By Andrew Brown in Canberra
From indigenous rights advocates to domestic violence campaigners, winemakers and Olympic champions, Australians from all walks of life have been recognised in the Australia Day Honours List.
The 2025 list featured 457 recipients – 243 men and 213 women – aged from 14 to 98.
Constitutional lawyer Megan Davis was awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), the nation’s highest civilian honour, for her service to law and indigenous people.
She was among six recipients of the honour, alongside infectious diseases expert Allen Cheuk-Seng Cheng, High Court Justice James Edelman, arts patron Lyn Williams, human rights advocate Gillian Triggs and the late indigenous land rights activist Galarrwuy Yunupingu.
Prof Davis said it was “incredibly moving” to be named in the same company as Mr Yunupingu and one of her idols – native title proponent and previous recipient Lowitja O’Donoghue.
“(Dr O’Donoghue) was an extraordinary woman to watch and to witness as a female leader in a really male environment,” Prof Davis told AAP.
“They are giants of the movement. It’s really humbling to be in that company.”
Water safety pioneer Laurie Lawrence was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), which also recognised his work as Australia’s swimming coach at three Olympics.
Other Olympic champions from Australia’s recent campaign in Paris have also been honoured, with pole vaulter Nina Kennedy, BMX rider Saya Sakakibara, swimmer Cameron McEvoy and skateboarder Arisa Trew each awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
Late Liberal Party stalwart and former defence minister Kevin Andrews was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), with other political figures such as former Northern Territory chief minister Denis Burke (AM) and former attorney-general Duncan Kerr (AO) also on the list.
Domestic violence campaigners Suzanne and Lloyd Clarke said they were beyond humbled to receive an OAM.
The couple’s daughter Hannah, 31, and her three children were murdered in 2020 after their car was set alight by her estranged husband, which led to a national debate about domestic violence.
“It’s a lot of mixed emotions that come with the award and we hope Hannah would be proud of us too,” Mrs Clarke told AAP.
Other OAM recipients included Ross Matthews Brown, the executive director of the Brown Family Wine Group.
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