The Order of Australia is an 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 the Australian Government. Before the establishment of the order,Australian citizens received British honours.
Bronwyn Kathleen Bishop is an Australian former politician. She was a member of federal parliament for almost 30 years,the longest period of service by a woman. A member of the Liberal Party,she was a minister in the Howard government from 1996 to 2001 and Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2015.
Michael Fayat Keenan is an Australian former politician who was a member of the House of Representatives representing the Division of Stirling for the Liberal Party from the 2004 federal election until his retirement in 2019. He was the Minister for Human Services and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Digital Transformation in the Morrison government from 2017 until his retirement. He previously served as Minister for Justice from 2013 to 2017.
The Attorney-General's Department,also known as the Department of the Attorney-General or AG’s Department,is the national law enforcement and justice department of the federal government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The attorney-general’s department is responsible for the enforcement and compliance of federal law,the administration of justice and the oversight of industrial relations affairs. The department oversees various agencies including the Australian Federal Police (AFP),the national Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) is an Australian Government public service central department of state with broad ranging responsibilities,primary of which is for intergovernmental and whole of government policy coordination and assisting the prime minister of Australia in managing the Cabinet of Australia. The PM&C was established in 1971 and traces its origins back to the Prime Minister's Department established in 1911.
Peter Joseph Noozhumurry Varghese is an Australian retired diplomat and public servant. He was the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 3 December 2012 to 22 July 2016. He announced in November 2015 that he would leave the position in July 2016 to become the chancellor of the University of Queensland.
Michael Pezzullo,is a former Australian public servant who served as Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs,from 2017 until 2023. Previous to this role he had been the Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection and before that,the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. His role as Secretary of Home Affairs,and employment in the Australian Public Service,was terminated following a review which found he had breached the Australian Public Service Code of Conduct at least 14 times. He was also found to have engaged in "gossip and disrespectful critique" of ministers.
Stephen Christopher Brady is a former Australian career diplomat. In 1999 he and his partner Peter Stephens became the world's first officially acknowledged same sex ambassadorial couple,when they were presented to Queen Margrethe II of Denmark at the start of Brady's posting as Australian Ambassador to Denmark. From September 2008 to June 2014 he was the Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia. During this time he was also Secretary of the Council of the Order of Australia and Secretary of the Bravery Decorations Council. In March 2014 his appointment as Ambassador to the French Republic,with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Morocco,Algeria,Mauritania and the Principality of Monaco was announced.
Martin Lee Parkinson is a senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Department of the Treasury between March 2011 and December 2014. On 3 December 2015 it was announced that he would return to the public service as Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. He retired from the position on 30 August 2019 and was replaced by Phil Gaetjens,former chief of staff to Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Parkinson has served as the Chancellor of Macquarie University since 2019.
Ian James Watt is a retired Australian public servant,best known for his time as Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from September 2011 to November 2014.
The Abbott government was the federal executive government of Australia led by the 28th Prime Minister Tony Abbott. The government was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition. The Leader of The Nationals,Warren Truss,served as Deputy Prime Minister. Following the 2013 Australian federal election held on 7 September,the Coalition defeated the second Rudd government,ending six years of Labor government. The Abbott government was sworn into office on 18 September 2013. Less than two years later on 14 September 2015,Malcolm Turnbull defeated Abbott in a leadership ballot,54 votes to 44 and the Turnbull government became the executive government of Australia.
Graham Charles Evans is a former senior Australian public servant and policymaker.
Sarah Jane "Jane" Halton is a former senior Australian public servant,current global health leader and former casino board member. She was the head of the Department of Health between January 2002 and June 2014,and the head of the Department of Finance from 2014 to 2016. She has held senior board roles with ANZ Bank,Clayton Utz,the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation,the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and Crown Casino. She was the Independent Chair of COTA Australia beginning December 2017. In 2020,she was appointed to the Morrison government's National COVID Commission.
Russell Allan Higgins is a former senior Australian public servant and policymaker.
David John Tune is a retired senior Australian public servant. Between 2009 and 2014 he was Secretary of the Australian Government Finance Department.
Blair Robert Comley is an economist. He is a former Secretary of the New South Wales Government Department of Premier and Cabinet,replaced by a new Secretary upon the election of the then Premier of NSW,The Hon Gladys Berejiklian.
Roger Bruce Wilkins is a former senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department between September 2008 and August 2014.
Finn Axel Pratt is a retired senior Australian public servant. He was most recently Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Energy.
Andrew Leigh Clarke is a former senior Australian public servant who served as Secretary of several departments and as Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull,before his retirement in April 2017. Since his retirement from the public service he has been appointed to the board of NBN Co and is to become chairman of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).
