14 April 2026
Nine finalists have today been announced in a milestone year for the 2026 HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Awards.
The awards recognise excellence across three categories – Nurse of the Year, Midwife of the Year, and Outstanding Organisation – with three finalists selected in each category.
This year marks the 20th year of the awards, honouring the vital contributions made by Australia's nurses, midwives, nurse educators, researchers, and personal care workers, who improve health outcomes for our community through exemplary care and support.
The finalists include a Victoria-based midwife ensuring Aboriginal families receive culturally safe support from pregnancy through to postnatal care, a South Australian nurse who has improved outcomes for children and families experiencing adversity, and a NSW organisation running an Australian-first therapy program that doubles as a clinical placement for health students and recovery experience for people living with mental illness.
More than 170 nominations showcased incredible leaders in a critical sector, with industry experts from across the health sector selecting the finalists.
HESTA CEO Debby Blakey commended the finalists for their accomplishments.
"Congratulations to all nine finalists. Each one of them represents the incredible heart and dedication of Australian nursing and midwifery at its best," Ms Blakey said.
"Reaching our 20th year of these awards is a proud milestone for us, and a moment to reflect on the remarkable passion and commitment we see in this sector year after year. The calibre of this year's finalists is a testament to just how much nurses, midwives, and care organisations continue to shape the health of our communities.
"We can't wait to celebrate with them in Melbourne next month."
J.P. Morgan Australia and New Zealand, as main sponsor of the 2026 HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Awards, is generously providing a $30,000 total prize pool to be split evenly between the winner of each category — Nurse of the Year, Midwife of the Year, and Outstanding Organisation.
Stephen Jani, Head of Markets and Securities Services Sales, and Nadia Schiavon, Head of Securities Services, both of J.P. Morgan Australia and New Zealand, congratulated the finalists.
"Congratulations to the finalists in this year's HESTA nursing and midwifery awards. You represent the heart of healthcare — advocating for patients and improving outcomes," Mr Jani said.
"We are proud to recognise the commitment that you bring to patient care every day, and look forward to celebrating your contributions at the ceremony," Ms Schiavon added.
The winners will be announced at a celebratory dinner in Melbourne on Wednesday 14 May.
Introducing the 2026 HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Awards Finalists:
Midwife of the Year
Alison Weatherstone
WA Country Health Service
Shenton Park, WA
Alison is recognised for her transformative midwifery leadership, shaping national policy, championing midwife-led care models, and driving reforms that have improved access to evidence-based, safe, respectful maternity care for women across rural and remote Australia.
Rochelle Bonning
Campbelltown Hospital
Campbelltown, NSW
Rochelle is recognised for her 30 years of service advancing woman-centred maternity care, including co-founding the Camden and Campbelltown Midwifery Group Practice and leading the establishment of the region's first publicly funded homebirth program.
Tamara Porter
Monash Health
Clayton, VIC
Tamara is recognised for advancing culturally safe maternity care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and families at Monash Health, leading initiatives that have significantly increased antenatal engagement, smoking cessation, reduced preterm births, and strengthened cultural connection throughout pregnancy and birth.
Nurse of the Year
Dist. Prof. Sandy Middleton
Australian Catholic University
Darlinghurst, NSW
Sandy is recognised for her groundbreaking stroke research, leading the QASC Trial which demonstrated that implementation of nurse-led protocols reduced death and dependency after stroke. Her work has shaped clinical guidelines across Australia and 18 other countries, improving outcomes for thousands of patients.
Lauren Elizabeth Lines
Flinders University
Bedford Park, SA
Lauren is recognised for her research and advocacy aimed at improving outcomes for children and families experiencing adversity, building nursing and midwifery workforce capacity to prevent child abuse through national policy, frameworks, and co-designed practice tools.
Helen Lamech
Healthy Living NT
Alice Springs, NT
Helen is recognised for transforming diabetes care across Central Australia, developing a culturally safe, peer-mentored community network of over 100 families and establishing the region's first nurse-led type 1 diabetes clinic to improve outcomes for people facing significant barriers to care.
Outstanding Organisation
Maclean Medical
Maclean, NSW
Maclean Medical is recognised for its innovative nurse-led Access Health Clinic, delivering same-day, low-cost primary care to rural communities in the Clarence Valley, seeing over 300 patients weekly and demonstrating a sustainable, replicable model for addressing GP shortages across regional Australia.
Recovery Camp
North Wollongong, NSW
RecoveryCamp is recognised for its Australian-first therapeutic recreation program, delivering immersive clinical placements for nursing students alongside recovery-focused experiences for people living with mental illness — supporting over 2,000 students and 1,500 consumers since 2013.
The HOME Network
Liverpool, NSW
Established in 2009 by Founder Professor Josephine Chow and senior renal nurses, the HOME Network is a nurse‑led, volunteer‑driven national initiative transforming access to home dialysis for Australians with chronic kidney disease. With one in three adults expected to be at risk by 2030, the Network remains committed to patient‑centred collaboration that improves outcomes and delivers sustainable, cost‑effective care.
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