Zibara wins Miss Lebanon Australia beauty contest 2012

Seventeen competitors aged between 17 and 22 participated in the 12th Annual Miss Lebanon Australia contest that crowned Deedee Zibara as Sydney’s Lebanese diaspora beauty. The black-tie affair, held Sunday at Doltone House at Jones Bay Wharf, was a who's who of the Lebanese community. It included Alex ''Little Al'' Taouil, who attracted major sponsors, the Lebanese ambassador, Jean Daniel, and the Parramatta property baron Joe Khattar of Dyldam Group. The competitors had worked with the businesswoman Norah Blackman, who trained them on all the nuances of the cut-throat world of beauty pageants. Blackman instigated a rule that the judging panel should not include Arabic or Lebanese members in an effort to reduce allegations of corruption or beauty pageant bribery. Instead, the cosmetic company director Peter Nicholas, criminal lawyer Dennis Stewart and Lauryn Eagle of The Celebrity Apprentice fame were enlisted to judge the best in swimwear, casual wear and evening wear. Twenty one year old Zibara, who is also Miss Earth 2011, will now represent Australia against 32 countries in the International Miss Lebanon pageant later this year in Beirut.