Soccer star and musical pioneer help women make history
Women are at the heart of the King’s Birthday Honours list for the first time in its history.
Singer Marina Prior is among recipients of the King's Birthday honours. (AAP Image/Con Chronis)
From artists to scientists and ex-politicians, more than 1000 Australians have been recognised, with women making up more than 50 per cent of appointments.
Former Matildas vice captain and lawyer Moya Dodd was among those appointed an Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia on Sunday night for her work as an advocate for gender equality in football.
Dodd was instrumental in the campaign to overturn a ban on women wearing headscarves on the soccer pitch, as well as pushing to include women on the FIFA executive committee.
Indigenous singer-songwriter Shellie Morris received the same honour in recognition of her contributions to Australian music and her advocacy for First Nations people.
Morris was the Northern Territory Australian of the Year in 2014.
Her 2013 album, Together We Are Strong, was the first by an Indigenous contemporary female to be sung entirely in the native languages of the Gulf Country.
Recipients of the highest honour – the Companion (AC) of the Order of Australia – include former federal Labor minister Jenny Macklin, former West Australian premier Colin Barnett and the late comedian and entertainer Barry Humphries.
Other recipients include author Tim Winton, addiction medicine specialist Robert Ali, philanthropist Robert Milner and Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp who all received AOs.
Comedians Judith Lucy and Ben Elton were recognised for their service to the arts, both receiving a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia.
Marina Prior, currently starring in the Australian production of Mary Poppins, has been recognised with an AM for services to musical theatre, while Pamela Rabe was awarded for her work as a performer and director.
Gynaecologist Glen Liddell-Mola (AO) was recognised after dedicating decades of his life to women’s health in Papua New Guinea.
The majority of the awards were in the general division of the Order of Australia, with 621 people given OAMs and 246 honoured with an AM.
About 43 per cent of recipients were given awards for their service to the community.
The youngest recipient was aged 30 and the eldest was 97.
