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.
Simon Findlay Crean was an Australian politician and trade unionist. He was the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and leader of the opposition from 2001 to 2003. He represented the seat of Hotham in the House of Representatives from 1990 to 2013 and was a cabinet minister in the Hawke, Keating, Rudd and Gillard governments.
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 91, he is the last living Australian recipient of the original Imperial Victoria Cross.
Ormond College is one of the largest residential colleges of the University of Melbourne located in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is home to around 350 undergraduates, 90 graduates and 35 professorial and academic residents.
The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road. It was built to honour the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I, but now functions as a memorial to all Australians who have served in any war. It is a site of annual observances for Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, and is one of the largest war memorials in Australia.
Major General Sir Neville Reginald Howse, was an Australian Army officer, medical doctor, and politician. He was the first Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest decoration for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces.
Geoffrey Norman Blainey, is an Australian historian, academic, best selling author and commentator.
David Bruce Cowan AM was an Australian politician and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Tom Lewis and Sir Eric Willis. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 14 years from 6 November 1965 until his resignation on 29 August 1980 and then for 13 years in the Australian House of Representatives for Lyne for the Country Party of Australia and its successors, the National Country and then National Parties.
Kerryn Lyndel Phelps is an Australian medical practitioner, public health and civil rights advocate, medical educator and former politician.
Andrew James Baildon, is an Australian former freestyle and butterfly swimming champion, who represented Australia in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
David Murray Horner, is an Australian military historian and academic.
Richard Graeme Larkins is the former Chancellor of La Trobe University. He was the Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash University from 2003 to June 2009. Prior to this, he had a distinguished career in medicine, scientific research and academic management.
George Hampel AM KC was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria from 1983 to 2000, having previously practised as a barrister since 1958.
Lieutenant General Edward Kenneth Smart, was a career officer in the Australian Army, and subsequently a diplomat. He married twice and his second wife was the Canadian diplomat Margaret Gordon.
James Alexander Angus is an Australian pharmacologist, who has served as the Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria since 12 November 2021.
Marcus Bastiaan is an Australian businessman, industry advocate and political power broker. He is a former vice-president of the Victorian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia.
Getano Belford Lui Jnr, is a Torres Strait Islander Australian community leader.
Lillian Georgina Frank was a Burmese-born Australian hairdresser, fashion influencer, philanthropist, fundraiser, and society columnist.
John Buxton Laurie was an Australian consultant engineer. In 2003 he was awarded Australia's highest civilian honour, Companion of the Order of Australia, for his services to engineering and to community support.
