Labor leaders top a shaved-down King’s Birthday Honours list

Three high-profile members of the Labor Party – former federal leader Simon Crean and former premiers Daniel Andrews and Mark McGowan – have taken half of this year’s most prestigious King’s Birthday Honours, which also recognise health officials pivotal in the fight against COVID-19.

As the number of people being acknowledged for their contributions to the community falls sharply, Andrews and McGowan, premiers of Victoria and Western Australia who both retired last year, and Crean, who led the party and served as a minister in the Hawke, Keating, Rudd and Gillard governments, were recognised as Companions of the Order of Australia.

Former premiers Mark McGowan (left) and Daniel Andrews, and former federal leader Simon Crean, have taken half of this year’s top King’s Birthday Honours.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Crean, who retired from politics in 2013, died last year. He was recognised for his service to the federal parliament, the university sector, to business and to industrial relations.

Andrews was recognised for “eminent service to the people and Parliament of Victoria”, for his work on public health through COVID and for infrastructure development. McGowan was acknowledged for his “eminent” service to Western Australians, for his role during the pandemic, during which his state was shut off to the rest of Australia, and service to international trade relations.

Also honoured as Companions were incoming governor-general Sam Mostyn, Professor Karen Canfell for her work as an epidemiologist, especially in cancer research, and Sir Jonathan Mills, a festival director and composer, for his service to the performing arts.

A former member of the Rudd and Gillard governments, new Future Fund chairman Greg Combet, was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for his services to the banking and superannuation sectors and for his role on the Morrison government’s National COVID-19 Co-ordinating Commission.

Two former NSW Liberal MPs, Jillian Skinner and Shelley Hancock, were also recognised in the honours list.

This year’s King’s Birthday Honours mark the eighth time people have been recognised for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thirty-four people, headed by Combet, have been added to the country’s COVID-19 honour roll. They include medical experts Katina D’Onise, David Higgins, David Holley, John Skerritt, Mark Turra and Daryl Williams, who were all appointed Members of Order of Australia. Another 17 people were recognised with Public Service Medals.

Other people recognised include the head of ASIO, Mike Burgess, Australian cricketing legend Glenn McGrath, three-time winner of the Australian Masters and Australian PGA championship Peter Senior, TV personality Hamish Blake, renowned ballet artist Noelle Shader, News Corp Australia national executive editor Peter Blunden and renowned broadcaster Sandy Roberts.

This month’s King’s Birthday Honours will be the last for Governor-General David Hurley, whose term ends on July 1.Credit: AAP

Two people with backgrounds in architecture, three in dentistry, 19 in the arts, 26 in education, 64 in medicine and 38 in sport, four in religion and 38 in sport and leisure were recognised in the honours list.

Monday’s honours list is much shorter than in recent years. Across all honours, 737 people were recognised, including 341 who receive a Medal of the Order Australia, 55 who receive Public Service Medals and 31 military personnel awarded Conspicuous Service Medals.

Last year, 1192 received King’s Birthday Honours and in 2022’s Queen’s Birthday list, 992 people were recognised. In 2021 there were 1190 recipients.

In 2020, when former prime minister Tony Abbott and former Liberal speaker of the House, Bronwyn Bishop, were recognised for their services to parliament, another 990 people were honoured.

There are limits to the number of particular honours that can be awarded in a particular year. There can be no more than 35 companions, 140 officers and 605 members appointed. So far this year, each category is well short of its particular limit.

Across all awards, an equal number went to men and women.

The 19-member Council for the Order of Australia, which oversees the honours, is headed by Shelley Reys, CEO of Arrilla Indigenous Consulting and a partner and board member of KPMG as well as a board member of the Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic Games.

Governor-General David Hurley, who will be replaced by Mostyn on July 1, thanked all those honoured.

He said he had been happy with the progress in diversity and recognition of the award over the past five years.

“Through today’s recognition, we shine a light on their efforts, the impact they have and the difference they make. On behalf of all Australians, I thank recipients for their service and congratulate them on their recognition,” he said.

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