A Detective Inspector who has led efforts to protect children from sexual abuse is Queensland’s nominee for Australian of the Year.

November 9, 2018

The head of Queensland’s task force to catch online paedophiles is in the running to be next year’s Australian of the Year.

Detective Inspector Jon Rouse, 55, took out the 2019 Queensland Australian of the Year award at an annual ceremony in Brisbane on Friday night.

He has spent almost two decades of his 34-year career with the state’s police force investigating crimes against children and is the head of Task Force Argos, a team dedicated to investigating online child sexual abuse. 

Det Insp Rouse was behind the development of the Australian National Victim Image Library, which helps police identify the child victims in images seized from sex offenders and has trained authorities across Australia and overseas. 

He is currently sub-group chair of the INTERPOL Covert Internet Investigators Group and a director with The Society for the Policing of Cyberspace

Two-time Mercedes Benz Fashion Week model and disability activist Angel Dixon, 28, was named Queensland’s Young Australian of the Year, while agricultural biotechnology scientist Dr Dimith Dornan, 68, was named Queensland’s Senior Australian of the year. 

Criminologist and Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland director, Elijah Buol, 33, was awarded Queensland’s Local Hero. 

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the recipients were remarkable Queenslanders who had given back so much, while National Australia Day Council chief executive Karlie Brand said their efforts were making a real difference in the community.

They will be joining those awarded in other states and territories at a national ceremony in Canberra on January 25.