The Australia Day Council of South Australia (ADCSA) has confirmed that James Currie will join Malcolm Benoy as the 2026 Senior Australian of the Year for South Australia.
The news follows the headline-making double blunder at last Friday night’s Australian of the Year awards in South Australia presentation, which saw the “wrong” winner’s name read out – twice.
Weather scientist, Mr Benoy, was called onto the stage and handed the trophy – only to be told moments later that there had been a mix-up. A second winner, Mr Currie, was then announced as the winner, before also being told there had been a further mistake.
“The wrong winner was in the envelope and we do apologise for that,” one of the hosts said.
“The 2026 Senior Australian of the Year is in fact … James Curry,” they said.
To add even further confusion to the evening, National Australia Day Council chief executive, Mark Fraser, then suddenly took to the stage to clarify that Mr Benoy was the correct winner of the award.
“We had it right all the way along, I don’t know what has transpired behind the scenes, but it’s incorrect information,” Mr Fraser said.
“It is Malcolm Benoy, I’m terribly sorry for the embarrassment.”
In a statement today, the National Australia Day Council (NADC) said it “sincerely apologises for a regrettable administrative error that led to confusion during last Friday’s South Australia Australian of the Year Awards presentation evening”.
It said that following voting by a South Australian selection panel, Mr Currie and Mr Benoy were tied in first place.
“The panel resolved an outcome and an administrative error by the NADC meant the results of the meeting were inaccurately recorded. Unfortunately, this error was not identified prior to the presentation evening. On the evening, at different times, both Mr Benoy and Mr Currie were announced as the recipient. The South Australian selection panel reconvened following the announcement and unanimously agreed that both Mr Currie and Mr Benoy be selected as a Senior Australian of the Year for South Australia.”
The NADC has commenced a review into its processes to ensure such an error cannot recur, it stated.
“We are grateful to Mr Benoy and Mr Currie for their patience and understanding and to everyone involved in the South Australia Australian of the Year Awards. Neither Mr Benoy nor Mr Currie were responsible for the error and both have acted with the grace befitting of the Senior Australian of the Year for South Australia.”
Mr Currie and Mr Benoy join the three other 2026 South Australian recipients, SA Australian of the Year Katherine Bennell-Pegg, SA Young Australian of the Year Chloe Wyatt-Jasper; and South Australia’s Local Hero Ayesha Fariha Safdar.
