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"Sugar is cheap and ubiquitous, so it's readily accessible to everyone. You walk into a service station and there's a counter of lollies as you walk in," he said.

Dr Muecke, 56, was named Australian of the Year 2020 at a glittering awards ceremony in Canberra on Saturday night, in recognition of his work preventing blindness in Australia and the developing world.

The Sight For All co-founder had been nominated for the honour alongside orthopaedic surgeon Munjed Al Muderis, the NSW Australian of the year who is lobbying for action on climate change, singer-songwriter Archie Roach (Victoria), Jess Melbourne-Thomas (Tasmania), Rachel Downie (Queensland), Annie Fogarty (WA), Katrina Fanning (ACT) and Geoffrey Thompson (NT).

"Blindness is just one of many complications of diabetes and, as an eye surgeon, I see the end stages of the disease," Dr Muecke said.

"I think we need to take sweet products away from checkout counters, particularly when they're discounted," he said.

"We've got to make them less accessible to the public."

National Australia Day Council chair Danielle Roche said Dr Mueckes "passionate and selfless commitment to preventing blindness" was "changing lives".

Dr Muecke said he also wanted to encourage people with diabetes to get their eyes checked.

"The problem is, more than half the people with this disease are not having their regular sight-saving eye checks," he said.

"They're coming in too late, sometimes too late for treatment, too late to reverse the vision loss."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to the volunteer firefighters battling bushfires in his opening remarks at the Australian of the Year awards, saying the thousands of men and women were "reminding us about what it means to be a citizen of this great nation".

"They - like the nominees here tonight - are demonstrating to us that our national story is one of great achievement - but also of pain, of effort, sweat," Mr Morrison said.

"Through this long summer, we have seen the unquenchable spirit of Australians. Australians rallying to each other, be they family, friends, or indeed strangers."

Dana is health and industrial relations reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

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Australian of the Year calls for sugar tax to fight diabetes-caused blindness - The Age

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