The annual ceremony was held at Boola Katitjin, Murdoch’s award-winning academic building in the heart of the campus.   

The recipients for 2024 were Paul Blackburne, Suzanne Daubney, Professor Braden Hill, Dr Mark Schipp PSM and Julia Schortinghuis.  

The alumni were all chosen for making a significant contribution to their profession and for demonstrating positive advancement in one or more of Murdoch’s key priority areas of Sustainability; Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; and First Nations.   

Paul Blackburne

The first Distinguished Alumni Award recipient for the evening was Paul Blackburne, a prominent Perth-based property developer and the Founder and Managing Director of Blackburne, a leading property development company.  

The company has won numerous national property development awards and is now the largest and most awarded high-rise developer in WA. Blackburne’s WA developments are not just architecturally innovative but also prioritise environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

Paul has been a vocal advocate for urban renewal, emphasising the importance of creating vibrant, liveable spaces within Perth’s urban core, rather than contributing to suburban sprawl.   

In his acceptance speech Paul paid tribute to his father John. 

“I’d like to thank my father John, who when I was in Year 11/12, encouraged me to do a Commerce degree. He said it would prevent me from getting stuck in one career which was true."

A lot of things I learnt in the Commerce degree I still use today.

"Not a day goes by when I don’t think about some of the the basics I learnt back then -  Management 101, accounting, ledgers, the four P’s of Marketing - principles that I learnt here which do really set you up for a good start in business,” he said. 

Suzanne Daubney

The second recipient of the evening was Suzanne Daubney a business leader best known for her role as Managing Director of Bannister Downs Dairy, a groundbreaking and award-winning dairy company located in Northcliffe, WA.  

Suzanne, along with her husband Mat, took over the family-owned Bannister Downs Dairy in the early 2000s, transforming it into one of the most modern and respected dairy operations in Australia.

Suzanne’s vision for the business was centred around creating high-quality dairy products while ensuring the ethical treatment of animals and optimising the farming operation’s ability to minimise its environmental impact.  

Bannister Downs was given the ‘Grand Champion’ award at the recent Australia Grand Dairy Awards which are viewed as the pinnacle of achievement within the dairy industry. 

Accepting the award Sue reflected on how University life had a big impact on her.

My time at Murdoch in the School of Education left an indelible mark on me. It was such an engaging and eye-opening learning experience and I will never forget the passion and commitment of the truly inspirational lecturers and tutors.

"One in particular, named Ross Williams, spoke with great conviction about the importance of education right from year one. After all, and I can quote him in saying, you never know whether you are teaching the next Prime Minister of our country.” 

Braden Hill

Award recipient Professor Braden Hill is a distinguished academic and leader in Indigenous education, equity, and diversity in Australia. He is a Noongar (Wardandi) man from Western Australia and currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Equity and Indigenous) at Edith Cowan University (ECU). He has had national influence with regards to Indigenous education, equity, diversity and inclusion and shaping pedagogy accordingly within the higher education sphere.   

As someone who entered university through an access pathway, Braden is a passionate advocate for enabling education and widening participation across Western Australia.

He played a leading role in developing and designing the curriculum for the Kulbardi Aboriginal Centre’s K-Track program, a nationally award-winning pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. As a researcher, Braden is also a recognised national leader in Indigenous/LGBTQIA+ social and emotional wellbeing. 

In his acceptance speech Professor Hill outlined his unique path into higher education. 

“An access path into university was really critical for me because I was an ATAR kid who flunked Year 12."

"When I reflect on my journey to come to university it was almost entirely because of Noongar community and relationships of care that paved the way for me to find myself a home here"

The first academic that ever taught me was an extraordinary Noongar woman, Dr Rosemary van den Berg, who taught me to write like an academic but also find a voice that was grounded in respect for the community that raised me.

Mark Schipp

Dr Mark Schipp PSM received a Distinguished Alumni award for his dedicated career of over thirty years in the veterinary sector. An eminent Australian veterinarian Dr Schipp is known for his significant contributions to animal health and agriculture.  

He was appointed Chief Veterinary Officer of Australia in 2011, a position he subsequently held for 12 years.

He led work to establish standards for animal welfare in the export of livestock from Australia following the suspension of live exports in 2011 due to animal welfare concerns.   

As Chief Veterinary Officer, Mark advised the Australian Government on all matters relating to the maintenance and improvement of Australia’s animal health status and the systems that support it. He coordinated and led responses to outbreaks of animal disease.  

Dr Schipp reflected on how he had no idea about the doors of opportunity that would open following graduating with a degree in veterinary science.  

“Looking back on my career I have been very fortunate."

I had no idea as a new graduate unsure of my role in the profession, that one day I would be briefing the Prime Minister and cabinet, representing our country and meeting heads of state.

Julia Schortinghuis

The final Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, Julia Schortinghuis, is a highly respected financial planner known for her expertise in wealth management.  

Throughout her career, Julia has been an advocate for financial literacy in the broader community providing education and strategies to empower and help people make informed financial decisions.  

Recognising that many are locked out from accessing formal financial planning advice, alongside financial strain being the leading cause of divorce and a critical factor in overall wellbeing, she is driven to help others understand and take control of their finances. 

Julia was awarded the Godfrey Pembroke Adviser of the Year three times, was a finalist in the Telstra Business Woman of the Year awards and was recognised in the top 50 most influential advisers by Financial Standard in 2018, 2019 and 2020.    

Her career has been marked by her dedication to ethical practices, personalised financial solutions, and a genuine desire to spread financial acumen to all corners of the community.  

“We have an ageing population with many now heading into retirement and in need of advice to ensure they can retire with dignity and security.

Over recent years, I have been focused on developing tools and resources that are free to access and provide an opportunity for anyone to build their skills and habits around money and self-drive as far as they safely can.

The five 2024 Murdoch University Distinguished Alumni Award winners join an elite group of previous recipients, who have all made their mark on national and international stages since departing the grounds of their alma mater.   

The University’s leading academics, alumni and VIPs were in attendance at the event to congratulate them on their career achievements so far.  

Read the Distinguished Alumni Award winners full profiles online.