To discover more about a person’s professional achievements you can usually look them up on LinkedIn. When you search for Karen Batson’s page, however, there is just one word — Cookie. Yet that word alone speaks volumes and she has no need to advertise her skill set. Cookie has become a cult Melbourne institution since it opened its doors in 2003. Tourists mark it as a must-visit in their guidebooks, Melbournites flock there for an after work cocktail, and foodies bolt there to sample her innovative Thai cuisine.

Margot Spalding first came across our radar here at Broad because of her bold style, and #funwithfashion ethos for women over 50. But as the title of her Australian Story segment rightly suggests, Margot is a force of nature. Despite being dealt the cruellest of blows at 15 when she lost both her parents, and then again at 17 when she lost her sister, Margot has in the words of her daughter Georgia ‘thrown herself at life’ — dedicating herself to supporting others and standing up for those without a voice.