Family violence crusader, centenarian and innovators named in King’s Birthday Honours
SA royal commissioner into family violence and former leader of the Australian Democrats wins top honour in the King’s Birthday roll.
Natasha Stott Despoja, the former leader of the Australian Democrats, has been appointed a companion of the Order of Australia on the King’s birthday honours roll.
Former Liberal premier of Tasmania Will Hodgman and Australian-American mathematician Prof Terence Tao were also among those recognised.
Stott Despoja, 56, was previously made an officer of the order in 2019, sitting just below companion.
She is the founding chair of Our Watch, the national organisation to prevent violence against women and their children, and was Commissioner of the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence that was completed in 2025.
A trailblazer, she entered politics at the age of 22 and, at 26, became the youngest woman to serve in federal parliament when she was appointed to the senate.
Hodgman was working as a child protection prosecutor when the “fire” in his heart was first lit to get into politics to better protect society’s most vulnerable.
Hodgman, who led Tasmania between 2014 and 2020, considers the implementation of his state’s plan to reduce family violence during his government’s term as one of its most important changes.
“Seeing how governments cannot adequately protect and care for vulnerable people in communities right across the world, but including in my home state, was something I thought I’d like to improve,” he said.
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“It was that fire in my heart to seek to enter our parliament and pursue what were one of the most significant reforms.”
The former Liberal premier has been awarded Australia’s highest civil honour, the Companion of the Order (AC), for eminent service to the people and parliament of Tasmania, to economic growth and policy reform, to the law and to the community.
“It’s quite a deep mix of emotions … immense pride and gratitude,” he said.
Hodgman, who also served as the nation’s high commissioner to Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic, lives in Queensland, where he chairs the boards of Trade and Investment Queensland and Invest Gold Coast.
“This honour reinforces in my mind the responsibility, but also the opportunity, to keep contributing in whatever ways I can, and to live up to all that it represents,” he said.
Governor-General Sam Mostyn announced the King’s Birthday 2026 Honours List late Sunday, celebrating 949 people for their service to the community.
More than 700 people were recognised in the Order of Australia general division.
Five of those were appointed the Companion of the Order (AC), 40 were made Officer of the Order (AO), 83 were appointed Member of the Order (AM) and 475 were awarded the Medal of the Order (OAM).
South Australian defence leader James “Jim” McDowell was recognised with an Officer of the Order of Australia for his “distinguished service to public administration, to the defence capability industry, to science and technology and to education governance”.
He is now the ASC board chair and previously led SA defence company Nova Systems.
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McDowell is a former chief executive of the Department of Premier and Cabinet and is serving, or has served, on the board of businesses and groups including the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Air Warfare Destroyer Principals Council and the Adelaide Football Club.
Others to be appointed to Companion of the Order include accomplished mathematician Terence Chi-Shen Tao, William Rawlinson for his research and education in public health and Janet Calvert-Jones, a philanthropist from the Murdoch dynasty.
The late Dr Katie Allen, who served as a Victorian Liberal MP from 2019 to 2022, was appointed an Officer of the Order.
She died at the age of 59 in December after developing a rare form of cancer.
Katie Allen died of cancer in December. Photo: AAP
Allen authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications in leading medical journals and was an authority on paediatric food allergy, changing how it is diagnosed and managed in Australia and abroad.
The youngest recipient of an award is 34-year-old Sarah Ward OAM, recognised for her service to the community through social welfare organisations.
The eldest is 106-year-old Florence Drury OAM, for her service in a range of roles.
Former Queensland police commissioner Steve Gollschewski – who retired earlier this year after a 46-year career – was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to law enforcement, to counter-terrorism activities, and to the community.
A lifelong volunteer, Florence Drury turned 106 in march. Photo: Facebook/Sam O’Connor
The three categories of King’s Birthday Honours include Order of Australia honours, meritorious awards, and distinguished and conspicuous military decorations.
The honours were split between 471 men and 229 women.
Rob Kerin, the former Liberal Premier of South Australia from October 2001 to March 2002, received an AO.
He was chair of the South Australian Football Commission from 2020-2026, chair of Adelaide Oval from 2022- 2026 and chair of Primary Producers SA from 2013-2021.
“I am delighted to announce and congratulate the remarkable Australians receiving honours in the 2026 King’s Birthday list,” Mostyn said.
“The work of our award recipients, and the contributions of the thousands of Australians who have been nominated and recognised throughout the history of our honours system, is something we can take great pride in celebrating.”
– with AAP
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