Meet The Finalists Of The 2026 Honour Awards

The finalists for the 2026 Honour Awards, New South Wales’ premier rainbow community awards celebration, have been revealed!

Unsung heroes, inspiring individuals and outstanding community organisations comprise a vibrant and diverse group of finalists this year.

The winners will be announced at the 2026 award ceremony on Thursday 8 October at Paddington Town Hall in Sydney.

Ready to meet your finalists for 2026?

COMMUNITY HERO

Ashley Scott: Since 2015, Ashley has built Rainbow Families Australia from a small informal network into a national charity supporting LGBTQIA+ parents. His advocacy has driven significant legal reforms, including Medicare rebates for IVF and recognition of surrogacy parentage in NSW. By creating first-of-their-kind resources and antenatal classes, he has transformed the landscape for queer families across the country.

Joseph Sikulu: Standing at the intersection of environmental, cultural, and queer activism, Joseph is a founding co-convenor of the Oceania Rainbow Network. He works to dismantle the barriers facing LGBTQIA+ Pacific Islanders, both in Western Sydney and Australia at large, as well as across the Pacific where homosexuality remains criminalised in several nations. His leadership extends to global climate justice, ensuring that queer Pasifika voices in Australia and the Pacific are central to the fight against fossil fuels and climate change.

Katie Green: As CEO of the Inner City Legal Centre, Katie has become one of NSW’s most influential LGBTQIA+ advocates. She conceived the Blueprint for Equality, an evidence-based roadmap for legal reform that has gained traction nationally. Her leadership also drove key changes to Births, Deaths and Marriages laws, removing financial barriers for trans and gender diverse people seeking accurate identity documents.

Penny Gulliver: A proud 78er, Penny has spent over three decades providing free self-defence workshops for LGBTQIA+ communities. As the founder of GLMA Martial Arts Newtown, she uses martial arts and dance to help people build confidence and safety. Her trans-inclusive classes have grown into a vital space for intergenerational connection, proving that practical skills are essential for community wellbeing.

Shane Pascoe / Joyce Maynge: A teacher librarian by day and drag queen Joyce Maynge by night, Shane has used his platform for 25 years to support HIV care and family literacy. He anchors major fundraisers for the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation and leads Mardi Gras floats for the NSW Department of Education. His recent work includes a dedicated exhibition at Qtopia and a viral Pride Game feature, cementing Joyce Maynge’s status as a community icon.

COMMUNITY ORGANISATION

The Gender Centre: NSW’s peak body for trans and gender diverse people, operating since 1983. Last year, the Centre provided crisis accommodation to 58 individuals, delivered over 2,700 free counselling sessions, and supported more than 164 families through direct assistance and online programs. In a climate of rising hostility, it remains a vital source of refuge and advocacy.

INsolidarity’s The Mound: Just two years old, The Mound is a grassroots initiative that has become a cornerstone for queer communities in the Illawarra. It is spearheaded by INsolidarity, a volunteer-led group that hosts regular social events and provides critical practical support, including housing assistance and mediation. By prioritising community connection over profit, INsolidarity and The Mound offer a safe, inclusive and affirming space in regional NSW where people can connect, access support, celebrate their identities and experience genuine belonging.

Sydney Stingers Water Polo: As Australia’s longest-running LGBTQIA+ water polo club, Sydney Stingers has provided an inclusive sporting home for 25 years. The club recently became the Official Community Partner of the World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup Finals in Sydney, creating a visible rainbow presence at an international water polo event. This milestone underscores their role in fostering diversity and inclusion across the sport.

Walk On Walk Strong Project: Established in 2018, this project supports LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and refugees who have experienced persecution and trauma. Delivered by the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors, the project empowers participants through peer support, leadership development, advocacy and community engagement, helping individuals regain confidence, find belonging and become active contributors to their communities.

VOLUNTEER HERO

Cassandra Armstrong: A queer, non-binary advocate committed to creating safer, more inclusive communities, Cassandra founded Trans and Gender Diverse Kids Australia, a national, volunteer-led organisation supporting more than 100 families through peer connection, parent education, inclusive resources and affirming programs for trans and gender-diverse young people. Cassandra is also Deputy CEO of ADHD Australia and volunteers with the Trans Justice Project, supporting grant development for community-led advocacy.

William Weller: William is a founding member and President of Tamworth Pride, leading the organisation with passion, authenticity and resilience. Over his years of service, he has championed education, support and safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community across regional NSW. Will coordinates events, builds community partnerships, leads fundraising initiatives and ensures important LGBTQIA+ dates are recognised. Under his leadership, Tamworth Pride participated in the Sydney Mardi Gras and expanded inclusive community events.

Erol Dalkic & Graham August: Graham and Erol are co-founders of the Lifeblood donation team Fruit Juice. Together, through their volunteering and advocacy work, they have built one of the fastest growing and largest LGBTQIA+ Lifeblood donor teams in Australia since eligibility changes were introduced a year ago. Leading Fruit Juice and working with Lifeblood, Graham and Erol have represented the gay community with pride and conviction in a field that has so much historical trauma and hurt, turning it into a space where queer people feel supported and recognised.

Beverly Buttercup: A multi-award-winning drag queen from Western Sydney, Beverly has volunteered with community radio for over 25 years, giving local LGBTQIA+ artists a vital platform. She also founded Heaven Social Dance, which has raised nearly $60,000 for charity while creating social spaces for the community. She continues to champion visibility for western Sydney’s queer community.

YOUNG ACHIEVER

Dawood Sajid: Dawood is a passionate LGBTQIA+ advocate and community leader dedicated to creating safer, more inclusive spaces for young people across South Western Sydney. Drawing on his lived experience, he advocates for greater understanding, mental health awareness and suicide prevention within LGBTQIA+ communities. Through his involvement with Fairfield Liverpool LGBTQ+ Inclusive Network, Lifeline and lived-experience initiatives, Dawood uses his voice to connect people with support, build confidence and encourage others to embrace who they are.

Dan Davis: At 25, Dan is reshaping how public institutions support vulnerable communities. As a Biripi man, he developed the “Identity Plan” for LGBTQIA+ children in out-of-home care and created the “Rainbow Lighthouse” within the Federal Court to better address family violence cases involving queer families. His career spans child protection, defence service, and suicide prevention, driven by a commitment to inclusive justice, and trauma-informed and person-centred approaches that recognise identity, lived experience and the barriers people can face within complex systems.

Barbi Ghanoush: Less than five years into her drag career, Barbi has become a defining voice for queer Arab communities. She led the first Queer Arabs Australia Mardi Gras float in 2024 and has raised over $20,000 through drag bingo events supporting Palestinians in Gaza. Her work blends high-profile performance with grassroots activism, earning her a place on Out for Australia’s “30 under 30” list.

Josh Turner: Balancing full-time work at TAFE NSW, a Master’s degree, and four businesses, Josh is a dedicated champion for regional LGBTQIA+ inclusion. As Secretary of the TAFE NSW Pride Committee, he drives diversity initiatives across the state while sponsoring Tamworth Pride Fair. The author of Too Young… Too Early… DID IT ANYWAY!, he uses his platform to mentor young queer entrepreneurs and foster safe, affirming workplaces.

ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA

Kat Dopper: Founder of Heaps Gay, Kat has spent over a decade building spaces where LGBTQIA+ people gather, thrive and celebrate. From grassroots events to street festivals drawing thousands, she provides a safe, inclusive and affirming forums for rainbow communities to come together and express themselves with pride and joy. Kat’s events are much-loved and renowned as vital cultural endeavours that breaks new ground, shakes thing up or challenges the status quo.

Brunswick Picture House: In its tenth year, this Northern Rivers venue has turned an abandoned cinema into one of Australia’s most significant regional arts organisations. Under Brett Haylock and Chris Chen, it champions LGBTQIA+ creative expression as core to its artistic vision, proving bold queer work thrives well outside the capitals.

Luka Musicki: Part of the Australian team of Bear World Magazine, Luka has built a body of interviews, city guides and cultural histories that bring bear communities into global LGBTQIA+ media. His work reframes bear identity as a rich culture of creativity and belonging, putting bears, older gay men and bigger-bodied people firmly at the centre rather than the edges.

Under the Brown Rainbow: Created by Trikone Australia and hosted by Kashif Harrison, Under the Brown Rainbow ist he only Australian podcast devoted to LGBTQIA+ South Asian stories. Volunteer-made and funded by community donations, it features guests ranging from community elders to acclaimed filmmaker Onir. Conversations explore coming out, cultural taboos, faith, trans life and love across borders. Season 2 closed with the artists behind Temple of Desire, the queer Bharatanatyam work that sold out the Sydney Opera House.

HIV HERO

John Rule: Involved with the HIV response since the early years of the epidemic, John has shaped service provision, research and advocacy across Australia and the Pacific. Living with HIV himself since 1996, he co-authored 89 publications, helped establish protocols for involving people living with HIV in research, and played a key role in setting up peer organisations in Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Fiji.

Elliot McLaren: A queer takatāpui comedian living with HIV in Sydney, Elliot uses standup to normalise modern life with the virus. He turns diagnosis, stigma and medication into sharp, honest comedy that dismantles outdated fear without asking for pity. Beyond the stage, he donates a significant portion of his show profits to support the rapidly escalating HIV epidemic in Fiji.

Stephen Allkins: Known as Sydney’s disco godfather, Stephen Allkins is a DJ and music producer whose work provided the soundtrack to the early AIDS epidemic. Playing at clubs like Patchs and Palms, he created spaces where people living with HIV could gather, share stories and feel at home. His role was captured in the documentary Rampant: How a City Stopped a Plague

HIV/AIDS Legal Centre: Australia’s only specialist community legal centre dedicated to HIV and hepatitis-related matters, HALC provides free expert legal assistance to people navigating complex circumstances. With the majority of its clients identifying as LGBTQIA+, the centre drives change in anti-discrimination protections, HIV disclosure laws and immigration policy, securing protection visas and winning landmark tribunal appeals while delivering community legal education.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Andrew Bondini: For 25 years, Andrew has quietly built Spectres Australia into the nation’s largest LGBTQIA+ basketball community. A military veteran who understands what it means to feel unsafe in uniform environments, he has expanded the club from Sydney to regional towns like Cairns and Geelong. This year, his leadership sent five teams to the Gay Games in Valencia, cementing Spectres as a vital space for belonging across the country.

Hanna Qereqeretabua: An Indigenous Fijian trans woman and enrolled nurse, Hanna works at the intersection of healthcare and lived experience. She designs training for frontline workers on cultural safety while facilitating peer support groups for LGBTQIA+ asylum seekers and refugees. Her work transforms complex health systems into affirming spaces for those who have historically faced exclusion.

Hayden York: Hayden York is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Child and Adolescent Mental Health with a strong commitment to improving the health, safety and wellbeing of LGBTQIA+ young people. Hayden has helped strengthen privacy protections, improve the use of names and pronouns, challenge unnecessary disclosure of gender identity, and support transgender and gender diverse staff. Through the HNE CAMHS Rainbow Network and broader organisational advocacy, he continues to work toward safer, more respectful and inclusive mental healthcare for rainbow communities.

Paula Corvalan: Paula co-founded SAGE, a start-up providing counselling and case management specifically for LGBTQIA+ people with disabilities. The team supports over 60 participants across Australia and offers inclusive training to NDIS providers to shift provider culture. A fierce political advocate and mother, Paula brings a unique perspective shaped by her own experience as a migrant and refugee.

BUSINESS

PlanetDwellers: For over 20 years, owners Barry and Mario have curated travel experiences specifically for LGBTQIA+ communities. Their expertise extends beyond itinerary planning; they actively lobby tourism boards in destinations like Thailand and Taiwan to improve safety and inclusion standards. The business also functions as a community pillar, regularly donating prizes and discounted trips to support local fundraising events.

Chocolat Philippe: Chocolat Philippe is a proudly gay-owned Sydney bean-to-bar chocolate maker founded by Belgian-born Philippe Smets. Combining Belgian chocolate heritage with Australian craft, Philippe creates small-batch chocolate recognised with multiple national and international awards. Giving back to the LGBTQIA+ community is part of the business, from Rainbow Boxes supporting community organisations to donating chocolate experiences and prizes for fundraising initiatives.

Bernie’s Bar Newcastle: Running out of the heritage-listed Star Hotel, Bernie’s is the only dedicated LGBTQIA+ venue in regional NSW. In three years, it has evolved into a cultural institution, producing its own Mardi Gras and championing city-wide safety initiatives like late-night shuttles. The team successfully fought to have the hotel’s queer history formally recognized in its heritage listing. It remains a vital lifeline for locals, particularly given the precarious state of the hospitality industry.

Pink Media Group: Established in 2011, Pink has spent 15 years bridging the gap between major corporations and the LGBTIQA+ sector. By aggregating media and sponsorship opportunities across platforms, the agency has secured partnerships from major brands. This work provides essential financial stability for queer media and festivals while validating the commercial value of the community.

CELEBRATE RAINBOW COMMUNITES IN NSW

Now in its 19th year, the Honour Awards celebrates exceptional leadership, achievements and contributions in rainbow communities in New South Wales.

“Every day, people from all walks of life and many community groups and organisations do incredible work that improves the lives of LGBTQ+ people and their loved ones,” said ACON CEO Michael Woodhouse. “Honour recognises well-known achievers and also those whose contributions are made outside of the limelight.

Woodhouse highlighted the importance of coming together as a community – especially in these challenging times.

“At a time when our rights and our lives are being questioned and attacked, now more than ever, we need to unite and lift each other up.

“The foundations of healthy, strong and resilient communities are built by compassionate, dedicated and hard-working people. These awards honour the many individuals and organisations doing just that.

“We look forward to celebrating the excellence, strength, diversity and resilience of our communities at this year’s Honour Awards,” Woodhouse said.

The Honour Awards 2026 is on Thursday 8 October from 5.30pm at Paddington Town Hall, Paddington. Tickets $45pp from www.honourawards.com.au.