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Awarding South Australia’s young leaders more important than ever

Premier Steven Marshall is urging South Australia’s young leaders to apply for the 40 Under 40 Awards to help shape the state in the wake of COVID-19.

Apr 17, 2020, updated Apr 17, 2020
Premier Steven Marshall addressing the winners of the 2019 40 Under 40 Awards. Photo: Russell Millard

Premier Steven Marshall addressing the winners of the 2019 40 Under 40 Awards. Photo: Russell Millard

Premier Marshall said it’s now more important than ever that the state’s young people band together to help lead the recovery and shape the future.

“I think people are going to recognise our state as being a leader globally in managing the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

“I think that many people will be choosing to work from different places in the world than they have been working previously and I think South Australia can really benefit from some of the post-COVID changes, so I think it is more important than ever for people to consider nominating for 40 Under 40.”

The 40 Under 40 Awards are run by InDaily and celebrate people under the age of 40 who are leading the way in different industries and sectors important to South Australia, including, for the first time this year, social enterprise.

“Social enterprise is absolutely crucial and that’s really highlighted with this year’s Australian of the Year Dr James Muecke, who has run a social enterprise for the better part of 20 years which has now got global attention and is really helping to change lives,” Marshall said.

“I think he will provide further motivation for young people in South Australia to participate in different social enterprises.

“The contribution that young people can make to solving some of the wicked problems that we’ve had for a long period of time will be would be very, very useful.”

The call for 40 Under 40 applications comes at the same time as the government’s release of its Youth Action Plan, which aims to address the brain drain from the state by providing more opportunities to young people.

Marshall said that 40 Under 40 sat well with the state’s plan.

“The Youth Action Plan is a high level document and 40 Under 40 is a specific action and so I think they work really well together,” he said.

“We want to see the young people in South Australia play a pivotal role in shaping where we are now but also where we’re going into the future.”

Marshall said that one beneficial outcome of the 40 Under 40 Awards was the formation of its alumni group, which now groups 80 past winners into an effective network of young leaders.

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“One of the things that’s come out of 40 under 40 is a realization that there are a lot of very talented people in South Australia,” he said.

“I think what I was hearing before was, ‘I thought I was the only person that was doing these sort of things’ and they (40 Under 40 alumni) have now developed into a nice group of young people who are all sharing ideas and experiences and I think this can only be good for South Australia.”

The alumni network has brought together the leaders and has led to many collaborations, including last year’s Creative Thinker Award winner Timothy Angel teaming with Renewal SA’s Inspiring Future Collaboration Award winner Anton Andreacchio to help Angel’s Cortex Interactive expand into global markets.

Applications for the awards are open until the end of April. A team of judges will then sort through the nominations and there will be an award ceremony later in the year when it is safe to gather.

“My strong advice to young leaders is to participate in this project,” Marshall said.

“It’s probably more important now than ever because I think that the post COVID world for South Australia is enormously attractive.”

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