Walter Mikac (born 29 April 1962) is an Australian pharmacist who became widely known as a political activist in the aftermath of the
Port Arthur massacre, where his wife Nanette Mikac (née Moulton) and daughters, six-year-old Alannah Mikac and three-year-old Madeline Mikac were among 35 people killed by
Martin Bryant
Martin John Bryant (born 7 May 1967) is a convicted Australian mass shooting, mass shooter who murdered 35 people and injured 23 others in the Port Arthur massacre (Australia), Port Arthur massacre, one of the world's deadliest ...
on 28 April 1996.
In the subsequent debate surrounding
gun politics in Australia
Gun laws in Australia are predominantly within the jurisdiction of Australian states and territories, with the importation of guns regulated by the federal government. In the last two decades of the 20th century, following several high-profile k ...
, Mikac became a prominent advocate for tightening gun laws.
Today, Mikac works as a motivational speaker and is the author of a book called ''To Have And To Hold''. He has also written a book called ''The Circle of Life: Replacing Hardship with Love'' about dealing with grief and tragedy when it strikes.
He was also a co-founder of
, which was set up in their memory to provide support for children who are the victims of violent crime.
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat, (born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson; 5 February 1972) is the wife of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark. Frederik is the heir apparent to the throne, which means that should he succeed, Mary w ...
is the patron of the Foundation.
In 2000, he married sports journalist Kim Sporton in a private ceremony and then in 2001 they had a daughter, Isabella.
Mikac and Sporton are separated.
Mikac was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the
2018 Australia Day Honours
The 2018 Australia Day Honours are appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2018 by the Governor General of Australia, Sir Peter Cosgrove.
The Aus ...
"For significant service to the community as an advocate for gun control, and to the protection of children through social welfare programs."
At the 2018 Victorian State Election, Mikac unsuccessfully ran for the right wing populist and Australian nationalist party the
Aussie Battler Party[https://www.9news.com.au/national/walter-mikac-port-arthur-gun-control-aussie-battler-s-party-victoria-election/14687299-0b28-4303-bfcd-378bc8edc617]
See also
*
Rosie Batty
Rosemary Anne "Rosie" Batty (born 1962) is an English-born Australian domestic violence campaigner. She became a campaigner in 2014, after her 11-year-old son Luke Batty was murdered by his father, Greg Anderson. She was made Australian of the Y ...
- Australian
domestic violence
Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner ...
campaigner and 2015
Australian of the Year
The Australian of the Year is a national award conferred on an Australian citizen by the National Australia Day Council, a not-for-profit Australian Governmentowned social enterprise. Similar awards are also conferred at the State and Territo ...
who lost her eleven-year-old son Luke in a murder-suicide in 2014.
*
John Walsh - American television personality. He started ''
America's Most Wanted
''America's Most Wanted'' (often abbreviated as ''AMW'') is an American television program whose first run was produced by 20th Television, and second run is under the Fox Alternative Entertainment division of Fox Corporation. At the time of i ...
'' following the murder of his six-year-old son
Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
in 1981.
References
External links
The Alannah and Madeline FoundationWalter Mikac – Inspirational & Motivational Keynote Speaker
1962 births
Australian people of Croatian descent
Australian self-help writers
Australian pharmacists
Australian victims of crime
Gun control advocates
Child crime victim advocates
Living people
Australian male writers
21st-century Australian writers
Members of the Order of Australia
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