Hetty Johnston

Australian activist

Hetty Johnston AM
Born	Hetty Margarete van Velsen (1958-09-27) 27 September 1958 (age 65) Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Known for	Child Protection Activism
Title	Founder of Bravehearts
Political party	Independent (since 2001)
Other political affiliations	Democrats (1996-2001)

Hetty Margarete Johnston AM (born 27 September 1958), is the founder of Bravehearts Inc., an organisation advocating for better child protection in Australia. She remains a lobbyist who often highlights and promotes action against paedophilia within media, families, schools and in the general community.^[1]^[2]

Johnston has published a book detailing her beliefs called In the Best Interests of the Child.^[3]

Politics

Johnston was the Australian Democrats candidate for Fadden at the 1996 federal election, and she was an independent Senate candidate for Queensland at the 2004^[4] and 2019 federal election. At the 2001 Queensland state election, Johnston stood as an independent in the electorate of Springwood.^[5]

She ran for Mayor of Logan City in October 2015, but she withdrew to care for her elderly mother.^[6]^[7]^[8] Johnston also unsuccessfully ran as an independent candidate for the seat of Macalister in the 2017 Queensland state election.^[9]

Honours and awards

Johnston was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 2014, for service to the community through a range of organisations promoting the welfare and rights of children.^[10] In 2015, she was named the Queensland Australian of the Year.^[11]

References

^ Garcia, Jocelyn (9 March 2021). "'We broke the silence': Hetty Johnston steps down from Bravehearts". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
^ Perkin, Corrie (24 February 2002). "The passion and the pain of Hetty Johnston". The Sunday Age. p. 6. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
^ Souter, Fenella (23 October 2004). "The Kids' Crusader". Good Weekend. The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, Australia. p. 27.
^ "Senate Results Qld". Australia Votes. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
^ "Springwood - 2001". Election Archive. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
^ Atfield, Cameron (6 October 2015). "Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnston to run for Logan mayor". Brisbane Times. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
^ "Hetty Johnston withdraws as candidate for Logan mayor". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
^ "Hetty Johnston withdraws from Logan mayoral race". Brisbane Times. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
^ "Queensland Votes - Electorate: Macalister". ABC News. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
^ "Member of the Order of Australia (AM) entry for Mrs Hetty Margarete Johnston". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2021. For significant service to the community through a range of organisations promoting the welfare and rights of children.
^ "2015 Queensland Australian of the Year Award Recipients Announced". Australian of the Year Awards (Press release). National Australia Day Council. 24 October 2014.