Hope lives here – a year in reflection

Hope starts here  with the most amazing group of young people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting and working with . Young people who are proud and loud to be part of the next generation of amazing group of people who feed, clothe and put a roof over our heads – our farmers and their support networks. Young people who so believe in a bright future for agriculture in this country and want to take everyone on that journey with them

Young people who nominated me for Australian of the Year who so inspire me to one day be worthy of that title

The students and teachers I meet as part of my Archibull Prize journey with the art judge Wendy Taylor who channel artists I have never even heard of

Books I read with heroes who listen to music and read classics and watch movies I also have never even heard of

I had parents who owned a record player they never used and my first LP was the Bee Gees and I bizarrely came first in music in Year 8 and had never heard of Bach let alone Tchaikovsky

I collect the names of the great novels and movies classics I will watch one day instead of the sitcoms that currently I escape to at night to lighten my load

But I am forever grateful I am wise enough to surround myself with people I can learn and grow from

I salute those people who recognised my heart is in the right place and I can make a difference with the right support networks

I cringe at stories that allow the freedom to the press to incite racial hatred in this country

I cringe at stories of the power supermarket duopolies like this and this

I cringe about a world that is more interested in stories and give oxygen to airheads like this than stories about  people who are starving or being forced into the sex trade or genital mutilation

I cringe when I read stories about people who deny climate change is a reality when 99.9% of our scientist tell us it’s a reality which will destroy the future of our planet and our young people who will inhabit it unless we stand up and be counted now

This year I lost 20 kgs eating great Australian produce that was high in protein, low in processed carbs and contained good fats. I was proud that my family supplies 50,000 Australians with this healthy diet  combination.

I was proud so many Australian  farmers t look after more than 60% of Australia’s precious landscape and care and are committed to animal wellbeing no matter what the extremist groups would have the general public have us believe

I sit here and read the latest Louise Penny novel and listen to my ancient IPod collection of romantic ballads that range from Bruce Springsteen to Van Morrison, and of course the Bee Gees to  Sarah McLachlan and think what an enigma I am

I am heartbroken that our Australian Christmas has been precluded by a siege that saw 3 lives lost in Martin Place and 8 lives taken in Cairns and sad that people I love and admire have lost people so dear to them

I am so lucky to have wonderful friends who support me equally at my worst and at my best

I am so lucky to wake up in paradise every day and I look forward to the exciting challenges, opportunities and new beginnings 2015 will bring

I wish everyone I hold so dearly the best life has to offer and look forward to helping creating with them  the world every one deserves to live in