Tori Johnson and Katrina Dawson, victims of the Lindt Cafe Siege in December 2014, have been recognised for their bravery.
Johnson is one of two people given the highest honour at this year’s bravery awards which were announced by Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove.
Johnson was given the Star of Courage Award, while Dawson was among 34 people recognised for bravery. Both Johnson and Dawson were killed in the siege.
A third victim of the siege, Jarrod Morton-Hoffman, who was 19 years old at the time of the siege and survived the ordeal also received an award.
Johnson, then 34, was executed by gunman Man Haron Monis just minutes before the siege ended in the early hours of the morning on December 16th 2014. The manager of the Lindt Cafe was order to kneel before being shot. Dawson, then 38, was killed by a ricochet when police stormed the cafe a few minutes after Johnson has been shot.
The citation for Johnson’s award said he had shown “conspicuous courage”.
“Mr Johnson instigated and maintained a rapport with the offender, pacifying him on many occasions without thought for his own safety,” the citation said.
“He relayed information to police and negotiators in a calm and rational manner which helped reassure the other hostages.”
The award noted that although Johnson has opportunity to escape the situation he chose to remain in the cafe with older less mobile hostages.
Johnson was survived by his partner Thomas Zinn. In a tribute published in the Sydney Morning Herald last year Zinn described his partner as someone who “lived a selfless life in pursuit of his happiness and derived his meaning of life by caring and being there for the ones he loved”
A total of 71 Australians were recognised for bravery, with many being included in group citations.
OIP Staff
