Martin Hodgson Named 2027 Australian of the Year

The human rights lawyer and advocate was named Australian of the Year as the Australian Capital Territory's award recipients were announced.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Awards

Martin Hodgson Named 2027 Australian of the Year

The Australian Capital Territory has named human rights lawyer Martin Hodgson as Australian of the Year for 2027. The territory also named Andrzej Kilian Senior Australian of the Year, Zakary Pino Young Australian of the Year and Micaela Centenera Local Hero.

Why it matters

The awards recognise contributions in law, science, community service and youth leadership across the Australian Capital Territory. Hodgson's pro bono work for people held overseas and First Nations cold cases highlights advocacy for overlooked justice issues nationally.

Martin Hodgson, aged 46, has represented hundreds of clients pro bono through the Foreign Prisoner Support Service. Zakary Pino, aged 30, began walking around Lake Burley Griffin each Sunday in 2021, a routine that grew into the charity WITH-ME.

The players

Martin Hodgson

A human rights lawyer and advocate who supported the Bali Nine and Peter Greste and co-founded the Disappeared Project.

Andrzej Kilian

A scientist who developed an efficient DNA analysis tool and commercialised it through Diversity Arrays Technology.

Zakary Pino

A young advocate whose Sunday walks around Lake Burley Griffin grew into the charity WITH-ME.

Micaela Centenera

Co-founder of The Little Capsule Co, a social enterprise supporting mothers.

The details

Hodgson co-founded the Disappeared Project, which spotlights First Nations cold cases, and helped free Kevin Henry, a First Nations man wrongfully imprisoned for more than 25 years. Kilian commercialised an efficient tool to analyse the DNA of organisms through Diversity Arrays Technology in Canberra in 2001.

2001: Andrzej Kilian commercialises his DNA analysis invention through Diversity Arrays Technology.
2021: Zakary Pino begins walking around Lake Burley Griffin each Sunday.
January 2027: Four ACT award recipients attend the national awards in Canberra.

Awards Context

The ACT's selections feed into the national Australian of the Year program, which recognises individuals across law, science, community and youth categories each year. Hodgson's selection continues a pattern of recognising legal advocacy for people held overseas and First Nations justice.

Residents of the Australian Capital Territory can follow local recognition of community leaders and advocates in their region. The awards highlight causes such as wrongful imprisonment and community wellbeing that affect people across Australia.

The takeaway

Recognition of local advocates such as Hodgson, Pino and Centenera shows how individual initiatives can grow into national causes. Readers can look to these examples when considering how to support community justice and wellbeing projects.