Australia Day 2026 Honours List
The Australia Day 2026 Honours List recognises and celebrates 949 Australians, including awards in the Order of Australia (General and Military Divisions), meritorious awards and recognition for distinguished and conspicuous service. This represents an increase of over 200 more awards than on Australia Day last year.
The General Division of the Order of Australia
The 680 recipients of awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia (all recipients names and citations), include:
- 10 appointments as Companions of the Order of Australia
- 38 appointments as Officers of the Order of Australia
- 160 appointments as Members of the Order of Australia
- 472 awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia
Below is an abridged list of recipients with media ties. Currently updating.
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the General Division
Mr Mark Charles Armstrong, NSW
For distinguished service to media and communications law, to the development of public policy and regulation, and as an academic.
Communications and Media Law Association
- President, 1988-1990.
- Chair, 1976-1980.
- Founder.
Dr Michael Robert Carr-Gregg, Melbourne VIC
For distinguished service to child and adolescent psychology, to policy reform as an advocate and advisor, to youth cyber safety, and to the community.
- Program Psychologist, Sunrise, Seven Network, since 2005.
- Program Psychologist, 3AW Radio Melbourne Southern Cross, since 2005.
The Honourable Kristina Kerscher Keneally, NSW
For distinguished service to the people and the Parliament of Australia, to the Parliament of New South Wales, particularly as Premier, and to the community.
Media
- Co-Host, To the Point.
- Co-Host, Credlin Keneally, c2015.
- Political Columnist, The Guardian, 2014-2019
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division
Ms Kim Elizabeth Anderson, NSW
For significant service to literature, and to the publishing industry.
Nine Network
- Chief Content, Operations and Digital Officer, NineMSN.com.au, Nine Digital, 2000-2004.
- Executive Officer, Business Development, Publishing and Broadcasting Limited Media, 1995-2000.
The late Ms Leith Ester Boully
For significant service to conservation and the environment.
- Director, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2000-2007.
Ms Gail Iris Hambly, NSW
For significant service to the media and communications sector, to the arts, and to the legal profession.
Australian Associated Press
- Chair, 2021-2025.
- Former Non-Executive Director.
Fairfax Media Limited
- Group General Counsel, 1992-2019.
- Company Secretary, 1992-2019.
Media and Communications
- Advisory Board Member, Centre of Media and Communications Law, Melbourne University, current.
- Director, Stan Entertainment, 2017-2019.
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division
Dr Lainie Lee Anderson, SA
For service to community history.
- Columnist, Sunday Mail, Adelaide, 2006-2023.
- Radio Host, FIVEaa, 2008-2011.
- Sub-Editor, The Times, London, 1999-2001.
- Journalist, The Herald Sun, Melbourne, 1995-1998.
- Journalist, The Weekly Times, Melbourne, 1993-1994.
Mr Robert Bontschek, Melbourne VIC
For service to the Jewish community of Melbourne, and to the media.
IR Community Radio 88FM
- Founder, 2014.
- Vice President, 2014-2022.
- Station Manager, since 2014.
Mr Kenneth Charles Brown, QLD
For service to media, and to the community.
Media
- Founder, Coastwatch, 1989.
- Founder, Coastwatch website, mid-1991-2022.
- Producer/Presenter, Brownie’s Coastwatch News Reports, Channel 7 Brisbane, 1989-2014.
- Producer/Presenter, Brownies Coastwatch half hour show, 1994-1999.
- Producer/Publisher, ‘Brownie’s Beacon to Beacon’ coastal directories, 1993-2012.
- Producer/Presenter, Coastwatch Reports, Radio 4KQ, 1990-2020.
- Producer/Presenter, Coastal Information Reports, Radio 4BH, 1985-1989.
- Producer/Presenter, Weekend Weather, Channel 9 Brisbane, 1985-1986.
- Producer/Presenter, Weekend Weather, Channel 10 Brisbane, 1987-1998.
- Contributor, Coastal Information Page, Courier Mail & Sunday Mail & Sunday Sun, 1985-2014.
- Producer/Presenter, Coastal Information Reports, Radio 2UW Sydney, 1977-1983.
- Producer/Presenter Weather, Good Morning Australia, Channel 10 Sydney, 1981-1984.
Mrs Carolyn Claire Creswell, VIC
For service to the food industry as an entrepreneur.
Television Presenter and Guest
- Mentor and Judge, Recipe to Riches.
- Panellist, The Project; Studio Ten.
Mr Alex Leslie Dafner, Windsor VIC
For service to the Jewish community of Melbourne.
Theatre and Radio
- Presenter, Kadimah Yiddish Show, J-Air, since c2014.
- Executive Producer of Yiddish programs, SBS Radio, since c1995.
- Presenter and Producer, including Yiddish Weekly Report, SBS Radio, since 1980.
Mr Shyam Ratan Das, QLD
For service to the Indian community of Queensland.
Ethnic Broadcasting Association of Queensland (Radio 4EB)
- Director, since 2018.
- Convenor, Indian Programming Group Radio, 2015-2020.
The late Mr David Andrew Heard, VIC
For service to community radio.
Progressive Broadcasting Service Cooperative Ltd
- Founding Volunteer, 1979.
- Broadcaster, 1979-2021.
- Presenter, Acid Country, 1979-2021.
- Former Board Member.
- Former Member, Programming Committee.
- Former Member, Outside Broadcast Committee.
- Former Minute Taker.
Ms Rosamund Lesley Heit, QLD
For service to the community through a range of organisations.
CROW 90.7 Community Radio Wondai
- Chair, since 2021.
- Board Member, since 2014.
Ms Eliza Rachel Hull, Castlemaine VIC
For service to people with disability, and to the arts.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- Disability Arts and Culture Presenter, ABC Evenings, since 2024.
- Reporter, News and Current Affairs, 2021.
- Producer, ABC Breakfast Radio, 2020.
- Producer, ABC Kids, 2019-2020.
- Writer, ABC Kids, 2019-2020.
- Audio Producer and Writer, We’ve Got This, ABC Life, 2018-2019.
The late Ms Penelope Jones, Hawthorn East VIC
For service to medicine, particularly to spleen research.
- Presenter, Radiotherapy, 3RRR Community Radio, 2016-2025.
Ms Zoe Nanuma Kean, TAS
For service to science journalism.
- Author, Why Are We Like This: An Evolutionary Search for Answers to Life’s Big Questions, 2024.
- Features Reporter, ABC Radio Hobart.
- Darren Osborne Science Cadet, ABC Science Unit, 2019.
- Member, Science Journalists Association of Australia.
Mr Brett Allen Murray, Gold Coast QLD
For service to the media, and to motorsports
BAM Media Group
- Chief Executive Officer, since 1991.
- Founder, 1991.
- Mentor, to various athletes, entertainers, journalists and business elite.
- Manager and Developer, various major events including Bathurst 1000, Gold Coast 500, Gold Coast Marathon, Australian Open Golf.
- Founding Member, management team, V8 Supercars, 1996.
Speedcafe com
- Founder, 2009.
- Co-Owner, since 2022.
- Specialist contributor, community engagement, fundraiser.
Mr Roy Frederick Slade, Bray Park QLD
For service to the Samoan community of Queensland.
- 4EB Samoan Ethnic Community Broadcasting Group Brisbane
- Member, since 1995.
- Broadcaster and Panel Operator, since 2020.
Ms Naomi Arlene Simson, NSW
For service to business as an entrepreneur, and to leadership.
Media
- ‘Shark’, Shark Tank, Network Ten, 2015-2018.
- ‘Secret Millionaire’, The Secret Millionaire - Australia, 2009.
- Founder and Blogger, naomisimson.com, since 2006.
- Keynote Speaker, Saxton Speaker’s Bureau, since 2013.
- Global Influencer, LinkedIn, current.
- Columnist, Smart Company, The Australian, BRW and Marketing Magazine, ongoing.
- Panellist, The Drum ABC, 2021-2024.
Mr Walter Albin Suber, NSW
For service to the Slovenian community, and to the steel manufacturing industry.
Voice of Slovenian Australians, Sydney, 893FM Radio
- President, since 2024.
- Radio Presenter, current.
Mr Russell Henry Walkington, Broadbeach Waters QLD
For service to broadcast media.
4CRB Radio Station
- News Presenter and Afternoon Show Host, current.
- Broadcaster, since 1991.
Professional
- Presenter, Radio 4BH 882, 1969-1991.
- Announcer, Radio 2UE, 1955-1957.
- Announcer, Radio 2UW, 1958-1964.