Brett Sutton awarded Australia Day honour for service to Victoria

Former chief health officer Brett Sutton, a leading musical director and the boss of the state’s zoos are among the Victorian recipients celebrated for their achievements in the 2024 Australia Day honours.

A long list of recognisable Victorians have received Australia Day honours.

A former chief health officer, a leading musical director and the boss of the state’s zoos were among the Victorian recipients celebrated for their achievements in the 2024 Australia Day honours.

Academics, scientists, former MPs and councillors were among those also acclaimed for their public service, while Father Bob Maguire, who died last April, received a posthumous honour for his tireless social welfare work helping the disadvantaged of Melbourne over more than four decades.

Brett Sutton was made an Officer of the Order of Australia. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Father Bob was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), as was Brett Sutton, the state’s sometimes controversial chief health officer during the darkest days of the pandemic.

Chemical engineer Professor David Boger was the only Victorian to receive the nation’s highest honour – Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

Father Bob Maguire, photographed at his charity offices in Albert Park, was also made an Officer of the Order of Australia. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Now 84, retired and recovering from cancer, Prof Boger is an expert in non-Newtonian fluids which he describes as “things that don’t behave like water such as ketchup which you have to squeeze from the bottle to get it to flow”.

Prof Boger, originally from Pennsylvania, arrived at Monash University in 1965.

“I came for three years and I never left,’’ he said.

He later joined the University of Melbourne, leading several projects in engineering and technology.

He also worked in the private sector, helping the Alcoa refinery in Western Australia to turn its liquid waste to a more manageable paste-like material – or non-Newtonian fluid.

Prof Boger and his co-workers developed an ideal non-Newtonian fluid now known throughout the scientific world as Boger fluids.

Zoos Victoria chief executive Dr Jenny Gray received an AM for her work. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett

Among civic leaders saluted were Susan Riley, former Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor, and Shepparton Indigenous leader Paul Briggs who among many roles is president of the Rumbalara Football Netball Club.

Respected musical director John Foreman was lauded with AM prize for his long and storied career of productions from TV to stage.

Jenny Gray, Zoos Victoria boss for the past 15 years, received an AM also for her work with wildlife and zoological organisations.

Shepparton Indigenous leader Paul Briggs received an Australia Day honour.

Penny Fowler, chairman of The Herald & Weekly Times and the Good Friday Appeal since 2013, was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her contribution to artistic and community organisations.

Former politicians who were lauded include Suzanna Sheed, former state MP for Shepparton, and former federal MP and Howard government minister Sharman Stone, who was the Australian Ambassador for Women and Girls until 2020.

Diana Taylor, Geelong Football Club vice-president and women’s football advocate, can now add AM after her name for services to footy.

Victoria Police Inspector Wayne Martin now has an AM.

Vic Police Det Sgt Roslyn Wilson was recognised for her work investigating serious road crashes.

County Court judge Wendy Wilmoth and former CFA boss Neil Bibby received the same accolade.

Flavia Gobbo, daughter of former Victorian governor James Gobbo and cousin of “Lawyer X” Nicola Gobbo, received an OAM for her service to business and public administration. The WorkSafe Victoria director was formerly chair of WorkSafe Queensland and also served in several leadership roles for Rowing Australia.

Six Victoria Police officers received the Australian Police Medal for distinguished service while another member was bestowed the Public Service Medal.

Forensics veteran Inspector Wayne Martin, now has an APM, and is a nationally renowned expert in disaster victim identification after work on several major disasters including the Bali bombings in 2002, the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, the 1996 Kew Cottages fire and the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria.

Also recognised was Det Sgt Roslyn Wilson who has worked for 25 of her 36-year policing career investigating serious road crashes, and was the Major Collision Investigation Unit’s first female detective sergeant in October 2016. Det Sgt worked on the 2006 Mildura hit-run that killed six teenagers and was part of the team that investigated the Eastern Freeway tragedy in 2020 when four officers were killed.