112-671: Jacqueline Anne French AM (née Ffrench , born 29 November 1953), known professionally as Jackie French , is an Australian author who has written across several genres for both adults and children. Her most notable works include Rain Stones , Diary of a Wombat , , The Girl from Snowy River and Hitler's Daughter. Several of her books have been recommended for teaching the Australian Curriculum . French lives in Braidwood , New South Wales, with her second husband Bryan Sullivan. French
224-600: A bow on the left shoulder, although they may wear the same insignia as males if so desired. A gold lapel pin for daily wear is issued with each badge of the order at the time of investiture; AK/AD and AC lapel pins feature a citrine central jewel, AO and AM lapel pins have a blue enamelled centre and OAM lapel pins are plain. The different levels of the order are awarded according to the recipients' levels of achievement: Since 1976 any Australian citizen may nominate any person for an Order of Australia award. People who are not Australian citizens may be awarded honorary membership of
336-528: A cause for concern. The problem persisted and board members were regularly encouraged to spread the word and encourage nominations. A public relations report commissioned in 1989 recommended greater community involvement in the nominations process: 'Allow the "ordinary" citizens of Australia a chance to vote for, or in some way have a say in, who should be Australian of the Year.' During the 1990s glossy brochures calling for nominations were distributed well in advance of
448-548: A challenge to take the prime ministership in September 2015. Two months after coming into office, the new republican prime minister announced that the Queen had approved his request to amend the Order's letters patent and cease awards at this level. Existing titles would not be affected. The move was attacked by monarchists and praised by republicans. The amendments to the constitution of
560-428: A conservation refuge for the area's rare and endangered species. In 1996, her sister Wendy vanished. She was presumed dead but her body was never found. In 2003, Wendy's husband died by suicide during an investigation into his wife's disappearance. French studied the behaviour and ecology of wombats for 40 years and is the ambassador and former director of The Wombat Foundation , which raises funds for research into
672-562: A crowd of thousands and a national television audience. Specially produced video packages describe the winners in each of the four categories. The scale of the event displays a marked contrast to Sir Norman Martin's modest press conferences of the 1960s. The various medallions and trophies that have been presented to the Australians of the Year over fifty years are, in themselves, an interesting insight into changing understandings of what it means to be Australian. Reflecting his lofty ambitions for
784-551: A dancer, a painter, a comedian and a Nobel Prize-winning novelist. Many Australians of the Year do not fit neatly into categories such as sport, science and the arts. Phillip Adams once described the past winners as "an eclectic collection of people who reflect the diversity of achievement in this country". Australians of the Year have also excelled in public administration , the military, social and community work , business enterprise, academia , religious leadership and philanthropy. There has been relatively little public debate about
896-512: A figure holding the Australian flag. The figure is made from steel and the lettering is in pewter.' In the bicentenary year Tracey was asked to cast his trophy in bronze instead of steel. In the early 1990s the NADC commissioned glass sculptor Warren Langley to create a new trophy based on the updated Australia Day logo. NADC chairman Phillip Adams had been criticised for removing the Australian flag from
1008-569: A member of the British Empire, members of the colonies and later federated nation of Australia were able to have achievement awarded under the British Imperial Honours system . However, existing criticism of the aristocratic nature of the awards grew following a cash-for-honours corruption scandal in the UK in 1922. Moves to abolish the awards federally and the states were unsuccessful; however
1120-463: A nation: 'We are beginning to count for something in the world and we should be intensely proud of this fact.' International achievement remained a key criterion during the award's first decade. Several sporting heroes were honoured, from America's Cup skipper Jock Sturrock and swimmer Dawn Fraser , to world champion motor racer Sir Jack Brabham and boxer Lionel Rose . The pioneering neurologist Sir John Eccles followed Burnet's example, becoming
1232-547: A new award that focussed specifically on the achievements of younger Australians. The inaugural winner, youth unemployment worker Julie Sochacki, was named Young Australian of the Year in January 1980. The NADC coordinated the announcement with the Victorian Australia Day Council, which chose the Australian of the Year for the last time. The following year, the NADC assumed responsibility for both awards. In 1996, at
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#17331061317511344-400: A new trophy prompted McFarlane to think more deeply about national identity than she had before: 'It made me look at Australian identity and think about what was an Australian? Who is the archetypal Australian?' She quickly realised that an image of one person, or even a group of people, would not work, and that her images needed to be generic. She decided to use a map of Australia: 'It is one of
1456-412: A notable shift towards high-profile winners, while in the 1990s some of those honoured reflected the prominent political issues of republicanism and reconciliation. Currently, the selection committees refer to three main criteria when considering nominees: The third of these criteria supports the NADC's key goal of encouraging good citizenship. During the 1960s and 1970s, the Australian of the Year award
1568-472: A person who has not lived in a state "for 40-something years" ( Cate McGregor ) could be nominated as that state's representative. Following criticism of both the award process and the priorities of the 2016 recipient David Morrison , an editorial in The Sydney Morning Herald said, "The Herald knows the selection board will look closely at the 2016 process and work to improve public confidence in
1680-560: A plan to increase the prominence of the award. The Department of Health and Ageing took over responsibility for the program and Prime Minister John Howard presented the award to veteran country music star Slim Dusty in October 1999. Bishop arranged for the NADC to administer the program on behalf of the Department of Health and Ageing, but the award continued to be presented in October, with no discernible link to Australia Day. Three years later
1792-732: A public event, and the Canberra ceremony is televised nationally. The award offers an insight into Australian identity, reflecting the nation's evolving relationship with world, the role of sport in Australian culture , the impact of multiculturalism , and the special status of Indigenous Australians . It has also provoked spirited debate about the fields of endeavour that are most worthy of public recognition. The award program promotes active citizenship and seeks to elevate certain people as role models . Three companion awards have been introduced, recognising both Young and Senior Australians, and proclaiming
1904-413: A puff of smoke.' The most significant change in the selection procedure has been expansion of the nomination process. In the 1960s and 1970s, the committee usually chose the winner from a relatively small list of nominees; for example, in 1971 Evonne Goolagong edged out only 18 other nominees. At a meeting in 1982, the directors of the NADC and its state based affiliates identified low nominee numbers as
2016-573: A representation of the states (with whom Whitlam's government was constantly in dispute) through the state badges within the Commonwealth Coat of Arms . The original three-level structure of the Order of Australia was modelled closely upon the Order of Canada , though the Order of Australia has been awarded rather more liberally, especially in regard to honorary awards to non-citizens. As of July 2024 only 30 non-Canadians have been appointed to
2128-515: A strong tradition of honouring Indigenous Australians . The first Aboriginal winner was boxer Lionel Rose , who quipped: "One hundred and eighty-two years ago one of my mob would have been a dead cert' for this." Since then a further seven Indigenous people have been named Australian of the Year, for achievements in sport, music, politics, law, public service and academia. Many have played a role in Indigenous advocacy and some have raised concerns about
2240-608: A toy cap pistol, but the incident was a serious security breach and somewhat upstaged Kiernan's award. Since 2004 the award presentation has been held on Australia Day Eve in Canberra. The 32 finalists enjoy an eventful day including morning tea with the Prime Minister at The Lodge , and lunch with the Governor General at Yarralumla . The winners are announced on a specially erected stage in front of Parliament House , witnessed by
2352-444: Is a convex golden disc decorated with citrines, with a blue royally crowned inner disc bearing an image of the coat of arms of Australia. The ribbon of the order is royal blue with a central stripe of mimosa blossoms. Awards in the military division are edged with 1.5 mm golden bands. AKs, male ACs and AOs wear their badges on a necklet and male AMs and OAMs wear them on a ribbon on the left chest. Women usually wear their badges on
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#17331061317512464-434: Is a registered charity, whose stated purpose is "[t]o celebrate and promote outstanding Australian citizenship". It also supports the "community and social activities" of members and promotes and encourages the nomination of other Australians to the Order. The Order also runs a foundation that provides scholarships to tertiary students that show potential as future leaders and are involved in community activities. Branches of
2576-553: Is likely to feel a bit second-rate, and the public is likely to agree. We hate to be the first to say it, but there is no doubt that the Order of Australia (OA) will be labelled as the Ocker Award. Satire and mockery also greeted the awards, being dubbed "Gough’s Gongs" and "the Order of the Wombat". The newly elected Liberal Fraser government decided to once again make recommendations for imperial awards, whilst maintaining and expanding
2688-605: Is listed as a blue ribbon book in the US. Diary of a Wombat , lustrated by Bruce Whatley, has been translated into 23 languages and is the only picture book to win the Australian Book Industry Award . It was also on The New York Times bestseller list. It has won the 2002 Booksellers Choice Award, Canberra's Own Outstanding List Award for Best Picture Book (2003), 2003 KOALA Awards, Best Picture Book, The Children Book Council of Australia Books I Love Best Yearly Award (2008),
2800-454: Is true, then it is in stark contrast to the selection process in the 1990s, when Phillip Adams recalls that heated debates were common. In 1980 the NADC had formed an independent panel to decide the award, but eventually the selection fell to the NADC board itself. Typically the matter was considered at a special two-day board meeting, which Adams likened to the election of a new Pope: 'We would go into conclave, there would be lots of hot air, then
2912-478: The Australian Labor Party remained opposed and generally refused to recommend awards whilst in office, with this a part of the party's platform since 1918. This was confirmed in a resolution adopted unanimously by the party conference in 1921. However, the non-Labor parties remained supportive, with the long running Menzies government making significant use of the imperial system. The Order of Australia
3024-561: The Lord Mayor of Melbourne and the president of the National Council for Women. Although the panel was certainly distinguished, it would in time become too closely associated with Melbourne to be appropriate for a national award. The panel's first choice of Nobel Prize winning immunologist Sir Macfarlane Burnet gained general approval. The editors of The Age proclaimed the new honour was symptomatic of Australia's growing confidence as
3136-621: The NADC in 2003. During that period, the awards recognised, Rebecca Chambers, Nova Peris-Kneebone , Tan Le , Bryan Gaensler , Ian Thorpe , James Fitzpatrick , Scott Hocknull And Lleyton Hewitt . The Senior Australian of the Year award initially had no connection with the NADC. When the United Nations declared 1999 the ' International Year of Older Persons ,' the Minister for Aged Care Bronwyn Bishop approached National Seniors Australia with
3248-403: The gender balance of past winners. In 1961 several news outlets incorrectly referred to Sir Macfarlane Burnet as 'Man of the Year'; the mistake was not allowed to continue, as Joan Sutherland took out the second award, but it is certainly true that women are under-represented. By 2009, 11 winners out of a total of 56 were women. In 2016, Miranda Devine of The Daily Telegraph criticised
3360-468: The "special uniformed messenger" would be wearing when he arrived bearing a sealed envelope containing the Australian of the Year decision. ... He was made to walk from the lift door to Sir Norman twice to satisfy other television cameramen, until, rather thankfully, he at last handed the envelope over. It was somehow an anticlimax when Sir Norman demanded: "Do you bear a message from the Premier?" "Yes" said
3472-540: The 1960s, a network of state-based organisations worked hard to increase the profile of Australia Day. The most active and best resourced of these was the Victorian Australia Day Council, which had grown out of the Australian Natives' Association . In January 1960 the council's chairman, the unabashed patriot Sir Norman Martin , announced the introduction of a new annual award for the 'Australian of
Jackie French - Misplaced Pages Continue
3584-512: The 2003 ABA/AA Nielsen Book of the Year Award, 2003 American Library Association, Notable Book title, 2003 USA Cuffie Awards, Favourite Picture Book of the Year and Funniest Book, 2003, 2004 USA Benjamin Franklin Award, 2004 USA Lemmee Award, 2004 USA KIND Award and the 2007 Kids Reading Oz Choice Favourite Book Award. French was the 2014-15 Australian Children's Laureate and was a finalist in
3696-642: The 2014 Nib Waverley Library Award for Literature . She was awarded the 2015 Senior Australian of the Year . In 2016, French was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to literature as an author of children's books, and as an advocate for improved youth literacy. In 2016 she received the Australian Book Industry Awards Pixie O'Harris award. In her early twenties she and her first husband moved to Araluen, near Braidwood , where she now lives with her second husband Bryan Sullivan. They have turned their property into
3808-570: The 2016 Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature, New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards . Her novels Hitler's Daughter and To the Moon and Back have been awarded the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award in 2000 and 2005, and Pennies for Hitler won the 2013 New South Wales Premier's Young People History Award. Hitler's Daughter also won the UK Wow! The award, a Semi Grant Prix Japan Award and
3920-474: The 435 people who have received the nation's top Order of Australia honours since they were first awarded in 1975, shows they disproportionately attended a handful of elite Victorian secondary schools. Scotch College alumni received the highest number of awards, with 19 former students receiving Australia's [then] highest honour". On 26 January 1980 the Order of Australia Association was created as an incorporated body with membership open to award recipients. It
4032-493: The Canberra Australia Day Council named four Australians of the Year. Prime Minister Gough Whitlam lent his support to the Canberra award when he presented the inaugural honour to Major General Alan Stretton , the commander of the emergency response to Cyclone Tracy . The Canberra council also made good use of the federal parliamentary press boxes to promote its award to the national media. The Victorian council
4144-592: The Canberra council agreed to discontinue its rival program. In 1982, the Victorian council was further sidelined when that state's Australian Labor Party government led by John Cain created a new Victorian Australia Day Committee within the Premier's Department , which joined the NADC's official national network. The NADC made immediate changes to the selection process, appointing an independent panel of ten leading Australians from diverse fields. Despite this rigorous approach,
4256-579: The Land Speak: A history of Australia - how the land created our nation. Her most recent works include To Love a Sunburnt Country and The Beach they called Gallipoli , Fire , and The Hairy-Nosed Wombats Find a New Home . French's royalties for that book are donated towards wombat preservation and research. Her books Hitler's Daughter and Pete the Sheep were adapted for the stage by Monkey BAA Theatre Company. Hitler's Daughter toured Australia in 2012 and
4368-493: The NADC in its central task, which is aptly summarised by its chief executive Warren Pearson: 'On 26 January each year, the National Australia Day Council encourages Australians to celebrate what's great about Australia and being Australian.'. There has also been a significant shift in the criteria for the Australian of the Year award in fifty years. Initially the focus was on awarding the person who had 'brought
4480-460: The NADC introduced a new selection process based around state finals. This approach meant a more prominent role for the state-based Australia Day councils and committees, which now oversee the selection of the finalists and host official functions to announce the contenders in November each year. The NADC board now only chooses between the eight state and territory finalists in each category and organises
4592-472: The NADC streamlined its awards programs. The council was running three separate awards, as even the Young Australian of the Year was announced earlier in January and had a separate nominations process. The Senior Australian of the Year announcement moved from October to January (skipping 2002 altogether) and joined the other two awards. By integrating the various programs, the NADC increased the prominence of
Jackie French - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-439: The NADC was a strong promoter of both multiculturalism and reconciliation. The council was also linked to the growing republican movement and the campaign to change the national flag. Australians of the Year in this period included Yothu Yindi lead singer and prominent Aboriginal identity Mandawuy Yunupingu ; environmentalist and republican Ian Kiernan ; and Chinese-Australian paediatrician John Yu . Yunupingu's award continued
4816-460: The Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II , Queen of Australia , on the advice of then prime minister Gough Whitlam . Before the establishment of the order, Australians could receive British honours , which continued to be issued in parallel until 1992. Appointments to
4928-418: The Order of Australia and the award of 199 Honorary Medals of the Order of Australia. Notable honorary awards include: Since 1975, just over 30 per cent of recipients of an Order of Australia honour have been women. The number of nominations and awards for women is trending up, with the 2023 Australia Day Honours resulting in the highest percentage of awards for women to date (47.1 per cent, 47.9 per cent in
5040-461: The Order of Australia is a convex disc (gold for AKs, ADs and ACs, gilt for AOs, AMs and OAMs) representing a single flower of mimosa . At the centre is a ring, representing the sea, with the word Australia below two branches of mimosa. The whole disc is topped by the Crown of St Edward . The AC badge is decorated with citrines , blue enamelled ring, and enamelled crown. The AO badge is similar, without
5152-578: The Order of Australia. This was done by with the addition of two additional award levels: Knight or Dame (AK or AD) above the level of Companion, and the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) below Members. The Civil Division was also renamed the General Division, so that awards could be given to those in the Defence Force for non-military achievement. These changes were made on 24 May 1976. The reaction to
5264-481: The Order of Canada, while 537 non-Australians have been appointed to the Order of Australia, with 46 to the Companion level. Public reaction to the new awards was mixed. Only the state Labor governments of Tasmania and South Australia agreed to submit recommendations for the new awards, with the remaining governments affirming their committent to the existing imperial honours system. Newspaper editorials similarly praised
5376-439: The Order were gazetted on 22 December 2015. Yvonne Kenny AM represented the Order at the 2023 Coronation . King Charles III , when he was Prince of Wales , was appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia (AK) on 14 March 1981. As he is not an Australian citizen, even though he was the heir to the Australian throne at the time, this would have required the award to be honorary. To overcome this issue, his appointment
5488-581: The Order would be determined by the Council of the Order of Australia. Awards of the Order of Australia are sometimes made to people who are not citizens of Australia to honour extraordinary achievements. These achievements, or the people themselves, are not necessarily associated with Australia, although they often are. On 1 July 2024, the Australian Honours website listed appointments for 46 Honorary Companions, 118 Honorary Officers, 174 Honorary Members of
5600-420: The Prime Minister of the day. Former NADC chairman Phillip Adams recalls that heated debates were common. Typically the Australian of the Year was chosen at a special two-day board meeting, which Adams likened to the election of a Pope: 'We would go into conclave, there would be lots of hot air, then a puff of smoke.' The Australian has continued to publish its own annual award, which sometimes coincides with
5712-441: The Queen to reinstate the level of knight or dame and the Queen co-signed letters patent to bring this into effect. The change was publicly announced on 25 March, and gazetted on 17 April 2014. Up to four knights or dames could be appointed each year, by the Queen of Australia on the advice of the prime minister after consultation with the chairman of the Order of Australia Council. Five awards of knight and dame were then made, to
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#17331061317515824-663: The United States in 2013. Pete the Sheep toured Australia in 2014. She is a regular contributor to the Australian Women's Weekly and the Canberra Times . She also presented gardening segments on the long-running Australian TV series Burke's Backyard . French has won more than 60 awards in Australia and overseas and a number of her books have been shortlisted for numerous Australian and United States awards. In 2014, she
5936-476: The Victorian council was staunchly committed to constitutional ties with Britain. The Victorian council also battled a common perception that it was an exclusive organisation that represented the Melbourne Establishment. Australia's turbulent political climate nourished this division, and the Australian of the Year award was embroiled in a wider debate about Australian nationalism. Between 1975 and 1979,
6048-460: The Year Walk ) ). The walk was opened by the then Prime Minister of Australia John Howard , on Australia Day, 26 January 2006. In December 2007 journalist Mark McKenna visited the Australian of the Year Walk and interpreted it as a highly symbolic form of national memorial. The empty bollards stretching into the distance particularly intrigued him. These blank plaques – memorials to
6160-423: The Year award was established by newspaper The Australian in 1971. In 1975 the newly formed Canberra Australia Day Council also began to name a rival Australian of the Year. The Canberra council was run by a vibrant group of local inhabitants, who pursued a more progressive agenda than their Victorian counterparts. In particular, the Canberra council was sympathetic to the emerging republican movement, while
6272-423: The Year for 1993. Debates about the Australian of the Year award often revolve around the relative balance between sport, science and the arts . Fourteen winners have excelled in sports as diverse as cricket , swimming, athletics, sailing, tennis, boxing and motor racing . A recurring criticism that sport features too regularly peaked in 2004, when Steve Waugh was the fourth sporting winner in seven years and
6384-556: The Year'. He explained that Australia Day was a fitting occasion on which to give proper recognition to a leading citizen, whose contribution to the nation's culture, economy, sciences or arts was particularly outstanding. For the first two decades the Australian of the Year was chosen by a panel of five, which included the Victorian Premier , the Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne , the vice-chancellor of Melbourne University ,
6496-553: The association are in all the states and territories of Australia as well as the UK and the USA. Total inductees as of July 2024 . The order of wearing Australian and other approved honours is determined by the government. The award is parodied in the play Amigos , where the central character is determined to be awarded the AC, and uses persuasion, bribery and blackmail in his (ultimately successful) attempts to get himself nominated for
6608-407: The award is its attachment to ratings. This year's candidates appear to have been people who held high public profiles.' Yet the steadily rising numbers of nominations indicated that the award was capturing the public imagination. During the 1990s, the Australian of the Year award intersected noticeably with the politics of national identity. In its attempt to encourage unified national celebrations,
6720-498: The award to Prince Philip in a ReachTEL poll. The Australian Labor Party continued to oppose knighthoods and damehoods. Leader of the opposition Bill Shorten stated in March 2014 that the party would again discontinue the level if it were to win the next Australian federal election. The knighthood decision was a significant factor that caused Liberal party members to question Abbott's leadership, with Malcolm Turnbull succeeding in
6832-701: The award. During the 1996 season of the popular television programme Home and Away , the character Pippa Ross was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her years of service as a foster carer. Australian of the Year#Senior Australian of the Year The Australian of the Year is a national award conferred on an Australian citizen by the National Australia Day Council , a not-for-profit Australian Government -owned social enterprise . Similar awards are also conferred at
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#17331061317516944-411: The awards as an example of Australia's greater independence, whilst also noting that the awards would likely appear second-rate. The Australian stated that There is no longer a British Empire; everyone knows that. But somehow the phrase "imperial honours" still carries a ring of regal authenticity that somehow transcends nationalism. For the time being a recipient ... of the Order of Australia
7056-442: The awards deadline. More recently, the NADC has realised that the nominations process is important not only to the integrity of its various awards, but is also a crucial means of engaging with the Australian community. In 2004 NADC Chair Lisa Curry-Kenny proudly reported that nominations had doubled from the previous year: 'This is a key indication that increasing numbers of Australians of all walks of life are actively engaging with
7168-402: The awards in time for a better Australia Day in 2017". While the selection of a single Australian of the Year is bound to stimulate debate, the awards program as a whole recognises a much wider range of achievement. In 1979 the NADC named its first 'Young Australian of the Year', community service volunteer Julie Sochacki . Twenty years later the veteran country music star Slim Dusty received
7280-456: The awards program.' Public interest in the awards serves a much broader purpose, as NADC Chief Executive Warren Pearson explains: 'The awards program is not primarily about choosing four national recipients; it is about engaging with Australians about citizenship.' The introduction of the Local Hero award was directed towards this goal, as were various other changes made in 2004. Most importantly,
7392-455: The celebration of Australia Day on 26 January, most notably the 1985 recipient Lowitja O'Donoghue . Prior to 1994 the award was given for the outstanding Australian of the previous year; that is, the 1992 Australian of the Year was announced on Australia Day in 1993. From 1994 onward the award became one for the year ahead, so that the 1994 Australian of the Year was announced on Australia Day in 1994. This resulted in there being no Australian of
7504-519: The changes to the awards were similarly split along party lines. Following the 1983 federal election , Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke recommitted to the end of recommendations for imperial awards. No knighthoods were awarded during his first term in office and he advised the abolition of the knight/dame level after being re-elected in 1986. During the time the division was active from 1976 to 1983, twelve knights and two dames were created. On 19 March 2014, monarchist prime minister Tony Abbott advised
7616-468: The choice of the National Australia Day Council. During the 1980s, there was an expectation that corporate sponsorship would replace Government funding and that the NADC would become self-sufficient. The list of former Australians of the Year provides circumstantial evidence of this shift towards a more popular imperative. Economist Sir John Crawford and judge Sir Edward Williams thoroughly deserved their awards, but were perhaps not well placed to promote
7728-525: The citrines. For the AM badge, only the crown is enamelled, and the OAM badge is plain. The AK/AD badge is similar to that of the AC badge, but with the difference that it contains at the centre an enamelled disc bearing an image of the coat of arms of Australia . The colours of royal blue and gold are taken from the livery colours of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms , the then national colours . The star for knights and dames
7840-415: The companion awards by announcing them at the same function as the Australian of the Year. Since then, many remarkable Senior Australians have been honoured on a national stage on Australia Day Eve. In 2003, the NADC addressed calls to recognise ordinary, lesser-known people who work for the benefit of their fellow citizens, by introducing a fourth award category known as the "Local Hero Award". The new award
7952-532: The efforts of those who work at a grass roots level through the " Australia's Local Hero " award. The Australian of the Year award receives substantial sponsorship from private companies, including a relationship in excess of thirty years with the Commonwealth Bank . The close relationship with the Australian Government ensures that the award's profile and reputation is significantly enhanced. During
8064-458: The exception of awards recommended by the soon to be independent government of the Territory of Papua and New Guinea ); however this did not affect the constitutional right of state governments to recommend imperial awards. According to the governor general's then-secretary Sir David Smith , Whitlam was furious when he first saw Devlin's design for the insignia of the order, due to the inclusion of
8176-476: The general division). Advocacy groups such as Honour a Woman and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency have called for greater effort to be made to reach equal representation of men and women in the order. In December 2010, The Age reported a study of the educational backgrounds of all people who had received Knight/Dame and Companion level awards at that time. It reported: "An analysis of
8288-657: The governments of each respective state and territory, and three ex officio members (the chief of the Defence Force , the vice-president of the Federal Executive Council and a public servant responsible for honours policy). The Council chair as of August 2024 is Shelley Reys. The Council makes recommendations to the governor-general. Awards are announced on Australia Day and on the King's Birthday public holiday in June, on
8400-572: The governor-general to remove an individual from the order, who may cancel an award. Announcements of all awards, cancellations and resignations appear in the Commonwealth Gazette . Nomination forms are confidential and not covered by the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) . The reasoning behind a nomination being successful or unsuccessful—and even the attendees of the meetings where such nominations are discussed—remains confidential. As
8512-400: The greatest honour to Australia'. This emphasis on international acclaim was gradually relaxed and Australian-based achievement was recognised more often from the 1970s onwards. The official criteria have usually been suitably broad in their scope, so changes in approach are largely attributable to the membership of the NADC board and the political climate of the time. In the mid-1980s there was
8624-489: The importance of Australia Day to mainstream Australia, or to secure corporate sponsorship for the NADC. Subsequent winners included marathon runner Robert de Castella , comedian and actor Paul Hogan , singer John Farnham and cricketer Allan Border , who were far more likely to attract public attention. In 1988, the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald expressed concern at this development: 'One worrying trend with
8736-463: The inaugural 'Senior Australian of the Year' award. In 2003 the NADC introduced an award for ' Australia's Local Hero ', which honours outstanding contributions to local communities. With four award categories and a system of state and national finals, the NADC now recognises a total of 128 inspiring Australian role models every year. For the first twenty years of the Australian of the Year Awards there
8848-524: The invitation of Phillip Adams , chairman of the NADC , the Young Australian of the Year Awards was facilitated and coordinated nationally by Awards Australia under the leadership of Jeffrey J Hopp . Hopp and his team ran the awards nationally, working closely with the Australia Day Councils in every state, and NADC Chairmain Kevin Gosper and Lisa Curry until the awards were handed back to
8960-560: The logo and replacing it with a hand reaching for a star. After Adams resigned his position in 1996, the NADC asked Langley to produce an alternative trophy, which featured a map of Australia. Melbourne-based artist Kristin McFarlane designed the current Australian of the Year trophy in 2004. Like Langley, McFarlane works with glass, but she is also trained as a graphic designer; she combines both text and images and sets them in kilned glass to produce striking works of art. The task of designing
9072-407: The messenger meekly, and as Sir Norman announced the winner to be Robert Helpmann , a shower of prepared press releases announcing the same thing landed gently on the table in front of the waiting pressmen. Since the 1960s, the annual announcement has become progressively more sophisticated. After the NADC took over in 1980 it usually presented the award at an Australia Day concert, which moved around
9184-476: The nation and was often televised. In the 1990s an Australia Day breakfast at Admiralty House in Sydney was the usual venue for the announcement, but more recently the concert has been revived and is held in the national capital. A highly memorable Australian of the Year function occurred in 1994, when the guest of honour was Charles, Prince of Wales . The Australian of the Year, environmentalist Ian Kiernan , sat on
9296-431: The national announcement in January. The NADC's mission statement demonstrates how the awards program fits its wider purpose: The National Australia Day Council works with and for the people and government of Australia to: The third of these aims is predominantly addressed through the Australian of the Year Awards, which offer a high-profile moment for the celebration of outstanding achievement. The awards greatly assist
9408-567: The new award, Sir Norman Martin announced a 'worldwide competition' to design the inaugural trophy in 1960. Sir Norman hoped to attract entries from the world's finest artists, but the eventual winner was Victor Greenhalgh, the head of the Arts School at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology . Greenhalgh designed a bronze medallion, which reflected the prevailing mood as to the importance of Australia Day: its most prominent feature
9520-417: The occasion of a special announcement by the governor-general (usually honorary awards), and on the appointment of a new governor-general. The governor-general presents the order's insignia to new appointees. Appointments to the order may be made posthumously as long as a person was nominated for an award whilst they were still alive. Awardees may subsequently resign from the order, and the Council may advise
9632-502: The oldest continents in the world and it is a very recognisable form for anyone who lives here.' McFarlane also chose to use the text of the Australian national anthem " Advance Australia Fair ", but gave particularly prominence to the lesser-known second verse. The "Australians of the Year Walk" in Canberra was designed by the National Capital Authority and comprises a series of plinths, seats and lighting. Incorporated in
9744-473: The order are made by the governor-general , "with the approval of The Sovereign", according to recommendations made by the Council for the Order of Australia . Members of the government are not involved in the recommendation of appointments, other than for military and honorary awards. The King of Australia is the sovereign head of the order, and the governor-general is the principal companion and chancellor of
9856-649: The order at all levels. Nomination forms are submitted to the Director, Honours Secretariat, a position within the Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia , at Government House, Canberra , which are then forwarded to the Council for the Order of Australia . The council consists of 19 members: seven selected by the prime minister (described as "community representatives"), eight appointed by
9968-446: The order. The governor-general's official secretary , Paul Singer (appointed August 2018), is secretary of the order. The order is divided into a general and a military division. The five levels of appointment to the order in descending order of seniority are: Honorary awards at all levels may be made to non-citizens. These awards are made additional to the quotas. The order's insignia was designed by Stuart Devlin . The badge of
10080-453: The outgoing governor-general , Quentin Bryce ; her successor, Peter Cosgrove ; a recent chief of the Defence Force , Angus Houston ; a recent governor of New South Wales , Marie Bashir ; and Prince Philip . This last award was widely met with ridicule and dismay by many in the Australian media. The award was also heavily criticised in the community, with 72% disapproving and 12% in favour of
10192-522: The panel's first choice of historian Manning Clark did not please conservative politicians, as Clark had been critical of the Fraser government's social policy. If nothing else, the controversy was a clear sign that the award had become a prominent and valued feature of the Australia Day celebrations. In time the selection of the annual winner fell to the board of the NADC itself, whose members are appointed by
10304-428: The pathway are five metal strips set flush in the concrete, representing the five music stave lines. The plinths are placed in musical note position to the score of the national anthem "Advance Australia Fair". Fixed to each plinth is an anodised aluminium plaque containing the names and images of an Australian of the Year, there is one plaque for each year of the award. The plaques are arranged chronologically, starting at
10416-399: The philosophy of the award organisers, who described the Australian of the Year as 'the person who has brought the greatest honour to Australia in the year under review.' During its first two decades, the Australian of the Year award grew steadily in national prominence, but it increasingly suffered from its close association with the Victorian Australia Day Council. A competing Australian of
10528-525: The preservation of wombats . She is also the ACT Children's Week Ambassador, 2011 Federal Literacy Ambassador, patron of Books for Kids, YESS, Speld ACT, Speld Qld, DAGS (Dyslexia Association Gawler), and joint patron of Monkey BAA Theatre for Young People with Susanne Gervais and Morris Gleitzman . French is dyslexic and wrote I Spy a Great Reader to help teachers and parents teach dyslexic children to read using varied and new methods. Member of
10640-672: The prime minister alone, rather than by the Council of the Order of Australia, as is the case with all lower levels of the order. In accordance with the statutes of 2014, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , was created a Knight of the Order by letters patent signed by the Queen on 7 January 2015, on Abbott's advice. Prince Philip's knighthood was announced as part of the Australia Day Honours on 26 January 2015 and his appointment attracted criticism of what Abbott described as his "captain's call". Abbott responded by announcing that future recommendations for appointments as Knights and Dames of
10752-692: The script, preferring to poke fun at the stage-managed event: The patriotic tension in the boardroom on the 8th floor of the Australian Natives' Association building in Elizabeth Street yesterday morning was being stretched to breaking point. From four corners of the room hung Australian flags. At the Head of the long boardroom table sat Sir Norman Martin, chairman of the Australia Day Council. ... There had been intense speculation earlier as to what
10864-493: The second of five Australians to take out the Nobel Prize/Australian of the Year double. Achievers in the artistic realm were also well represented, including opera singer Joan Sutherland, renowned dancer and choreographer Robert Helpmann and the four members of the chart-topping singing group The Seekers – Judith Durham , Athol Guy , Keith Potger and Bruce Woodley . The focus on international achievement reflected
10976-431: The selection process, with the national selection panel having to choose from the eight candidates appointed by variously structured, state-based selection panels. Devine also said, "the award, which ought to reflect and unite this great nation, has evolved into a mere plaything of social engineers", noting also that three of the eight finalists were jointly involved in the same events. Concern has also been raised as to how
11088-417: The stage after receiving his award, when a gunshot was heard and an assailant rushed toward Prince Charles. Kiernan jumped to his feet and wrestled the intruder to the ground with the assistance of New South Wales Premier John Fahey . Kiernan later recalled: 'the Premier and I lay on the stage, panting as the adrenaline began to flow, and wondering what to do next.' As it turned out, the man was armed only with
11200-419: The state and territory level. Since 1960 the award for the Australian of the Year has been bestowed as part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day , during which time it has grown steadily in significance to become one of the nation's pre-eminent awards. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a notable part of the annual Australia Day celebrations. The official announcement has grown to become
11312-456: The third Test Cricket captain to be honoured. Despite the perception of an over-emphasis on sport, the list of past winners reveals a strong endorsement for scientific achievement; as of 2009 thirteen Australian scientists have received the honour, including ten from the medical sciences . A long-term view also reveals that Australia's talented artists have not been neglected; ten winners have excelled in creative pursuits, including six musicians,
11424-574: The western end of the path near Commonwealth Avenue Bridge . The lake side is bordered by white paving stones, the land side by a white paved walkway. The walk is situated along a straight section of shoreline on Lake Burley Griffin between the National Library of Australia and the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge ( 35°17′42″S 149°07′44″E / 35.295°S 149.129°E / -35.295; 149.129 ( Australians of
11536-431: Was a likeness of Governor Arthur Phillip , who was described on the medal as 'The Outstanding Australian [of] 1788.' In 1961. The Age reported that Sir Macfarlane Burnet was anxious when a photographer asked him to display the medallion at the awards ceremony: 'The nervous scientist, whose hand with a pipette would be as steady as a rock, fumbled the medal and dropped it under the table.' Greenhalgh's bronze medallion
11648-711: Was awarded the Queensland Literary Awards Griffith University children's Book Award and the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Notable Award for Refuge , which was also shortlisted for the NSW Premier's History Award in two categories – Children's and Community Relations. Her book The Road to Gundagai was shortlisted for the NSW Premier's History Awards, and short-listed for
11760-761: Was born Jacqueline Anne Ffrench in Sydney in 1953 and grew up in Brisbane. She attended Brisbane State High School . Her parents divorced in 1967, and when her mother changed her surname from Ffrench to French, Jackie also did so. French began writing Rain Stones , her first book for children, when she was 30 years old, living in a shed and in need of money to register her car. French's books include both fictional, factional and non-fictional accounts of Australian history including Nanberry: Black Brother White , Tom Appleby , A Day to Remember , A Waltz for Matilda , The Girl from Snowy River , The Road to Gundagai , The Night They Stormed Eureka and Flood and Fire and Let
11872-447: Was created by an amendment to the constitution of the Order of Australia by special letters patent signed by the Queen, on the recommendation of Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser . In March 2014 the knight and dame levels, which had been abolished in 1986 by Prime Minister Bob Hawke , were reintroduced to the Order of Australia by Tony Abbott . At the same time, Abbott announced that future appointments at this level would be recommended by
11984-498: Was established on 14 February 1975 by letters patent of Queen Elizabeth II , acting as Queen of Australia , and on the advice of the newly elected Labor prime minister , Gough Whitlam . The original order had three levels: Companion (AC), Officer (AO) and Member (AM) as well as two divisions: Civil Division and Military Division. Whitlam had previously announced in 1972 (on his third day in office) that his government would no longer nominate persons for British Imperial honours (with
12096-481: Was no specific honour reserved for younger Australia. This period several young sports stars won the main award, including Dawn Fraser , Shane Gould , Lionel Rose and Evonne Goolagong . Gould remains the youngest person to be named Australian of the Year. Shortly after the formation of the NADC in October 1979, the Northern Territory representative Ella Stack convinced her fellow board members to introduce
12208-414: Was part of a shift in thinking at the NADC towards the key goal of promoting good citizenship. The process of choosing the Australian of the Year has evolved considerably over half a century, including both the make-up of the selection committee and the system of nominations. In the 1960s Sir Norman Martin usually insisted that the decision of the small Victorian selection committee was unanimous. If this
12320-550: Was presented at Melbourne's Australia Day Luncheon, which was held in either the Town Hall or the Royale Ballroom . The winner was usually announced about two weeks earlier at a function that provided an opportunity to promote the upcoming Australia Day celebrations. This event was a public relations exercise that attempted to capture the imagination of the media and the nation, but in 1966 a journalist from The Age did not follow
12432-540: Was presented to winners of the Victorian-based Australian of the Year award for two decades. When the NADC assumed responsibility in 1980, it apparently overlooked the issue of a trophy, so Manning Clark received a framed certificate. For the 1986 award to Dick Smith , the NADC commissioned artist Michael Tracey to produce a more appropriate trophy, which the council described in its journal Australia Day Update : 'The trophy, symbolising achievement, incorporates
12544-459: Was singularly unimpressed that a rival Australia Day organisation had copied its idea – in 1977 it described its own winner, Dame Raigh Roe , as 'the real Australian of the Year'. The impasse was only resolved when the Fraser government created the National Australia Day Council (NADC) in 1979. The Victorian council willingly transferred responsibility for its award to the new national body, while
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