Australia Day awards revealed for 2019
Performers and high-profile footy identities are among those named in the national honours list, with Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue, Dennis Cometti and Kevin Sheedy some of those recognised. See the full lists.
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Much-loved singing greats Olivia Newton-John and Kylie Minogue are among the 1127 great Australians named in the nation’s annual honours’ list.
Honours were also awarded to swimming great Ian Thorpe, actor Magda Szubanksi, singers Human Nature and AFL legend Kevin Sheedy.
Newton-John has received Australia’s top honour AC along with just 18 others. The 70-year-old singer and cancer campaigner earlier this month posted a video on social media to dispel media reports that she was near to death.
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Newton-John’s award was for musical career as well as her work in helping people living with cancer and promoting medical research. She is the founder of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre based at the Austin Hospital.
Minogue AO, 50, grew up in Camberwell and was a household name as Charlene in TV soap Neighbours before becoming a global pop superstar for almost three decades.
Other Victoria AC recipients were philanthropist Pauline Gandel, Professor Rhona Galbally, arts advocate Carillo Gantner, geneticist Kathryn North and La Trobe Uni chancellor Richard Larkins.
Tennis great Roy Emerson also received the highest honour for his contribution to the sport. The Queensland-born star was a world No. 1 who won 12 majors singles titles, as well as 16 grand slam doubles titles and played in eight Davis Cup triumphs.
Another doubles great Judy Dalton was conferred Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her contribution to the sport as well as being a pioneer of gender equality in tennis.
The world of politics was also acknowledged with awards for North Queensland MP Warren Truss and former Speaker of the House Anna Burke.
The number of people honoured this year is the most since the awards were created more than 40 years ago.
Women received 422 — or 37.4 per cent — of awards — the highest number and percentage ever.
The football world was honoured with Sheedy, commentating great Dennis Cometti and former AFL commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick among the recipients.
Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove said the recipients come from across the country and from all walks of life.
“While some are well-known, the majority are unsung heroes,’’ Sir Peter said.
COMETTI: CALLING OF A LIFETIME
When you think of the Australian traditions of football you think hard hits, meat pies and the dulcet tones of Dennis Cometti.
The Australian broadcasting legend will receive an AM on Australia Day that recognises a career in TV and radio that has spanned almost 50 years.
“It still is a little bit surreal, it’s terrific and really exciting stuff,” Cometti said of the honour.
“I am really pleased for my family and the organisations I have worked for.”
“In particular, making some good friends along the way like Bruce (McAvaney) whom we formed a nice partnership together.
“I have never trusted another broadcaster quite like him.”
The 69-year-old began his broadcasting career in 1972 for ABC Radio before moving to Seven in 1985 to begin his legendary role as an AFL commentator.
An 11-time winner of the Television Caller of the Year, Cometti spent the majority of his career at Seven in two separate stints, while also spending five years at Nine.
Along with calling 17 AFL Grand Finals and being a mainstay of Friday night football, it was his dry humour and ‘centimetre perfect’ wit which has helped stamp himself in Australian sports folklore.
Cometti has also commentated more Australian gold medals than anyone else through his commentary of the swimming at the Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games.
However, Cometti has one moment in particular which stands out as one of his favourite commentary moments.
“The 2016 Grand Final, especially because of my soft spot for the Bulldogs,” he said.
— Nicholas d’Urbano
NEWTON-JOHN: CANCER SUPPORT AWARD FOR STAR PERFORMER
Olivia Newton-John’s Companion of the Order has been awarded for her eminent service to community health, particularly for people living with cancer, through support for medical research, and as a songwriter and performer.
It follows her Officer of the order of Australia (AO) which she received in 2006.
“I am delighted and honoured to receive this very distinguished and special award,” Newton-John said.
“To be presented with this esteemed recognition by the Governor-General fills me with gratitude and pride to be Australian.”
Since that award, Newton-John has dedicated her life to raising money and awareness to cure cancer (as well as dealing with the disease’s return twice herself).
Newton-John has actively used her fame to raise millions for her beloved Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne — from walking the Great Wall of China in 2008 to a string of charity auctions to giving all the proceeds from fan meet and greets to the cause.
While she’s continued her music career, it’s often crossed over into her other passion, either directing her royalties to her Wellness Centre or actually making music for healing inspired by seeing the power of music as a tool for recovery.
She also returned to No. 1 on the Australian charts with friend John Farnham with 2016’s festive release Friends for Christmas, recorded after their acclaimed 2015 joint arena tour of Australia.
When the sign bearing her name was erected on the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in 2012 the singer said it was “the best billboard I will ever have.”
She makes a point of visiting the centre when she is home in Melbourne and sang Christmas carols for patients and nurses in the lobby with John Farnham in 2016.
Newton-John, still tackling her latest bout of breast cancer with natural medication and her trademark positive attitude, set out one remaining life goal in last year’s memoirs Don’t Stop Belivin’.
“My ultimate goal is that one day we will be able to take a giant crane and remove the word ‘cancer’ from the building because the disease will be wiped off the planet. From that moment on, it will just be the Olivia Newton-John Wellness Centre. That would be a dream come true.”
— Cameron Adams
SHEEDY: LOVE OF THE NATION
Football legend Kevin Sheedy recalls scribbling mini maps of Australia over and over when he was at school in the 1950s.
“I’m a very proud Australian,” Sheedy said.
“I must admit the best thing I ever did at school was keep drawing maps of Australia and I guess it got me to love my country a bit.”
School finished and Sheedy went on to work as an apprentice plumber before playing his first football game for Richmond in 1967.
So began a career in football spanning more than five decades which has seen Sheedy play 251 games for the Tigers, coach 678 games with Essendon and Greater Western Sydney and serve the sport as master salesman and ambassador.
Last year, he was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame as a Legend. Now he has been honoured as a Member of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to footy as a senior coach and his work with education and job programs for young people.
“It’s a huge honour,” he said.
“I’ve got a lot of wonderful books on the history of this country at home and I read about some of the marvellous people who helped build it. A lot of those people came from overseas, as well. So to be in that ballpark with them, it’s a pretty good feeling.”
Sheedy said he always believed hard work was the key to success, as well as surrounding yourself with good people.
“I’ve always believed that you’ll always get somewhere with some pretty gritty hard work. Most of my friends are like that,” he said.
“When I started out my footy career I was in overalls as an apprentice plumber. Right through my life I’ve met some tremendous people that I’ve worked with and I’ve just kept on the right highway.”
— Chris Cavanagh
MINOGUE: TRIBUTE TO PRINCESS OF POP
Melbourne’s Kylie Minogue has been awarded an AO for her distinguished service to the performing arts as a national and international recording artist and entertainer.
“I am delighted to have received the news that I have been made an Officer of the Order (AO) of Australia,” Minogue said.
“I am humbled and proud of this recognition and can’t wait to come back home in March to celebrate.”
Minogue’s Australian tour in March will showcase her 14th album, Golden. Released last year, it hit No.1 in Australia and the UK and remarkably marked the 30th anniversary of Minogue’s self-titled 1988 debut album — which also made No.1 in Australia and the UK.
The secret to her career longevity has been the hardworking ethos instilled by her parents, Ron and Carol, and the skills she learned on the set of TV soap opera Neighbours, where she played Charlene and was introduced to the UK market.
Since turning to music in 1987, Minogue has stayed afloat in the cut throat world of pop music by reinventing her sound, diversifying into everything from film to fragrance and becoming a wildly successful global touring act.
As well as being inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2011, Minogue has also raised awareness of breast cancer after being diagnosed with the disease in 2005, with doctors citing a ‘Kylie effect’ that prompted young women to get tested.
Meanwhile vocalists Human Nature — Toby Allen, Phil Burton, Andrew Tierney and Mike Tierney — have been Order of Australia medals for services to the performing arts as entertainers. The band celebrate their 30th anniversary this year and have spent the last decade based in Las Vegas, with a residency at the prestigious Venetian. “We are the proudest Aussies on the planet! We mention our love of our country every night in our Vegas show because Australia really is the Lucky Country. Australia, this is one of our proudest moments. This is just amazing for the four of us.”
— Cameron Adams
EMERSON: GREAT SERVICE CALL
As a youngster growing up in a “one-teacher” town northwest of Brisbane, Roy Emerson could only aspire to international tennis fame.
As one of the “Original Nine”, Judy Dalton could only dream of equal prizemoney for women in grand slam tennis.
Each of the Australian tennis luminaries achieved far more than they ever envisaged.
Emerson, 82, won 12 singles majors, a record tally which stood from 1967 to 2000, when Pete Sampras overtook it at Wimbledon by beating Emerson’s fellow Queenslander Pat Rafter.
Dalton, 81, was a Wimbledon finalist in 1968 but, on a broader scale, is revered one of the original crusaders for gender and prize money equality.
The pair’s accomplishments have been recognised in Australia Day Honours List.
Emerson has been awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for “eminent service to tennis as a player … and as an inspiration to young sportspersons.”
“It’s a tremendous honour, I had no idea that it was going to happen,” Emerson said.
“It is such a surprise.
“Every tennis player’s dream back in my era was to win Wimbledon and then your own national championship and then to represent your country in Davis Cup.
“I never thought of being honoured to this degree. It’s amazing.”
One of the greatest players in Australia’s burnished Davis Cup history, Emerson is one of only eight men in grand slam history to win all four singles majors.
He holds a record-equalling six Australian crowns with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Emerson moved to California 51 years ago, intending to remain there for only a short time.
“In ’68, I turned pro and moved to Newport Beach because Rod (Laver) live there and joined the same team he was on,” he laughed.
“That was on February 13, 1968. We played to stay there for two years — and we’re still there.”
For all his fame, Emerson is proud of his bush origins.
“We actually lived at Nukku on a dairy farm. Over time, everyone said Blackbutt,” he said.
“Nukku had a one-teacher school and that’s where I came from.”
Dalton earns a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for “significant service to tennis as a player, to equality for women in sport and to sporting foundations.”
The Victorian was among a trailblazing group of female players who turned professional in 1971, paving the way for today’s prize money parity.
“It’s fantastic, I feel really privileged,” Dalton said.
“Privileged not in the sense of just me, but for women’s sport in general.
Dalton stood alongside Billie Jean King, Rosie Casals and compatriot Kerry Melville as pioneers.
“I don’t think any of us believed at the time that what we were doing would lead to what has happened now,” Dalton said.
“We certainly thought that we should be recognised with equal prize money and it’s remarkable that it’s happened.”
— Leo Schlink
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