The 2021 ACT Australian of the Year, Dr Brendan Murphy, and Professor Tanya Monro, Australia’s Chief Defence Scientist, have been made Companions of the Order of Australia (AC) in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours. Dr Murphy was the former Chief Medical Officer who oversaw Australia’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Honours List recognises 992 outstanding and inspirational Australians, including 22 Order of Australia recipients and 33 Meritorious Award recipients from the ACT.

Governor-General David Hurley congratulated the Australians recognised in the Honours List.

“Recipients share some common traits – including selflessness, excellence, and a commitment to service. They’re from different backgrounds, their stories are each unique, and each has served in different ways. This diversity is a strength, and each has impacted their community and made it better.

“For that, we thank them and, today, we celebrate them.

“Collectively the recipients, whose achievements span community service, science and research, industry, sport, the arts, and more, represent the very best of Australia.”

This year, across Australia, women received 46 per cent of awards (307 in total) in the General Division – the second highest percentage of female Order of Australia recipients in an honours list since the introduction of the Australian honours system in 1975.

More than 43 per cent of awards (292 in total) were for outstanding service or achievement in the community.

Ninety-two Australians were recognised for their contribution to Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These recipients will be added to the COVID-19 Honour roll.

ACT recipients of Queen’s Birthday Honours this year include:

Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)

• Professor Tanya Mary Monro. Physicist; Chief Defence Scientist, Defence Science and Technology Group, Department of Defence, since 2019. “For eminent service to scientific and technological development, to research and innovation, to tertiary education, particularly in the field of photonics, and to professional organisations.”
• Dr Brendan Francis Murphy. Secretary, Commonwealth Department of Health, since January 2020 (delayed until July 2020 due COVID-19). Chief Medical Officer, 2016-2020. ACT Australian of the Year, 2021. “For eminent service to medical administration and community health, particularly as Chief Medical Officer, and to nephrology, to research and innovation, and to professional organisations.”

Member of the Order (AM)

• Ms Bethlyn Jan Blackwood. CEO of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia; director of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. “For significant service to secondary education, and to youth.”
• Mr David Arthur Kenyon. Director of the Goodwin and Kenyon Group, and Kenyon Group of Companies; co-founder and director of the Kenyon Foundation; director of Brumbies Rugby Club – ACT and Southern NSW Rugby Union Ltd; trustee of the Newborn Intensive Care Foundation, Canberra Hospital. “For significant service to the community of the ACT region.”
• Emeritus Professor Valerie Anne Kirk. Artist and tapestry weaver; Emeritus Professor at ANU School of Art and Design; artist-in-residence at Craft ACT: Craft Design Centre. “For significant service to tertiary arts education, and as an artist and curator.”
• Mr Ross Stewart MacDiarmid. Former CEO of the Royal Australian Mint (2010–20); Secretary-General of the Mint Directors Conference Association. “For significant service to public administration, and to the community through a range of roles.”
• Professor Rory Medcalf. Professor and Head, National Security College, Australian National University, since 2015; Fellow, Sea Power Centre, Royal Australian Navy. “For significant service to international relations, and to tertiary education.”
• Professor Imogen Ann Mitchell. ACT Health Directorate: Clinical Director, ACT COVID-19 Response; Chair, ACT Clinical Leadership Forum. Canberra Hospital: Senior Intensive Care Specialist. Southern NSW Local Health Care District: ICU Medical Lead. “For significant service to intensive care medicine, and to tertiary education.”
• Mrs Barbara Anne Slotemaker de Bruine. Member, Australian Women’s Team, 1964 (first team to defeat Great Britain); achieved Australian ranking of No. 3. Former Squash Australia national coaching director; coach of Australian junior champions Stewart Boswell and Laura Keating. Former Squash ACT director of coaching. “For significant service to squash as a player, administrator, and coach.”
• Mr Michael John Ward CSC. Former Australian Army officer (1981–99). Managing director of Raytheon Australia; Vice President, Raytheon Technologies Australia. Former member of Air Warfare Destroyer Board, Air Warfare Destroyer Principles Council, Defence Industry Innovation Board. Member, Prime Minister’s Industry Advisory Committee on Veterans’ Employment, since 2017. “For significant service to the defence industry.”

Medal of the Order (OAM)

• Ms Michelle Louise Coffill. Australian Public Service Commission senior advisor. Former secretary of Hear No Evil Australian Deaf Dog Rescue. Dog and cat rescuer, 20 years. “For service to public administration, and to animal welfare.”
• Mrs Dorothy Ann Danta. Canberra International Music Festival former president, current Festival Ambassador. “For service to the arts, particularly to music festivals.”
• Mrs Maria Krystyna Doogan. Former ACT Special Magistrate and coroner. “For service to the law, and to the judiciary.”
• Mrs Iryna Dvoskina. Coach, Para Athletics Sprints and Jumps, Athletics Australia and Australian Institute of Sport, since 2003. Athletics coach, Ukrainian Paralympic Team, 1995-2002. “For service to paralympic athletics.”
• Mrs Maureen Louise Hickman. Former president of the Royal Commonwealth Society (ACT); former vice-president of the Canberra Schizophrenia Fellowship (later the Canberra Mental Illness Fellowship). “For service to the community of the ACT.”
• Mrs Rosemary Margaret Hyde. Canberra Repertory Society member since 1969; director, Old Time Music Hall, 1974–2008. “For service to the performing arts.”
• Ms Jennifer Avriel Kemarre Martiniello. Writer, poet, photographer, and visual artist. Member of the Australia Council for the Arts. “For service to the creative and visual arts.”
• Mr Christopher Peter Latham. Conductor, violinist, and curator, specialising in new music, Australian music, and lost repertoire. Australian War Memorial inaugural musical artist-in-residence (musical director), since 2017. “For service to the performing arts, particularly to music.”
• Ms Emma Siobhan Macdonald. Associate Editor, HerCanberra. Former Canberra Times senior reporter, 1994–2016. Women in Media – ACT Convenor. “For service to journalism, and to women.”
• Ms Anna Senior. Costume Designer, Canberra Repertory Society. Costume designer, Australian film and television industry, 45 years, including The Getting of Wisdom (1978), My Brilliant Career (1979), Breaker Morant (1980), and Phar Lap (1983). Former lecturer and advisor on costume, National Film and Sound Archives. “For service to the visual arts through costume design.”
• Mr Adrian Walsh. Scouts Australia adult leader, 55 years. Former branch commissioner of Scouts ACT. “For service to youth through Scouts.”
• Ms Liesel Wett. Chief Executive Officer, Australian Pathology; chair of Goodwin Aged Care Services. “For service to medical administration.”

“The Order of Australia belongs to all Australians,” the Governor-General said. “In addition to the characteristics of selflessness, excellence, and service, each recipient in the Order has something else in common: someone has taken the time to nominate them for recognition.

“Please consider nominating someone outstanding from your community for recognition. The Order belongs to each of us, and we all have a part to play. The only way a person can be recognised through the Order of Australia is for someone to nominate them.”

Meritorious Awards

Public Service Medal – Federal

• Dr Sally Box: For outstanding public service for her exceptional leadership in guiding the Australian Government’s environmental response to the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.
• Mr Alistair Lachlan Campbell: For outstanding public service in providing critical and innovative data support and analytical services which underpinned the whole-of-government COVID-19 response with outstanding contribution and sustained effort in support of the government.
• Ms Samantha Elizabeth Chard: For outstanding public service in establishing Australia’s Radioactive Waste Agency and identifying a suitable site for a permanent radioactive waste management facility.
• Professor Phillip Randolph Cummins: For outstanding public service in scientific leadership in pioneering and leading research programs to reduce risk from earthquakes and tsunamis in Australia and the Asia-Pacific.
• Ms Michelle Julie Curry (Ainsworth): For outstanding public service in promoting the respectful use of the Ngunnawal language across ABC Canberra.
• Ms Jacqueline Ann Curtis: For outstanding public service in driving change and building capability in the Australian Public Service as inaugural Head of the APS Human Resources Profession.
• Dr Lucas De Toca: For outstanding public service through leadership in managing the successful COVID-19 vaccine rollout through primary health care.
• Ms Teresa Ann Dickinson: For outstanding public service in the development of data and statistics, in particular for her instrumental role and sustained level of service in delivering the 2021 Census of Population and Housing.
• Ms Niamh Marie Dobson: For outstanding public service through her work in managing Australia’s relationship with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, particularly in supporting and establishing the global COVAX Facility.
• Ms Joanne Leigh Evans: For outstanding public service in leading the development and implementation of Australia’s climate policies, including building partnerships across government to provide robust evidence-based policy.
• Ms Susan Helen Flanagan: For outstanding public service in leading the largest consular response in Australian history by facilitating the safe return of Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Ms Jodie Leanne Grieve: For outstanding public service through leadership in managing the national public health communications response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Ms Penelope Ireland: For outstanding public service in the design and successful implementation of three COVID-19 response initiatives – the Jobs Hub, Workforce Contact Centre, and Employer Response Unit.
• Dr Elisabeth Alexandra Kerr: For outstanding public service to the health and wellbeing of Australians, primarily for work as the scientific force behind the regulation of breast implants globally.
• Ms Rebekah Ruth Kilpatrick: For outstanding public service in leading the development and launch of the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030 and its associated First Commonwealth Action Plan and First National Action Plan.
• Ms Alison Dell Larkins: For outstanding public service in policy innovation and leadership to enhance settlement outcomes for refugees and migrants.
• Ms Helen Zeta McCormack: For outstanding public service to Australia’s agriculture sector, particularly in addressing critical workforce shortages following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Mr Garrett McDonald: For outstanding public service in performing a leadership role during the bushfires and COVID-19 crises, being instrumental in quickly developing new capability to allow Services Australia to respond to unprecedented levels of demand.
• Ms Danielle Joy Regeling: For outstanding public service to Service Australia’s support for Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating between Services Australia and primary partners including the Department of Health and national Health Providers.
• Mr Simon Joseph Writer: For outstanding public service in delivering an extensive legislative program, including comprehensive legislation packages in response to the Financial Services Royal Commission and the Government’s economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Public Service Medal – ACT

• Dr Damian Paul West: For outstanding public service and strategic leadership and development of the ACT Public Service.

Australian Corrections Medal – ACT

• Mr Jason Bernard Russell

Australian Fire Service Medal – ACT

• Mr Peter Ronald Coble
• Mr Matthew Charles Dutkiewicz
• Mr Gregory Stephen Potts

Ambulance Service Medal – ACT

• Mr Peter Andrew Le Lievre

Emergency Services Medal – ACT

• Mrs Tammy Raylene Bennett
• Mr Cameron Beresford
• Mr Stephen Douglas Forbes (now living in NSW)
• Mr Nathan Daniel Henderson-Smith (now living in NSW)
• Mr Adrian Gordon Manning
• Mr Philip Lawrence Nolen