Governor-general David Hurley has announced 1,191 Australian recipients of the Order of Australia (General and Military Divisions), meritorious awards and recognition for distinguished and conspicuous service on the list of the King’s 2023 Birthday Honours.
Six recipients were appointed to the Order with a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), 46 as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), and 246 as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
The former Liberal premier of Western Australian premier (2008-2017) Colin Barnett, public health expert and paediatric epidemiologist Professor Caroline Bower, medical researcher Professor Glenda Halliday, entertainer and comedian the late Barry Humphries, epidemiologist and University of Oxford Professor David Hunter, and former Labor cabinet minister (2007-2013) Jenny Macklin all got the AC gong.
Notable Australians appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) included former (2016-2022) Finance secretary Rosemary Huxtable, who was also last week named an expert member for a new aged care taskforce; the lord mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp, and the lord mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore. These appointments are made to recognise distinguished service of a high degree to Australia or to humanity at large.
Public servants appointed to the order (AM) on the Kings’ birthday this year included chair of the South Australian Productivity Commission Mathew Butlin, CEO of the Pilbara Development Commission Terry Hill, and IPAA NSW vice president Jane Spring. These appointments are made for service in a particular locality or field of activity, or to a particular group.
Among those recognised for their outstanding contributions to the community are 73 names added to the COVID-19 honour roll.
This includes a number of the 74 Public Service Medal (PSM) recipients who have been nominated by their agency, department, or relevant minister for outstanding service.
“Learning about the wide-ranging service of recipients, which spans almost every field of endeavour imaginable, is uplifting and makes me enormously optimistic for our country. Collectively they speak to who we are now and who we can be in the future,” Hurley said.
Women comprise a majority of recipients in the General Division for the first time since the Order of Australia was established in 1975. And at the three highest levels in the Order this year, gender parity has been met or exceeded.
The governor-general noted that this milestone should not be “a cause for pause” but rather reflected society’s progress.
“We … recommit our efforts to ensure nominations reflect our diverse and strong community,” he said.
“Each recipient has something in common: someone nominated them. The Order of Australia belongs to each of us because nominations come from the community.”
The governor-general said all of the King’s Honour recipients had made substantial contributions and had a significant impact at the local, national or international level.
“Some are volunteers, others have had a remarkable impact in professional roles — many have done both. They are all inspiring and their service is valued by us all,” he said.
“Congratulations to the outstanding Australians recognised in today’s Honours List.”
Anyone can nominate any Australian for an award in the Order of Australia. If you know someone worthy, nominate them now at www.gg.gov.au.
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
Sally Capp for distinguished service to the people of Melbourne, to local government, to business, and to the community through various organisations.
Clover Moore for distinguished service to local government, to the people and Parliament of New South Wales, and to the community of Sydney.
Rosemary Huxtable for distinguished service to public administration through leadership roles in the areas of health and finance, and to strategic policy reform.
Cheryl Vardon for distinguished service to public administration, particularly education and health, and for the protection of children and young people.
Alan Whalley for distinguished service to business, particularly the defence capability industry, to the public sector, to aviation history, and to the community.
Professor Donald Wilson for distinguished service to medicine through public health leadership, to regulatory bodies, and to tertiary education.
Member of the Order of Australia (AM)
Professor Melanie Bahlo for significant service to genetic and infectious disease research, and to public health.
Professor Alexander (A J) Brown for significant service to the law, and to public policy, particularly to whistleblower protection.
Matthew Butlin for significant service to economic and social research, and to public policy.
Barbara Champion for significant service to children through play advocacy, to local government, and to education.
Karen Chappel for significant service to local government, and to the community of Morawa.
Owen Donald for significant service to community and public housing, and to urban research.
Kevin Greene for significant service to the Parliament of New South Wales, to local government, and to the community.
Julie Griffiths for significant service to local government, to women’s football, and to industrial relations.
Jennifer Hill for significant service to local government, and to the community of Townsville.
Terry Hill for significant service to primary industry, to public administration, and to the agricultural sector.
Kelly Howlett for significant service to local government and the community of Port Hedland.
Caroline Hughes, Ngunnawal Elder and executive director of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) for significant service to the Indigenous community of Canberra.
Ian Macdonald for significant service to the people and Parliament of Australia, to local government, and to the community of Northern Australia.
Jane Spring for significant service to disability advocacy in sport, and to public sector administration.
Angela Toppin for significant service to local government, and to secondary education.
Medal (OAM) in the general division
Rowena Abbey for service to local government and the community of Yass.
Elizabeth Campbell for service to local government, and to the community of Kempsey.
Mark Chambers for service to public administration in Western Australia.
David Clifton for service to local government and the community of Cairns.
Jaclyn Fisher for service to public administration, and to the community.
Robyn Fuhrmeister for service to local government and the community of St George.
Robert Gersh for service to local government, and to the community.
William Heazlett for service to local government, and to the community of Walcha.
Rosemary Hodge for service to local government, and to the community.
The late Malcolm Hole for service to local government and the community.
John Kavanagh for service to local government, and to the community.
Michelle Kleinert for service to local government, and to the community of Melbourne.
Karyl Knight for service to local government, and to the community of the Greater Hume region.
Mi Kyung Lee for service to education, to public health, and to the Korean-Australian community.
Paul Little for service to the local government, and to the community of Gawler.
Professor Peter Martin for significant service to public administration in Queensland.
Stuart Mackenzie for service to local government, and to the community of the Quilpie Shire.
Heather Marcus for service to local government and the community of Wyndham.
Kenneth McInerney for service to local government, and to the community.
Ruth McRae for service to local government, and the Murrumbidgee community.
Brian Minney for service to local government, and to the community.
Graeme Roberts-Thomson for service to public administration.
Peter Shinton for service to local government and the community of Coonabarabran.
Robert Steane for service to local government, and to the community of Maroondah
Donald Stiller for service to the community of the Western Downs region, and to local government.
Roslyn Swain for service to local government and the community of Gunnedah.
Phillip Vickers for service to local government, and to the community.
Megan Weston for service to local government, and to the community of Bruny Island.
Jillian Whittaker for significant service to local government, and to the community.
Koliana Winchester for service to local government and the community of Redcliffe.
Public Service Medal (PSM) Federal
Graham Archer for outstanding public service through leadership to deliver nationally significant measures and reforms.
Amanda-Lee Charlton for outstanding public service through leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sarah Chidgey for outstanding public service through policy development and law reform in integrity frameworks, criminal justice and national security.
Greta Doherty for outstanding public service to women’s safety policy and programs.
Justine Greig for outstanding public service with the Department of Defence, and in senior policy roles.
Margaret Hayes for outstanding public service in providing culturally safe access to aged care for First Nations people.
Martin Hehir for outstanding public service through commitment to stewardship and reform of national workplace relations and employment policy.
Dac Huan Ho for outstanding public service in providing data extraction for reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elspeth Kay for outstanding public service in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gaye Laylor for outstanding public service in visa program delivery and the COVID-19 travel exemption program.
Virginia Leitch outstanding public service in developing the business case for the rehabilitation of the former Rum Jungle uranium mine.
Grant Lovelock for outstanding public service through contributions to the APS Workforce Strategy and the Australian Public Service Academy.
Christine McClelland for outstanding public service in Early Childhood Intervention and improving the lives of young children with disability or developmental delay and their families
Gerard Martin for outstanding public service in delivering advice and support to the Prime Minister and his Office, and to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Melissa Ryan for outstanding public service through leadership and implementation of complex reform and policies to assist vulnerable Australians.
Robert Ryan for outstanding public service through excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy development and engagement.
Dr Andrew Stevenson for outstanding public service through leadership and stewardship of Australia’s astronomy capability.
Cathay Toze for outstanding public service in leadership and commitment to support Australia’s COVID-19 response.
PSM New South Wales
Stuart Campbell for outstanding public service in coordinating the disaster response and recovery effort following the Northern Rivers floods.
Amanda Chadwick for outstanding public service to the water and local government sectors.
Dr Ann Daly for outstanding public service in educational innovation programs supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Hannah Damkar for outstanding public service through communications leadership during the New South Wales 2019 – 2020 bushfires, COVID-19 pandemic and Northern Rivers floods.
Terry Dodds for outstanding public service in local government leadership through emergency management.
Paul Hughes for outstanding public service through leadership in the New South Wales public education system.
Jacob Jackson for outstanding public service in the implementation of Rapid Antigen Screening for Corrective Services NSW.
Sandra Kubecka for outstanding public service in the response to, and recovery efforts following the Camden local government area floods.
Daniel Leavey for outstanding public service through improving vehicle and road safety across the New South Wales road network.
Damon Rees for outstanding public service in customer service delivery, in particular COVID-19-related services.
Denise Robens for outstanding public service in classroom teaching at Regentville Public School.
Brett Stonestreet for outstanding public service to the community of Griffith.
Stephen Thorpe for outstanding public service in driving change and innovation in Corrective Services NSW.
Sarah Webb for outstanding public service in the delivery of legal and governance advice in New South Wales, particularly across the COVID-19 pandemic response.
PSM Victoria
Ross Broad for outstanding public service to health, mental health and drug and alcohol policy development in Victoria.
Dean Cowie for outstanding public service in championing land justice for Aboriginal Traditional Owners.
Elizabeth Dyer for outstanding public service in engagement with community service partners in servicing vulnerable children and young people.
Melissa Harris for outstanding public service to state and local government, and for transformation in the areas of geospatial, planning and land administration in Victoria.
Victoria Hudson for outstanding public service, particularly in the area of economic reform.
James McCann for outstanding public service in leading and managing Victoria’s Youth Justice Centres and driving their recovery and redevelopment.
Gerard Mansour for outstanding public service in elevating the voice and experience of senior Victorians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ajay Satyan for outstanding public service through leadership in delivering grants in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mark Stacey for outstanding public service to the community during the COVID- 19 pandemic.
Lee Watts for outstanding public service to education in Victoria.
PSM Queensland
Bernadette Ditchfield for outstanding public service during the COVID-19 pandemic for the protection and development of agribusiness in Queensland.
Jodie Elder for outstanding public service to youth justice in Queensland.
Matthew Higgins for outstanding public service to Queensland with international impact in the fields of surveying, geodesy and spatial sciences.
Malcolm Letts for outstanding public service to state and national biosecurity.
Professor Elizabeth McCready (Whiting) for outstanding public service to healthcare in Queensland, particularly for aged care.
Michael Shearer for outstanding public service to youth, community and families in regional Queensland.
PSM Western Australia
Dr Paul Armstrong for outstanding public service through contributions to the health and wellbeing of Western Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Margaret Byrne for outstanding public service in scientific leadership in conservation biology and genomics and integration with policy and management.
Dr Tudor Codreanu for outstanding public service through contributions to the Western Australian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
David Etherton for outstanding public service in the coordination of support for the sporting, entertainment and creative industries in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Helen Gladstones for outstanding public service through contributions to State security, and emergency preparedness and management.
Dr Clare Huppatz for outstanding public service through the management of public health responses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elizabeth MacLeod for outstanding public service in the management of the health response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anthony Sutton for outstanding public service in supporting the sustainable development of the resources, minerals and energy sectors of Western Australia.
PSM South Australia
Dr Jonathan Gorvett for outstanding public service in emergency management and intergovernmental relations.
Dr Christopher Lease for outstanding public service to the people of South Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic response.
Dr Neil Maycock for outstanding public service in providing safe and high-quality care for patients in public hospitals.
Dr Kathleen Ophel Keller for outstanding public service to the agricultural industry through research and innovative leadership.
PSM Australian Capital Territory
Bobby Antoniou for outstanding public service to public health, as the Liaison Officer for the ACT COVID-19 Clinic Health Emergency Centre.
Vanessa Hoban for outstanding public service to public health in the ACT’s clinical response to COVID-19.
Lana Junakovic for outstanding public service in developing improved workplace arrangements within the Office of the ACT Government Solicitor.
Daniel Lalor for outstanding public service to public health as the Director of Pharmacy at Canberra Health Services.
Margaret McManus for outstanding public service to public health as the nursing lead for the ACT COVID@Home program.
David Matthews for outstanding public service in leading the ACT Education Directorate’s transitions to remote learning and back to face-to-face learning.
Stacey Matthews for outstanding public service in supporting the ACT’s Whole of Government COVID-19 response.
Melissa O’Brien for outstanding public service to public health through leadership and practical assistance to the ACT’s COVID-19 response.
Joshua Rynehart for outstanding public service in leading Access Canberra’s COVID-19 response.
Ajay Sharma for outstanding public service to finance, and in strengthening accountability and transparency throughout the ACT Public Service.
Emily Springett for outstanding public service in leading Access Canberra’s COVID-19 response.
Howard Wren for outstanding public service to public health and leading the ACT Ambulance Service through the COVID-19 pandemic.
PSM Northern Territory
Jennilyn Daniel-Yee for outstanding public service to the Northern Territory public sector.
Nicola Hunter for outstanding public service to the Northern Territory public sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.