Awabakal man Jeremy Heathcote OAM says he is motivated by seeing others succeed as a result his work.  

He is a founding member and deputy chairman of Babana Aboriginal Men’s Group, who provide a space for Indigenous men and boys to meet to talk about issues impacting them, exchange knowledge and experience, and listen and learn from inspiring speakers.

He is Lateral Violence and Cultural Safety Trainer as part of Babana Consulting.  

Jeremy is also First Nation’s Engagement Lead at the University of Sydney, where he was formerly Indigenous community engagement officer, and manager of Indigenous employment and cultural diversity.  

He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to Indigenous community health in The King’s Birthday 2025 Honours list.  

“I was originally shocked that work on improving community health was being recognised, but this also led to pride and respect for the important work that I have been involved in over the last 21 years,” Jeremy says.  

“The award is immensely important as it shows that even living in troubled times around the world, local work with vulnerable communities is seen as important.

“I’m motivated by seeing community members succeed and make changes to their lives that will not only impact a real community-led change to health and wellbeing, but also impact their families and communities. If one life can be impacted, it will flow on to their connections and make for a healthier and more connected community.”  

Jeremy says the recognition will have a positive impact on his work, and the broader goal it has.  

“Awareness for the work on improving the lives of First Nations communities will be enhanced as the area has gained important visibility [following this recognition],” he says.  

“It will also lead to increased opportunities to develop collaborative partnerships with stakeholders to empower the community to make positive change.

“I think it’s vital that the dedication and achievements are recognised, the work we do is so important for the local communities and meaning recognition like the OAM highlights the importance of serving our communities.”