographed 4 other feature films, including Will Smith’s mega blockbuster "I Robot" for which Paul choreographed the robots. He was nominated in 2004 for a Helpmann award for his choreography for the musical "Annie Get Your Gun".
The second stage has been focused on the film and television industry where Paul has made a mark as an actor, being nominated for an AFI award and a Logie and working with such notables as Ben Kingsley, Martin Landowne, Christian Slater. He has appeared in fourteen US and Australian feature films and countless hours of television spanning the drama, comedy and lifestyle genres - including guest appearances in some of Australia’s most loved TV series, such as Water Rats, Medivac, Heartbreak High Blue Heelers, All Saints, and others.
Lately Paul has played host and cook for his TV series "The Food Trail" where he gets to cook with some of Victoria’s and Tasmania’s finest chefs, has completed and starred in an American movie of the week in which he played the BAD guy, appeared as himself in the Australian film ‘Razzle Dazzle’ and filmed a guest spot on Seven’s acclaimed new series – ‘City Homicide’. Currently shooting his 7th series of the top rating "Dancing with the Stars" – he also judged two series of "Dancing with the Stars" in New Zealand.
He has launched his own beer brand in Victoria – Mercs Own and has developed two new beers to be released later this year. He is also working on a beer cookbook, which requires a lot of enjoyable but necessary research.
In between all his engagements, he is constantly developing and nurturing other interests in his life – the most important being his wife and three daughters. There is more that could be said about Paul and there is more to come but importantly his cholesterol levels remain low and he is enjoying life!

Monica Tapaga

Monica Trapaga is one of Australia’s most successful and versatile celebrities. Her vast array of talents have ensured she remains a favourite among the pre-school set, while continuing to delight adult audiences across the nation as an elite Jazz Singer, Television Personality and Entertainer.
Over the past few years, while still performing Jazz and children’s shows around the country, Monica has also pursued her passion for decorating and furniture restoration by opening her own vintage furniture and homewares store, "RECLAIM by Monica Trapaga" in Summer Hill, NSW.
Her love of children and commitment to the community is reflected in her charity work as ongoing Ambassador for Barnardos and the Barnardos Mother of the Year Awards.
Monica says, "every child is entitled to a happy, warm, safe surrounding and unfortunately not every child has that. Barnardo’s create a home and security wherever they can, and they do it impartially and with a dedication that constantly surprises and delights me."

Dennis Coard

Dennis Coard was born in Ireland and moved with his family to South Australia in his teenage years.
At age 35 Dennis gave away a secure 20-year career with Telstra and became a first-year drama student at the Victorian College of the Arts. He graduated in 1988 with a Diploma in Dramatic Art.
Dennis’ acting career has spanned television, film and theatre. On television Dennis has appeared in most T.V. dramas, including 6 years with the award-winning Home and Away (where he met his future wife Debra Lawrance). Credits also include Blue Heelers, Water Rats, Stingers, Good Guys/Bad Guys, Andrew Denton Show, Guinevere Jones and M.D.A.
Film projects have included the lead role in the critically acclaimed feature Return Home and work with Rachel Griffiths and Ben Mendelsohn.
He has also written and appeared in his autobiographical one man show, The Fall of the Roman Umpire which has been performed regularly since 1999.
Dennis and his wife Debra have two children and live in rural Victoria.
They have both been wonderful Ambassadors of the Barnardos Australia’s Mother of the Year Awards since they started in 1996.

Debra Lawrance

Debra Lawrance was born and raised in Melbourne and graduated with a Bachelor of Dramatic Art, from N.I.D.A. in 1977.
Debra’s acting career has been varied covering television (drama and comedy), theatre and film. She has worked with acclaimed international actors such as Meryl Streep (“Evil Angels”) and Tom Conti (“Two Brothers Running”).
One of her most memorable tv roles was as “Pippa” on “Home and Away” – a role which lasted 8 years. During her time on “Home and Away” Debra met Dennis Coard, who was playing her on-screen husband. A year after they married on-screen, they tied the knot off-screen as well!
Debra’s recent work includes playing Reverand Grace, the wife of Sergeant Tom Croydon, on “Blue Heelers” and numerous theatrical productions.
When Debra is not working in the acting arena, she enjoys rural life on the outskirts of Melbourne with Dennis and their two beautiful children, Grace and William.
Both Debra and Dennis have been Ambassadors of the Barnardos Australia’s Mother of the Year Awards since their inception in 1996.

Lisa Wilkinson

Lisa Wilkinson is one of Australia’s most respected and accomplished female journalists. From her meteoric start at Dolly where she became the youngest editor ever appointed to a national women’s magazine at just 21, to her ten unmatched years as editor of Cleo, Lisa has since spread her wings to include TV and radio with just as much success. First came her six years as a very popular panellist on Channel Ten’s Beauty & The Beast, as well as co-hosting the drive show on 2WS-FM with Doug Mulray, and becoming Editor At Large of The Australian Women’s Weekly. Lisa recently helped devise and launch Madison Magazine and today remains its Executive Editor. Lisa also fills in for husband Peter FitzSimons on 2UE’s Mike & Fitz Breakfast Show, as well as co-hosting the top-rating Weekend Sunrise on Channel 7 every Sunday morning. Lisa and Peter have three young children.

Lisa says, "I am committed to doing whatever I can to help spread the Barnardos message. It’s an organisation that literally changes the lives of children who would otherwise be lost to an uncaring system. And the number of smiles they generate on a daily basis, probably says it all.”

Judging Panel

Each year, a panel of Judges is given the arduous task of ploughing through the thousands of nominations, and choosing who is to be named "Barnardos Australia's Mother of the Year".

The Judging panel is made up of representatives from all sectors of the Awards and Barnardos Australia, including Barnardos Australia Board Members, corporate supporters, Awards Ambassadors and media partners.

Details of the 2008 Judging Panel will be released soon.