Publishing icon Ita Buttrose has been named the 2013 Australian of the year!
The 71-year-old Alzheimer’s awareness and fundraising advocate was awarded the Australia Day honour by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Ita was recognised for her “brilliant and groundbreaking media career” and “championing medical education and healthcare”.
Her stellar career saw her go from a 15-year-old copy girl at The Australian Women’s Weekly to editor of the magazine.
She also established Cleo magazine and in 1980 became the first female editor of an Australian metropolitan newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, and later the Sunday Telegraph.