A major faux pas occurred during the prominent Australian of the Year ceremony in South Australia when the wrong winner was announced not once, but twice.
The recipient of the 2026 Senior South Australian of the Year award was initially invited to the stage and presented with a trophy, only to learn that an error had been made.
Adding to the confusion, the revised winner was also informed of a mistake shortly after.
Malcolm Benoy, a weather scientist, was the first individual announced during the event.
However, as he made his way to the stage, he was asked to pause due to a “controversy” that had arisen.
“We apologize for the mix-up; the name in the envelope was incorrect,” one of the hosts explained.
There was a sea of stunned faces as a new winner was declared.
“The 2026 Senior Australian of the Year is in fact … James Curry,” they said.
But what followed next was even more confusing, the National Australia Day Council chief executive Mark Fraser suddenly taking to the stage.
“We had it right all the way along, I don’t know what has transpired behind the scenes, but it’s incorrect information,” Fraser said.
“It is Malcolm Benoy, I’m terribly sorry for the embarrassment.”
Despite the gaffe, Benoy was in good spirits when he accepted the award for the second time.
History-making astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg was crowned 2026 South Australia’s Australian of the Year.
She is the first in the nation to qualify as an astronaut under Australia’s space program.
