Published 08:38 IST, January 26th 2020
Australia Day Honours list 2020: Former PoW among 'exceptional' Australians honoured
The 2020 Australia Day Honours list has been announced. Georgie Stone and Colin Hamley --- the youngest and oldest recipients of the Order of Australia.
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The 2020 Australia Day Honours list has been announced. Georgie Stone is this year's youngest recipient of the medal of the Order of Australia for her work for transgender youth and parents alongside her mother who will also be receiving the medal.
The oldest recipient is Colin Hamley, a World War II veterans' advocate and a former Prisoner of War (PoW).
Honouring exceptional Australians
Colin Hamley, who is 97 also received the Order of Australia upon receiving the honour told local media that it was 'marvellous' to be recognised for all he has done. He also congratulated 19-year-old LGBTQ+ activist Georgie Stone, who is his youngest counterpart. This year Australia Day Honours list comprised of 41.6% women.
.@RebeRobbo Robertson and Georgie Stone received medals of the Order of Australia for their work as a mother-daughter team for transgender youth and parents. At age 19, the activist Georgie Stone is this year’s youngest honours recipient.@transcend2012https://t.co/B9zmpZVydJ pic.twitter.com/XHaDuODvlo
— kenton penley miller (@KentonPenley) January 25, 2020
The 2019 Honours list set its own record by comprising of 37.5% women. In the past, the list had a historical imbalance of only 33%. This years list, however, is still up by 1.6% when compared to the Queen's Honours list 2019 that came out in June last year.
In a statement, Governor General David Hurley said that this was all a part of a long-term and positive trend that he would like to see continue.
Warm congratulations to one of our longest serving Peer Ambassadors Sandy Jeffs, today awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia. Sandy is a powerful communicator and for three decades has shared her story to challenge perspectives on what it means to live with mental illness. pic.twitter.com/f46gd8XdV4
— SANE Australia (@SANEAustralia) January 25, 2020
Several Liberal politicians like former Queensland premier Campbell Newman, former New South Wales premier Barry O’Farrell, former Victorian premier Ted Baillieu and former immigration minister Amanda Vanstone also received honours this year.
Margaret Beazley, the current Governor of New South Wales was made a companion of the Order of Australia (AC).
Larissa Behrendt, the first indigenous women to graduate from Harvard University was made an officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
Australia Day 2020 Order of Australia Honours will be announced by the Governor-General tomorrow at https://t.co/LImyJMabYx #ItsAnHonour #DiversityInHonours #NominateAWoman pic.twitter.com/aUS1zFPBwI
— PM&C (@pmc_gov_au) January 25, 2020
08:38 IST, January 26th 2020