Honouring diverse achievements

Predictable party politics aside, Scott Morrison AC had some good advice for the Coalition parties in an exclusive interview to mark his appointment as a Companion of the Order of Australia in the King’s Birthday honours on Monday. Australia’s 30th prime minister, from 2018 to 2022, advised his former colleagues to embrace policies that gave people economic choices in life. “You can’t just say oh, we’re going to balance the budget. Well, what does that mean? How is that helping me? How does that address the opportunities that I have?” he told Geoff Chambers. The Coalition had the chance to make the case that a strong economy was what funded essential services, pensions, hospitals and defence forces. In the post-pandemic era, governments can only “treat symptoms for so long before it starts eroding your capacity to have a strong economy”.

Mr Morrison, 57, led the nation through four eventful years that included the pandemic and the establishment of the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine and defence pact that he secured with Joe Biden and former British prime minister Boris Johnson. AUKUS has “survived changes of government in all three jurisdictions, and I think it’s stronger today than even when we first announced it”, he said. At a dangerous time strategically for the region and the nation, Mr Morrison said Australia should shift from what was “effectively a peacetime operation to a warlike preparation” on the pathway to defence spending of 3 per cent of GDP.

While marking the “official” birthday of the King, the awards, recognising the achievements of 830 Australians from all walks of life, are Australian. As Governor-General Sam Mostyn said, the awards honour the “selfless service, integrity, achievement, creativity and care that flourish across our country”. Phillip Adams AC, who writes a weekly column for The Australian Weekend Magazine, is an avowed republican, atheist and former communist, and saw no conflict in accepting an award from the monarch: “If it doesn’t worry the King, it doesn’t worry me. But a sainthood is probably off the list.”

Western Sydney University chancellor Jennifer Westacott AC, who led the Business Council of Australia for 12 years, also was recognised with the top award. Among other achievements, Ms Westacott has made a strong mark as a leader in her current role, taking a strong stand in condemning the despicable anti-Semitism and hate speech rampant on campuses after Hamas unleashed the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust. The terrorists killed 1200 people and kidnapped 250 in Israel on October 7, 2023.