Eamonn took a while to find his focus. He grew up in Chester Hill NSW and his background was neither particularly religious nor strongly into community action. After school he took a job in a chartered accountants office, studying at night for a commerce degree.

“I found I hated commerce”, he says. So he took a pivotal step towards the life that he wanted. He left work and volunteered a day/week in Palliative Care, combined with study, tutoring and casual jobs. This volunteering experience, he believes, set him on his present path.

A year later, still unsure, he went and lived with the Marist Brothers at Mittagong NSW, and spent a year at Farm House (now known as The Hermitage). The monastery was a good fit, and he almost became a novice, but his instinct towards a family life was stronger.

Gradually finding his feet, he finished Commerce, added an Arts Degree and in 1997 qualified as a teacher. By now he wanted to see the world beyond Sydney, despite limited funds. He became a teacher at Guilford Young College in Hobart, Tasmania, where he began his association with Amnesty International.

In 2000 he and his fiancé spent a year travelling around the world. The first and most vital part of their year was spent at a school in at Ghandi Ashram School in an Indian hill community, mainly made up of refugees from Nepal. This was a key experience, and continues to sustain him in his passion for justice, human rights and dignity and his aversion to human suffering.

Eamonn teaches mainly Religious Education and Studies in Society and Environment at Guilford Young in Hobart. Spurred on by his aversion to suffering, poverty and injustice he continues to work for a better world in every way that he can while he and his wife raise their own young family. He recognises that there are many ways to help – sometimes direct action in extreme and isolated circumstances, other times less extreme places, where his work is as much to influence and support others as it is to take direct action to alleviate suffering.

What drives him?

His care, and desire to bring about change. He believes that working for a better world is non-negotiable, that to be a human being is to care for the most important people of all: the neglected, the poor, the marginalised, the people on the edge - and they are everywhere. He also thinks it is vital to raise awareness of the need for us all to be involved in one way or another if change is to happen, even if it’s only a tiny bit at a time.

His advice

• Find your passion, and do something about it.
• If your focus is only on yourself, you’ll have a lonely life. However small the thing you do is, it still has an effect.
• You may have an impact on others, but they will have a bigger impact on you. Respect their dignity.

Concerns

• Homelessness: 30 or 40 people are turned away every night from the only homeless men's shelter in Hobart, Bethlehem House. There are school kids who have slept on the streets. In a place like Tasmania this simply shouldn’t be so.
• Equality of opportunity: isn’t here. For example, if you’re born with a disability, if you leave school functionally illiterate, you are severely disadvantaged. We need a safety net, a change of heart.
• Apathy: whether it’s acceptance of the treatment of refugees, local or indigenous populations, or the fact that very close to you someone will go to bed hungry tonight, that’s unacceptable, yet many of us simply ignore it.
• Global poverty, injustice, cruelty and the erosion of human rights throughout the world – we need to be aware and informed, and act to help people find their own voice.

Humanitarian Activities

Eamonn has found a job where the work and goals are in tune with his own. He also gives an enormous amount of his own time to promote action for social justice, human dignity and respect, to raise awareness of people in need, and encouraging young people to do great things.

• Amnesty International for 9 years, currently Convenor of the active and successful Schools Network for Amnesty International Australia (Tasmania). He helped expand the network, involving both state and private schools, and all shades of religion or lack of it. He is widely respected for his commitment to the organisation and to human rights, and many students and youth activists are inspired by his infectious enthusiasm to help people. He encourages young people to choose their own activities, and helps them to achieve their goals. This, in turn, develops skills they will need later in life.
• Amongst his many activities for Amnesty, he has been a driving force behind the highly successful Battle of the Bands. He has also acted to ensure that activist groups in Catholic schools retain a link to Amnesty’s work through the Justice Action Network.
• Director of Ministry at Guilford Young: responsibilities include co-ordination of justice and outreach programmes. Weekly activities may be work for the disabled, assistance for charitable organisations, or an activity such as the colourful Africa Day (a former student started an orphanage in Kenya) . He co-ordinated the wonderful Justice Action Day 2007, involving students and staff from around Tasmania. Mr Jack de Groot of Caritas and Rev. Tim Costello of World Vision were keynote speakers and Tim Cox of the ABC, broadcast the event live. During the day letters, petitions and art works were produced at workshops to invite a change of heart that will ‘make poverty history’ locally and globally.
• Served 2 years on the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, which works towards a just society by advocacy on social justice issues, raising awareness of issues within the lay population and helping them to speak out credibly on such issues, both local and global.
• Involved in numerous organisations that promote or work for the same goals that he does, such as the Tasmanian Centre for Global Learning, who empower Tasmanians to take action for social justice, peace and a sustainable world future.

The Committee is supported by the Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner. For more information about nominations for the Award, or Human Rights Week activities please contact Santi Mariso, Conciliation and Community Education, Tel 03 6216 4427, or Email santi.mariso@justice.tas.gov.au