The Australian honours and awards system refers to all orders,decorations,and medals,as instituted by letters patent from the Monarch of Australia and countersigned by the Australian prime minister at the time,that have been progressively introduced since 14 February 1975. The Australian honours and awards system excludes all state and local government,and private,issued awards and medals.
Keith Payne,is a retired Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC),the highest decoration for gallantry "in the presence of the enemy" awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. Payne's VC was awarded for his actions during the Vietnam War. Aged 90,he is the last living Australian recipient of the original Imperial Victoria Cross.
General Sir Peter John Cosgrove,is an Australian retired senior Army officer who served as the 26th governor-general of Australia,in office from 2014 to 2019.
Sir Harry Talbot Gibbs was Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1981 to 1987 after serving as a member of the High Court between 1970 and 1981. He was known as one of Australia's leading federalist judges although he presided over the High Court when decisions such as Koowarta v Bjelke-Petersen in 1982 and Commonwealth v Tasmania expanded the powers of the Commonwealth at the expense of the states. Gibbs dissented from the majority verdict in both cases. On 3 August 2012,the Supreme Court of Queensland Library opened the Sir Harry Gibbs Legal Heritage Centre. It is the only legal heritage museum of its kind in Queensland and features a permanent exhibition dedicated to the life and legacy of Sir Harry Gibbs.
Michael Joseph Keelty is a retired Australian Police Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police from 2001 to 2009. He was also the inaugural chairperson of the Australian Crime Commission,now known as the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.
Anthony Raymond Lauer,was an Australian police officer who served as the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police from 1991 until 1996. In February 1996,Lauer's term ended in controversy with his resignation soon after the start of the Wood Royal Commission into police corruption.
Terence Murray Lewis was an Australian police officer who,as Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service,was convicted and jailed for corruption and forgery as a result of the Fitzgerald Inquiry. He was stripped of his knighthood and two other awards in consequence. Lewis continued to protest his innocence and sued his former lawyers and pursued appeals. The last of his appeals failed in August 2005.
Kenneth Edward Moroney,is a former police officer who served as the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force from 2002 until 2007.
Murray Neil Comrie AO,APM,known as Neil Comrie,is a former Australian police officer. He was Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police from 1993 to 2001.
The Governor-General of Australia has,at irregular intervals,notified for general information notifies the positioning of wearing of Australian orders,decorations and medals in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. The Order of Wearing Australian Honours and Awards was last published in 2007.
Peter David McClellan is a retired judge of the New South Wales Court of Appeal who served between February 2013 and February 2018. McClellan was the Chief Royal Commissioner of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse from January 2013 to December 2017. He was previously the Chief Judge in Common Law in the Supreme Court,a position to which he was appointed in 2005.
The National Police Service Medal (NPSM) is a special service award within the Australian honours system to provide "recognition for the unique contribution and significant commitment of those persons who have given ethical and diligent service as a sworn member of an Australian police service".
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was a royal commission announced in November 2012 and established in 2013 by the Australian government pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 to inquire into and report upon responses by institutions to instances and allegations of child sexual abuse in Australia. The establishment of the commission followed revelations of child abusers being moved from place to place instead of their abuse and crimes being reported. There were also revelations that adults failed to try to stop further acts of child abuse. The commission examined the history of abuse in educational institutions,religious groups,sporting organisations,state institutions and youth organisations. The final report of the commission was made public on 15 December 2017.
The Order of Wearing of Australian honours includes Imperial honours if they were awarded prior to 6 October 1992. Imperial honours awarded after 5 October 1992 are considered foreign.
Nigel Clive Hadgkiss is a British-born Australian police officer and public servant,who was the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner until resigning on 13 September 2017. He was previously an Assistant Commissioner with the Australian Federal Police and was the Director of Operations at the Wood Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Force.
Roman Alexander Quaedvlieg is an Australian former public servant and police officer who was the Commissioner of the Australian Border Force (ABF) from 1 July 2015 until May 2017 when he was put on paid leave while an investigation took place. He was dismissed from the position in March 2018 after an investigation found that he had failed to comply with disclosure requirements regarding a relationship with a woman.
The Bravery Council of Australia Meeting 83 Honours List was announced by the Governor General of Australia,Sir Peter Cosgrove on 19 August 2015.
Christopher John Dawson is the 34th Governor of Western Australia and a former police officer who served as the Commissioner of the Western Australia Police Force from 2017 to 2022. He was sworn in as governor on 15 July 2022.
The Royal Commission into Violence,Abuse,Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability is a royal commission established on 4 April 2019 by the Australian government pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902. The Honourable Ronald Sackville,who serves as Chair of the Royal Commission,The Honourable Roslyn Atkinson,Ms Barbara Bennett,Dr Rhonda Galbally,Ms Andrea Mason,Mr Alastair McEwin,and The Honourable John Ryan currently serve as Royal Commissioners.
Katarina Ruzh Carroll is a retired Australian police officer and was the Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service (QPS) from July 2019 to March 2024. She is the first female commissioner of QPS. She was formerly the Commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services from August 2015 until July 2019. On 20 February 2024,Carroll announced she would not seek an extension to her contract and would step down as of Friday 1 March 2024.
