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Celebrating Frank Mitchell: WA’s 2026 Australian of the Year – Local Hero

Jan 22, 2026

We are thrilled to celebrate Frank Mitchell, who was recently awarded the WA Australian of the Year – Local Hero. Frank is a proud Whadjuk-Yued Noongar man, and we at Programmed are proud to work alongside him through his businesses, including Kardan Construction and Wilco Electrical, as part of our network of vendor business owners.

Through these partnerships we have witnessed firsthand Frank’s dedication to building opportunity, empowering communities, and fostering growth in the trades and construction industries. His business acumen has created meaningful opportunities for Indigenous Australians, with over 70 Aboriginal upskilling positions across his companies, including more than 30 electrical apprenticeships.

We congratulate Frank on this well-deserved honour and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to support sustainable business growth and community empowerment across WA.

To learn more, check out the articles below:

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