South Australia’s inaugural Positive Role Model Awards were presented at Parliament House on Tuesday, shining a light on five men whose work is reshaping conversations around mental health, culture, education and community leadership.
Fair Go upper house candidate Chris McDermott and party leader Sarah Game were on hand for the ceremony, which brought together the category winners, organisers and supporters for the first official presentation of the new awards.
All five recipients attended in person to receive their certificates, along with cash prizes totalling $5,000.
The awards were launched by Raj Shekhawat, a father of three and former Dean of Research at Flinders University, who said the idea was born from frustration at what he described as the “unfair smearing of all men through a narrow focus on toxic masculinity”.
Rather than dwelling on negative stereotypes, Professor Shekhawat said meaningful progress required recognising positive male role models, addressing men’s mental and physical health, and “fostering positive gender relations”.
The initiative formally launched around International Men’s Day in November 2025, coinciding with Sarah Game’s annual Adelaide-based Men’s Day event. Yesterday’s presentation marked the first time the award recipients were formally recognised in Parliament House.
Professor Shekhawat and Sarah Game opened the ceremony by speaking about the intent behind the awards, before joining inaugural Adelaide Crows captain Chris McDermott in listening to each winner reflect on their personal journeys and motivations.
McDermott, who has previously worked closely with Professor Shekhawat, said he was “blown away” by the achievements shared during the event.
Sarah Game described the awards as “a welcome addition to the South Australian landscape”.
“These awards complement International Men’s Day perfectly and I’m proud to be the local founder of South Australia’s official IMD event,” she said.
“My vision is to create a space where we not only celebrate the positive contributions of men and boys, but also confront the challenges they face — particularly around mental health and suicide.
“My goal is lasting impact: stronger communities, open conversations, and lives saved through connection and care.”
The five inaugural Positive Role Model Award recipients represent a wide cross-section of South Australian life. Ukash Ali Ahmed was recognised as ‘Champion for Multicultural Men’s Health’ for his leadership in tackling stigma through community-driven mental health initiatives, including a two-year multicultural men’s mental health project and the co-creation of a Men’s Health Checklist.
Chris Mattner received the ‘Turning Pain into Purpose’ award for his courageous keynote work, openly sharing his experiences of childhood trauma and recovery to encourage resilience, vulnerability and mental strength in others.
Dr Matthew Iasiello was awarded ‘Making Wellbeing Accessible for All’ for his practical, evidence-based mental health programs, including the Be Well Plan, which has reached more than 10,000 Australians since 2020 and is now being extended to people living with incurable cancer.
Professor Michael Goodsite received ‘Educating and Researching for Impact’ for his commitment to mentoring early-career researchers and connecting academic work with real-world challenges through community outreach.
The final award, ‘Building Bridges Through Compassion and Culture’, went to Rajiv Chand for his leadership in culturally sensitive healthcare and his ongoing support of multicultural communities, including initiatives that strengthen pride and connection within the Fijian Indian community.
