Australian honours system

History

The Australian states and the Commonwealth of Australia originally used the Imperial honours system, also known as the British honours system. The creation in 1975 of the Australian Honours System saw Australian recommendations for the Imperial awards decline, with the last awards being gazetted in 1989. The Commonwealth of Australia ceased making recommendations for Imperial awards in 1983, with the last Queen's Birthday Australian Honours list submitted by Queensland and Tasmania in 1989. The Queen still confers upon Australians honours that emanate from her personally such as the Royal Victoria Order, apart from the Order of Australia. Only a handful of peerages and baronetcies were created for Australians. Some were in recognition of public services rendered in Britain rather than Australia. Hereditary peerages and baronetcies derive from Britain. There have never been Australian peerages or baronetcies created under the Australian Crown.

Individual Australian states, as well the Commonwealth Government, were full participants in the Imperial honours system. Originally there was bipartisan support, but Australian Labor Party (ALP) governments, both national and state, ceased making recommendations for Imperial awards – in particular, appointments to the Order of the British Empire mainly after 1972. During the Second World War, the Governor-General, on the advice of wartime Labor governments, made recommendations for gallantry awards, including eleven for the Victoria Cross. Appointments to the Order of the British Empire were for officers and men engaged in operational areas.

In 1975, the ALP (which had been out of power federally from 1949 until 1972) created the Australian Honours System. Recommendations were processed centrally, but State Governors still had the power, on the advice of their governments, to submit recommendations for Imperial awards. From 1975 until 1983, the Liberal Party was in power federally, under Malcolm Fraser and, although it retained the Australian Honours System, it reintroduced recommendations for meritorious Imperial awards, but not for Imperial awards for gallantry, bravery or distinguished service. Recommendations for Imperial awards by the Federal Government ceased with the election of the Hawke Labor Government in 1983. In 1989, the last two states to make Imperial recommendations were Queensland and Tasmania. The defeat of both governments at the polls that year marked the end of Australian recommendations for Imperial awards.

Following the UK New Year Honours List in 1990, which contained no Australian nominations for British honours, the Queen's Private Secretary, Sir William Heseltine, wrote to the Governor-General, saying "this seems a good moment to consider whether the time has not arrived for Australia, like Canada, to honour its citizens exclusively within its own system". There followed more than two years of negotiations with State governments before the Prime Minister, Paul Keating, made the announcement on 5 October 1992 that Australia would make no further recommendations for British honours. The Australian Order of Wear states that "all imperial British awards made to Australian citizens after 5 October 1992 are foreign awards and should be worn accordingly".

The Australian Honours System has followed United States rather than British practice in allowing for late awards years after an action that is being commended. More than one hundred late awards for the Second World War and Vietnam have been gazetted. Although 'The Report of the inquiry into unresolved recognition for past acts of naval and military gallantry and valour' released in March 2013 did not recommend any belated Victoria Cross for Australia awards, it did recommend a Unit Citation for Gallantry to HMAS Yarra for February and March 1942. Similarly, Australian Bravery Awards have been gazetted years after the action being commended, including a Commendation for Brave Conduct awarded in 1987 to Robert Anderson for his courage in rescuing a child from a burning car at Kalgoorlie eight years earlier in 1979.

Nominating or applying for awards

Australians become recipients of each of the 55 different types of Australian awards and honours through one of two separate processes; by nomination or by application.

Nomination: Individual nominations may be made by members of the public or a community group for the Order of Australia and Australian Bravery Decorations. Nominations for Meritorious Service Awards are based on nominations from each specific organisation. The Department of Defence also nominates individuals for a range of service decorations. Non-Australians can be given honorary awards for "extraordinary service to Australia or humanity at large". Nomination forms for the Order of Australia are available through the Australian Honours Secretariat website, or upon application to the Honours Secretariat at Government House, Canberra or from any state Government House.

Application: Many of the honours or awards are based on an application by the recipient or a recommendation on their behalf. Awards that fall under this category include service awards for defence force and police personnel for operational service or to other individuals for special civilian services recognised by the Australian Government. Unlike Imperial bravery or gallantry awards, any person can nominate themselves for an Australian Bravery Award under the current design of the nomination form.

Categories of honours and awards

There are two broad categories of honours and awards.

Individual honours and awards

The Honours and the Awards in the Australian system are, and have been:

those within the Australian System of Honours and Awards;

those conferred by The Sovereign in exercise of the Royal Prerogative;

those within the Order of St John;

Imperial/British awards conferred before 6 October 1992; and

foreign awards, the acceptance and wearing of which have been authorised by the Governor-General.

Note that awards of the British Empire/United Kingdom are now foreign awards.

Military theatre and battle honours, honour titles and distinctions

The Australian Defence Force has a system of battle honours, theatre honours, honour titles and honour distinctions to recognise exemplary service by units (not individuals) in combat and combat-related roles. Normally, Defence Honours are not awarded below sub-unit level (an organisation normally commanded by a Major or equivalent). The recommendation for the award of battle honours, theatre honours, honour titles and honour distinctions is made by a Battle Honours Committee.

There are four categories of honours in the Defence system as follows:

Theatre Honour: A theatre of operations is defined as a geographic area in which a campaign or series of operations is conducted and for which an operational level joint or combined commander is appointed. A Theatre Honour can be made where a unit or sub-unit of any Corps is deployed under warlike conditions. Any unit that qualifies for a Battle Honour will automatically also qualify for a Theatre Honour. Examples of Theatre Honours awarded to Australian units include Gallipoli 1915, France and Flanders 1914–1918, Middle East 1941–1944, South West Pacific 1942–1945, Korea 1950–1953 and Vietnam 1965–1972.

Battle Honour: A battle is an operational action conducted under warlike conditions. A Battle Honour is defined as the title of a battle or a series of battles fought as a campaign, an action or an engagement and is awarded to close combat elements of a Combat Corps of the Australian Army, Australian Navy or Royal Australian Air Force as a public commemoration of outstanding achievement in battle(s), action or engagement. Examples of Battle Honours awarded to Australian units include the Landing at Anzac Cove, Hamel, Tobruk, Kokoda Track, Kapyong and Coral-Balmoral.

Honour Title: An Honour Title is awarded to any non-combat unit or sub-unit that is not entitled to a Battle Honour but which satisfies the same requirements for the award of a Battle Honour. An example of the award of an Honour Title is the title Coral, awarded to 102nd Field Battery for its outstanding achievement during the Battle of Coral–Balmoral in South Vietnam.

Honour Distinction: An Honour Distinction is defined as a public commemoration of creditable performance by a unit or sub-unit in an operation which does not attract a Theatre, Battle or Honour Title. Honour Distinctions are intended to recognise service under operational conditions in security-related, peace keeping and peace enforcement and similar operations. The first award of an Honour Distinction was the award made to the 17th Construction Squadron for the Australian contribution to the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) peacekeeping mission in Namibia in 1989 and 1990.

It is common that units claim Honours from original units with a historical connection to a military predecessors of the current Unit. For example, 4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment which is a modern amalgamated unit, is entitled to the previous Honours of the 3rd Battalion, the 4th Battalion as well as the World War I Honours of the 3rd and 4th Battalions First Australian Imperial Force. The term Battle Honour can be used to denote both battle and theatre honours.

Historically the system was drawn from the British system adopted during World War I but has been modified since. A relatively recent change is the introduction of the Honours for recognition of outstanding service in dangerous operations short of declared theatres of war. Defence also has a process of Defence and Service Commendations and other honours including the Army Combat Badge and Infantry Combat Badge which are awarded by Army Headquarters.

Order of Australia

The Order of Australia insignia were designed by Stuart Devlin in 1976. Devlin used the livery colours of the Australian Coat of Arms, gold and royal blue. He also translated an individual ball of wattle blossom into a simple convex golden disc with a rich texture of beads and radiating lines accentuating a ring of blue enamel representing the sea.

The disc is surmounted by an enamel Crown signifying the position of The Order of Australia as an Australian Royal Honour. The Sovereign is Head of the Order of Australia. The Governor-General is Principal Knight or Dame and Chancellor of the Order of Australia. The blue and gold theme is continued in the ribbon. Most of the insignia pieces are produced by the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra. The actual pieces for the two Divisions of the Order are identical: it is only the ribbon which differentiates an award between the General and the Military Divisions. In the Military Division the ribbon is distinguished by the addition of a narrow gold band on each edge.

When established, only the grades of Member, Officer and Companion of the Order existed. In 1976, Malcolm Fraser recommended to Queen Elizabeth II the addition of the Medal and grade of Knight and Dame in the Order. The grade of Knight and Dame was removed on the advice of Prime Minister Bob Hawke in 1986 without prejudice to any person who had been admitted to the Order at that grade. The grade of Knight and Dame was restored on the advice of Tony Abbott in March 2014. Currently there are four grades within the Order in both Military and General Divisions, and an additional grade of Knight and Dame within the General Division only. People cannot be admitted to the Order posthumously; if a person is successfully nominated but dies prior to the scheduled announcement, the date of effect of the award is deemed to be a date before they died.

The Council for the Order of Australia makes recommendations to the Governor-General as to the appropriateness of a nominee to be admitted to the Order and at what grade. It is up to the Honours Secretariat to provide the council with as much fully verified information as is possible on each nominee so that appropriate consideration may be given to each case. This is a long process and up to eighteen months can elapse between the original submission and publication of a successful nomination.

General Division ribbon

Military Division ribbon

Classes

Knight / Dame of the Order of Australia (AK / AD)

Appointments to this class of the Order ceased between 3 March 1986 and 25 March 2014. A maximum of four knights and dames were appointed each year. In November 2015, the Australian government announced that the Queen approved the Government's request to amend the Order's letters patent and cease awards in this class, after Cabinet agreed that the titles are no longer appropriate in the modern awards system. The full list is at List of Knights and Dames of the Order of Australia.

Companion of the Order of Australia (AC)

Appointments are made for eminent achievement and merit of the highest degree in service to Australia or to humanity at large. Excluding honorary appointments, no more than 35 Companions shall be appointed in any calendar year. The full list is at List of Companions of the Order of Australia.

Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)

Appointments made for distinguished service of a high degree to Australia or to humanity at large. Excluding honorary appointments, no more than 140 Officers shall be appointed in any calendar year.

Member of the Order of Australia (AM)

Appointment made for service in a particular locality or field of activity or to a particular group. Excluding honorary appointments, no more than 340 Members shall be appointed in any calendar year.

Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)

Awarded for service worthy of particular recognition. There is no quota limit on awards of the Medal of the Order.

Knights and Dames

Bold names are living recipients. These have included:

Gallantry

Victoria Cross for Australia (VC)

Star of Gallantry (SG)

Medal for Gallantry (MG)

Commendation for Gallantry

Bravery

Cross of Valour (CV)

Star of Courage (SC)

Bravery Medal (BM)

Commendation for Brave Conduct

Group Bravery Citation

Distinguished/Conspicuous/Nursing Service

Distinguished Service

Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)

Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)

Commendation for Distinguished Service

Conspicuous Service

Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC)

Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM)

Nursing Service

Nursing Service Cross (NSC)

Meritorious Service

Public Service Medal (PSM)

Australian Police Medal (APM)

Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM)

Ambulance Service Medal (ASM)

Emergency Services Medal (ESM)

Australian Antarctic Medal (AAM)

Campaign and Overseas Service

Australia Service Medal 1939–45

Civilian Service Medal 1939–1945

Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975

Australian Service Medal 1945–1975

Australian Active Service Medal

Australian General Service Medal Korea

Australian Service Medal

Vietnam Medal

Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal

International Force East Timor Medal (INTERFET)

Rhodesia Medal

Police Overseas Service Medal

Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal

Afghanistan Medal

Iraq Medal

Operational Service Medal for Border Protection

Operational Service Medal for Greater Middle East Operation

Australian Operational Service Medal (Civilian variant)

Special Service

National Police Service Medal

Australian Defence Medal

National Emergency Medal

Commemorative

80th Anniversary Armistice Remembrance Medal

Australian Sports Medal

Centenary Medal

Anniversary of National Service 1951–1972 Medal

Long Service

Defence Force Service Medal

Reserve Force Decoration (RFD)

Reserve Force Medal

Defence Long Service Medal

National Medal

Australian Cadet Forces Service Medal

Champion Shots

Champion Shots Medal (Australia)

Royal honours

The Sovereign confers honours upon Australians in exercise of the Royal Prerogative (rather than through the government). Bold names are living recipients. These have included:

Imperial honours

Imperial honours awarded to Australians, if awarded since 5 October 1992, are no longer part of the Australian honours system, and are foreign awards. Bold names are living recipients.

Prior to 6 October 1992, such honours were part of the Australian system (and awards made prior to that date still retain legal recognition in Australia):

Foreign honours – including UN and NATO service

Specific foreign awards are not mentioned on the Order of Wear document – just the general comment that foreign awards appear after the awards mentioned.

A list of foreign honours commonly awarded to Australians appears at Australian Honours Order of Wearing#Foreign awards.

A list of foreign awards commonly awarded to Australians for campaign and peacekeeping service appears at Australian Campaign Medals#Foreign awards.

Permission for formal acceptance and wearing of foreign awards is given by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Prime Minister or the Minister responsible for Australian honours.

Additional information regarding UN medals can be found on the Australian Defence Force website.