The information was widely known. There was chatter going around about someone who would raise eyebrows being on the list. It isn’t an absolute embargo by any means. Lots of people associated with the winners know well in advance. So it wouldn’t be hard for the information to leak.
Not detracting from the awards, but getting someone on the honours list is a bit like writing your employment CV - except that usually a group of friends, colleagues or family do the work and submit a hopefully glowing list of your achievements and offer themselves as references or referees in support.
For every person who gets an award you could usually find many people with similar achievements who don’t. It’s just that no one has gone to the trouble of doing all the work and nominating them. The selection committee doesn’t actively seek out people to award.
Would be interesting to know who nominated Margaret Court this time as she has already been made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2007
for service to tennis as a player, as a mentor to junior female elite competitors and through professional development programs; and to the communities of Australia and Sri Lanka as the initiator of a range of pastoral care, social support and emergency accommodation projects.
Check out last year’s list of media personal who received awards.