Veteran paediatrician and children's rights advocate Sue Packer has been named the 2019 Senior Australian of the Year.
Dr Packer, who is a leader in the prevention and treatment of child abuse, has received the award at an annual ceremony in Canberra.
The 76-year-old has been a paediatrician since 1972 and involved with the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect since its early days in the late 1980s.
Along with treating child abuse victims, the ACT's Dr Packer has championed a number of children's health causes.
She said adults needed to be the driving force of improving the lives of Australian children.
"We need to notice children, be curious about their lives, whether it's our own children, children in the neighbourhood or the children on Nauru," Dr Packer told the ceremony at the National Arboretum.
"My dream is that one day Australia will be recognised as the best place in the world to be a child."
Dr Packer has been an advocate for the importance of early childhood environments for the developing brain, leading to its recognition by education and government agencies.
She also played a significant role in the acknowledgement of the importance of creating child-friendly spaces in hospitals and the value of play in recovery.
National Australia Day Council chair Danielle Roche said Dr Packer had been a lifetime advocate for the health, safety and rights of all children.
"Her dedication to protecting young lives has brought about practical change in treating children and has directly improved the lives of untold children," she said.
