Community & Business
2 December, 2024
2025 Australian of the Year for Queensland
Allora born and bred Geoffrey Smith, was named Queensland Australian of the Year at the recent awards ceremony held in Brisbane.
Proud parents Debbie and Alan Smith said Geoffrey was born in 1989 and went to Allora Kindergarten, Allora Pre-School and Allora P-10 School until Year 7 when he moved to Toowoomba Grammar. Geoffrey was also involved in sport including tennis and soccer.
After he completed University Geoffrey worked as a data analyst for Linfox and Shell then in management at Busy at Work.
Geoffrey recognised the untapped potential of neurodivergent people to contribute to the workforce in Australia.
In 2020 Geoffrey Co-founded Australian Spatial Analytics (ASA), a work-integrated social enterprise providing geo-spatial and engineering services, addressing a skills shortage in the technology industry. Of their employees, 80 per cent are neurodivergent and 61 per cent have come from long-term unemployment, reflecting the social barriers that are often experienced by neurodivergent people.
While the unemployment rate for adults with autism is some ten times higher than that of the general population, Geoffrey knows that their unique skillset can make them an asset in the workplace.
ASA’s inclusive practices include a range of workplace supports for executive functioning, social interactions and sensory sensitivities, facilitating participation to employees’ full potential, developing skills and leadership, and providing stable, long-term employment.
Geoffrey is a Social Impact Leadership Australia recipient, and through ASA, aims to employ 1,000 people by 2030.
Along with other state and territory recipients Geoffrey will attend the National Awards on 25 January 2025 in Canberra.
