Queen's Birthday honours: More than 700 Australians recognised

Updated

More than 700 Australians have been recognised for their achievements in the Queen's Birthday honours announced today.

There were 170 women and 349 males appointed to the Order of Australia while a further 198 Australians were recognised through military and meritorious awards.

Scientists, philanthropists, entertainers, athletes, indigenous leaders and lawyers have been acknowledged this year.

Of the hundreds recognised, eight people received the top honour of Companion of the Order of Australia.

The athlete: Lauren Jackson (AO)

Australian basketball star Lauren Jackson received one of the most prestigious awards, an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), for her record in basketball, as well as her off-court work with sexual assault and domestic violence services.

Companion of the Order of Australia University of Adelaide's wine economist Professor Kym Anderson

Queensland University of Technology Director of the Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre Professor Judith Clements

Queensland University of Technology optometrist Professor Nathan Efron

High Court judge Justice Patrick Keane

Leading liver transplant physician Professor Stephen Lynch

President of the Victorian Court of Appeal Justice Christopher Maxwell

Academic Director of the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney Professor Stephen Simpson

Philanthropist, entrepreneur and aviator Richard "Dick" Smith

Jackson likened the honour to "being asked to hold the flag at the opening ceremony at the last Olympics".

She said she was "absolutely, on the court" a role model for young female athletes.

"Following my lead, I think kids should definitely have hope about a career in basketball if they want it bad enough," she said.

But Jackson's off-court work has also won her acclaim.

Her profile has allowed her to champion the cause of women, with a particular focus on helping services that assist sexual assault victims.

"I think that being an advocate and being a voice... I think my name impacts that and hopefully I can continue that work after I retire," she said.

Jackson has been the patron of Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia since 2011.

The Indigenous entertainer: Archie Roach (AM)

Singer-songwriter Archie Roach has told the story of the Stolen Generations through his music.

He has now been made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the performing arts and social justice.

Roach told the ABC that as an Indigenous Australian it was important to be included.

It has been a big year for the singer-songwriter with the 25th anniversary of the release of his debut album Charcoal Lane.

He has also finished a new album he said was about love.

"It's not just about relationships between people that love each other but about loving your country, loving the people," he said.

The biologist: Professor Stephen Simpson (AC)

Sydney-based biologist Professor Stephen Simpson has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia, recognised for his work in furthering the understanding of nutrition, obesity and disease.

Professor Simpson is the academic director of Sydney University's Charles Perkins Centre, which has brought all the faculties and disciplines together to address major health issues.

"We're starting to see the whole problem of the obesogenic environment being treated as a complex system," he said.

Professor Simpson hopes to come up with new ways of dealing with obesity at a community and national level that take advantage of an integrative understanding of how nutrition, exercise and our individual biology work together.

He is also working on developing a new approach to help people to manage their lifestyle and encourage them to improve their health.

"Unless you take account of the multifactor nature of nutrition or health generally, then you're going to miss the point because single interventions will seldom work," he said.

Professor Simpson said he was "thrilled, honoured and delighted" at being acknowledged for his work.

He said he hoped it would highlight "the power of research directed towards ultimate outcomes that improve health, wellbeing and society in general is critical".

"We really need to support that," he said.

The philanthropist: Richard 'Dick' Smith (AC)

Dick Smith, a philanthropist, businessman, aviator and activist, has been recognised as a Companion of the Order of Australia for his eminent service to the community.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Entrepreneur Dick Smith has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (ABC News)

The 71-year-old started his career as an apprentice in a factory and then turned a small car radio installation business on Sydney's northern beaches into a multi-million dollar retailer, Dick Smith Electronics.

He said his "rags to riches" story was not out of reach for young people today.

"In fifth class, I was 45th out of 47 students in the class and deemed unsatisfactory," he said.

"I was able to do OK because of this fantastic country.

"If you're a young person and can't get to university, don't rule yourself out."

Mr Smith has supported a range of humanitarian, social welfare and conservation organisations, medical research and the arts.

He has also donated money to political causes, including a fair trial for then-Australian terrorism suspect David Hicks.

"I have been lucky to have the recourses to be able to assist people and I live in this fantastic country where you have the freedom to say what you believe in," he said.

The opera singers: Cheryl Barker (AO), Peter Coleman-Wright (AO)

Cheryl Barker has captivated Australian and international audiences for more than a quarter of a century.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Opera singer Cheryl Barker has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (ABC News)

Gracing stages from her home town to Berlin, the Sydney-born operatic soprano has won critical acclaim for her performances, which include the role of Donna Elvira in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Salome in the eponymous opera by Richard Strauss, and the title roles in Giacomo Puccini's Madame Butterfly and Tosca.

Ms Barker was named Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to the performing arts as an operatic soprano, as a mentor and role model, and through fundraising support for educational opportunities for the next generation of opera singers".

She told the ABC the award was unexpected.

"It completely took me by surprise... it's just wonderful to be recognised by your country for your contribution to the arts," she said.

Barker frequently shares the stage with her husband, Peter Coleman-Wright, a Baritone who was also named an AO for his contributions to the performing arts.

The Geelong-born artist received the honour for his fundraising support for opera companies and mentoring of young singers.

The surgeon: Professor Stephen Lynch (AC)

Professor Stephen Lynch was recognised for his contribution to advancements in liver transplant surgery.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Professor Stephen Lynch has been appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (ABC News)

Professor Lynch was part of the first team that successfully transplanted liver tissue from a living adult into a child.

The breakthrough technique, developed in 1989, revolutionised the way transplants were carried out across the world.

Professor Lynch said the method was used extensively in Asian countries.

"In Japan and Korea for example, it's almost totally living-donor liver transplants," he said.

"And in Seoul they do about 600 a year, so about two a day of that operation."

Professor Lynch has been appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia.

He dedicated the recognition to three groups.

"My family, who have supported, loved and tolerated me for the 20 years that I was an active liver transplant surgeon," he said.

"I accept it on behalf of the donor families who get very little recognition, and the team at the Liver Transplant Centre in Brisbane."

The Indigenous elder: Ms Lucy Marshall (AM)

A Western Australian Indigenous elder has been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia.

Derby woman Lucy Marshall, a senior Nyikina woman, has had a distinguished career working for Aboriginal associations, and was a key contributor to negotiations for land use agreements which benefited the local community.

The Order of Australia honours Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) is awarded for eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or to humanity at large

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) is awarded for distinguished service of a high degree to Australia or to humanity at large

Member of the Order of Australia (AM) is awarded for service in a particular locality or field of activity or to a particular group

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) is awarded for service worthy of a particular recognition

She is an outspoken critic of domestic violence and alcohol abuse, a mentor in her community and has fostered more than 50 children rescued from abusive homes — from Indigenous and non-Indigenous backgrounds.

Ms Marshall, who has lived in Derby for more than 60 years, has dedicated her life to preserving local Aboriginal customs and language and was a contributor to the Nyikina Language and Culture Resource Kit.

She has also campaigned vigorously for compensation for families of Aboriginal Agent Orange victims.

The elder lost her son, Cyril Hunter, at 33 from a heart attack, one of a spate of deaths of young men who worked with the potent herbicides like 2,4,5-T in the 1970s and 80s, to control weeds in the Kimberley.

She told the ABC she remembered the day in 1963, when Queen Elizabeth visited Broome, and her family rushed to see her.

"My great-grand uncle, my mother's uncle, he was the first one... when [the] Queen came to Broome, we all went down," Ms Marshall said.

To now have been recognised by the monarch came as a shock.

"I tell you what... it took me by surprise," she said.

The performer: Simon Burke (AO)

Australian actor Simon Burke has been acknowledged for his contributions to the performing arts with an Officer of the Order of Australia award.

Burke first found fame as a 13-year-old playing Catholic schoolboy Tom Allen in the 1976 film The Devil's Playground and became the youngest Australian to be awarded Best Actor at the AFI Awards.

Thirty-five years later, Burke was the executive producer and star of the sequel to that film, six-part television mini-series Return to Devil's Playground, which unflinchingly faced child sex abuse within the Catholic Church and aired in September 2014.

Burke said he hoped it had further contributed to raising awareness and understanding of the issue in the community.

"I think the telling thing about our show is you can pick up the paper and read the absolutely horrific stories that we've all been appalled by," he said.

"But I guess our show gave us the opportunity to take it out of the news and really investigate the drama of it and emotionally live through it."

Burke has also starred in countless film, television and musical productions and became one of Australia's most popular presenters with a 25-year stint on Playschool.

"I'd be very happy to be remembered mostly for Playschool," he said.

"And it's funny, wherever I am in the world and whatever role I do, there's always someone who will come up to me in the street and say 'you taught me how to tell the time'."

Burke has also been president of Actors Equity Australia for the past 10 years and is vice-president of the International Federation of Actors.

He said he felt very proud to be part of a team helping to look after the interests of performers and working with producers to improve the industry.

The community advocate: Kirsty Sword Gusmao (AO)

Melbourne resident Kirsty Sword Gusmao has dedicated her inclusion on the Queen's Birthday honours list to the courage of the East Timorese people.

Ms Sword Gusmao, the wife of East Timor prime minister Xanana Gusmao, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for her work to further Australia-Timor relations and to improve education, health and living conditions in the developing nation.

She now lives in Melbourne but is continuing to work to improve the education system in East Timor.

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Human rights campaigner Kirsty Sword Gusmao has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (ABC News)

Ms Sword Gusmao said there was still a significant amount of work to do to improve education in East Timor because Timor schools were still vastly under-resourced.

"Some schools, even in Dili, are operating with two classes, two to three classes for some 300 children," she said.

"This means children are learning in shifts and their school is reduced, in some cases, to two hours per day."

She said the honour was an official acknowledgement by Australia of the resilience of the Timorese community.

"I've learnt a lot from the Timorese over the years about reconciliation and about moving forward and honouring the positive," she said.

"There are so many very positive things about the relationship between Australian and Timor-Leste."

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Topics: awards-and-prizes, human-interest, australia

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