Australia Day Honours list 2020: Former PoW among 'exceptional' Australians honoured

The 2020 Australia Day Honours list has been announced. Georgie Stone is this year's youngest recipient of the medal of the Order of Australia for her work for transgender youth and parents alongside her mother who will also be receiving the medal.

The oldest recipient is Colin Hamley, a World War II veterans' advocate and a former Prisoner of War (PoW).

Honouring exceptional Australians

Colin Hamley, who is 97 also received the Order of Australia upon receiving the honour told local media that it was 'marvellous' to be recognised for all he has done. He also congratulated 19-year-old LGBTQ+ activist Georgie Stone, who is his youngest counterpart. This year Australia Day Honours list comprised of 41.6% women.

The 2019 Honours list set its own record by comprising of 37.5% women. In the past, the list had a historical imbalance of only 33%. This years list, however, is still up by 1.6% when compared to the Queen's Honours list 2019 that came out in June last year.

In a statement, Governor General David Hurley said that this was all a part of a long-term and positive trend that he would like to see continue.

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Several Liberal politicians like former Queensland premier Campbell Newman, former New South Wales premier Barry O’Farrell, former Victorian premier Ted Baillieu and former immigration minister Amanda Vanstone also received honours this year.

Margaret Beazley, the current Governor of New South Wales was made a companion of the Order of Australia (AC).
Larissa Behrendt, the first indigenous women to graduate from Harvard University was made an officer of the Order of Australia (AO).

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