Kevin Kadirgamar

Refugee and migration lawyer

2018 NT Young Australian of the Year

Leaving his birthplace of Sri Lanka to escape civil conflict in his teens gave Kevin Kadirgamar a deep appreciation of the suffering experienced by many, and a steely determination to be a voice of the vulnerable. As a law student, Kevin co-founded Multicultural Youth NT, a youth-led organisation that promotes harmony and empowers young people to implement change in their own communities. Now 28, Kevin is a lawyer championing the rights of migrants and refugees. He's been recognised for his outstanding pro bono work on high-profile cases, fighting for the freedom of children and young people who were held in indefinite immigration detention. A former board member of many youth justice and human rights groups, Kevin mentors students and junior solicitors through Charles Darwin University, provides free migration advice every month and is the President of the Multicultural Council of the Northern Territory. Kevin’s indefatigable efforts demonstrate the important role a lawyer can play in fundamentally changing the lives of others.