Our congratulations go to Patsy Jones from the CBCA Tasmania branch, who was nominated for the Senior Australian of the Year Award.
At the centre of environmental politics in Tasmania since lobbying against the flooding of Lake Pedder, Patsy Jones’ remarkable history of volunteering has spanned a wide range of community organisations. The widow of United Tasmania Group founder Dick Jones, Patsy was Tasmania’s first Greens politician to be elected to a local council in 2000. An advocate of healthy living, Patsy successfully secured a ban on smoking in public enclosed areas which has reduced the incidence of respiratory illness. A passionate believer in the power of books, Patsy is former president and current treasurer of the Tasmanian branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia. She has mentored teachers, taught children’s fiction at TAFE Tasmania and was instrumental in the state-wide adoption of innovative pre-literacy programs for babies. At times president of Sustainable Living Tasmania, an executive of Bicycle Tasmania and treasurer for Tasmanian National Parks Association, Patsy’s philosophy for sustainability has helped to preserve much of Tasmania’s wild beauty for future generations.