Australia Day honours: Our nation’s greatest strength — its people, says David Hurley

Social workers, musicians and mathematicians rubbed shoulders with celebrities and politicians on the Australia Day honours list | READ THE FULL LIST

Governor-General David Hurley in Canberra on Monday. Picture: Martin Ollman

Social workers, musicians and mathematicians rubbed shoulders with celebrities and politicians on the Australia Day honours list this year as the number of awards declined but the calibre of achievements recognised remained high.

National sporting greats Margaret Court and Tim Cahill were among almost 850 people recognised for outstanding contributions to the nation, despite the difficulties imposed by public health lockdowns.

Others to be recognised this year include Melbourne rabbi John Levi, cricket legend Greg Chappell, Indigenous hip-hop artist Danzal Baker and former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Recipients of Order of Australia honours, which span the fields of government, the arts, sport, science, public service, business, emergency services and the military, was well down on the 1400 decorated in 2020 but Governor-General David Hurley said the list still managed to recognise the “diverse and unique” individuals that made the nation great.

“The individuals we celebrate come from all parts of our great nation and have served the community in almost every way conceivable,” he said. “They’re diverse and unique but there are common characteristics, including selflessness, commitment and dedication.

“Recipients have not put their hand up to be recognised. Most would consider the achievements they are being recognised for to be ‘ordinary’ or just what they do.

“Therein is the great strength of our system — recipients in the Order of Australia have been nominated by their peers, considered by an independent process and recognised by the nation.

“Over the last 12 months, we have seen outstanding examples of achievement and service to the community as we confronted fires and the pandemic. I encourage Australians to look to the Order of Australia as a means of acknowledging the important work of their peers during these extraordinary times. The sum of these contributions speaks to our nation’s greatest strength: its people.”

While the list included the first recipients to be recognised, in part, for their contribution to Australia’s response to the 2019-20 summer of bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic, it was noted that due to the time taken to process award candidates, many more individuals were expected to be decorated in these fields next year.

Ms Court, already an Officer of the Order of Australia, was one of four people to receive the nation’s top individual honour after being made a Companion of the Order in recognition of her eminent services to tennis and her role as a mentor for young sports people.

The other Australians to receive an AC were Rabbi Levi for his eminent service to Judaism and enhancement of interfaith tolerance and education; emeritus professor Cheryl Praeger for her eminent service to mathematics, tertiary education and championing of women in science, technology, engineering and math careers; and Mr Turnbull.

Cahill, leading goal scorer for the Socceroos, was among 36 individuals to receive the second-highest honour, Officer of the Order of Australia, along with former SA premier Jay Weatherill.

ABC journalist Kerry O’Brien on Sunday rejected his AO, saying the decision to give Ms Court the country’s highest honour was “deeply insensitive” and “divisive”.

Some 159 Australians were made Members of the Order, including founder of the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra Antoni Bonetti; former ANZ Gynaecological Oncology Group chair Alison Brand; Screen Australia director ­Michael Hawkins; Judith Bell, former commissioner of the Queensland crime and corruption watchdog; ANU professor of epidemiology Emily Banks; Brave Foundation founder Bernadette Black; actor Lorrae Desmond; SBS football commentator Craig Foster; and Melbourne Cup-­winning jockey Michelle Payne.

Concert pianist David Helfgott was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the performing arts.