Citizenship and Multicultural Interests Minister John Castrilli last night announced Ms Mary Anne Kenny as the recipient of this year’s Sir Ronald Wilson Leadership Award.

In presenting the award, Mr Castrilli said that Ms Kenny had been instrumental in working on initiatives which have made substantial contributions to people from marginalised groups, such as asylum seekers and refugees.

“She is a visionary individual who has inspired many others to volunteer their time and energy to improve social justice in this State,” the Minister said.

Ms Kenny’s commitment to defending the rights of refugees led to her being a principal founder of the Centre for Advocacy Support and Education for Refugees, currently the only community legal centre in Western Australia providing specialist legal assistance to refugees.

In 2006, Ms Kenny was appointed to the Law Reform Commission of WA as the first female academic Commissioner, and was elected Commission Chair in October 2008. She is also a Senior Lecturer in Law at Murdoch University and Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Human Rights Education, Curtin University of Technology.

“As an educator, Ms Kenny has inspired many others to volunteer their time and energy to improve social justice in this State,” Mr Castrilli said.

“Ms Kenny is an important role model to all those who seek to make a difference in this world.”

The Sir Ronald Wilson Leadership Award honours the lifelong work of the late Sir Ronald Wilson, who was one of WA's most distinguished public servants, a respected lawyer, judge and social activist.