The Order of Australia is the highest award in the Australian honours system. The award recognises people who have demonstrated outstanding service and achievement.
Any member of the community can nominate an outstanding peer at any time of the year. Nominations can be from individuals, community groups, businesses or a professional body. Nominations by a group carry the same weight as nominations by an individual.
As nominations are confidential. You may ask someone, such as a friend or colleague of the nominee, for information but please ask that they do not discuss the nomination with the nominee.
Who can be nominated?
Your nominee is any living Australian citizen or permanent resident who has made outstanding contributions to society.
Their contributions may have been through professional endeavours. For example, in sports, arts, environment, legal, media, science and technology. Nominees may also be volunteers in their respective field who go above and beyond.
Previous Order of Australia recipients are eligible for contributions made since their original awarding. You should consider nominating them for a higher-level honour, such as an AC, AO, or AM.
Deceased persons are not eligible unless they were alive at the time of their nomination. A nominated person’s next-of-kin will be contacted and asked whether they wish to accept an award on behalf of a deceased awardee.
Prepare your nomination
Submit your nomination by using the online form on the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia website.
To nominate someone, your application should include:
- Your name and contact details
- The nominee’s name and contact details
- The names and contact details of up to 4 referees who can comment on the nomination
In the form you will need to answer a series of questions about:
- How you know the nominee
- Why they are worthy of recognition with an Order of Australia
- The roles and contributions they have made (paid and or unpaid).
There is a section where you can upload documents to your nomination. This will provide records of your nominee’s services and achievements. Saved applications must be completed and submitted within 14 days. You can download a Word template to draft your nomination.
What makes a strong nomination?
The Council for the Order of Australia looks for nominees who have gone above and beyond in their contributions to Australian society.
Consider the ways your nominee has been exceptional. How have they made a positive impact in their community, Australia, or humanity at large?
Provide as much information as possible about why your nominee is deserving of acknowledgment. Helpful information to include is:
- Any previous awards and recognitions they have received
- Dates and periods of their contributions.
The Council for the Order of Australia will determine the level of the award your nominee receives.
How can I find out information about my nominee?
Not being able to talk to your nominee about the information you need may seem daunting. There are other ways you can find out the information you need for a strong nomination.
Try using these sources to help you with your research:
- Use websites such as LinkedIn to research your nominee’s past achievements. You can also connect with potential referees.
- Contact their friends, family, or colleagues to help with your research. This is helpful especially if you do not know the nominee on a personal basis.
- Your nominee may have received recognition or an award from their work, industry, or community. Reach out to these connections for information to help with your nomination.
Nominating as a group may help with research and finding referees for your nominee. You may wish to get together in person or you can collaborate via email. If you nominate as a group, you will need to choose one person as the point of contact for the nomination.
Choosing referees
Referees help the Council for the Order of Australia research your nominee’s achievements and contributions. A referee can be:
- from an organisation the nominee has worked or volunteered for; or
- Industry experts who can speak to your nominee’s achievements
Referees do not need to submit anything with the nomination form. Only some of the referees may be contacted to comment. Ensure each referee is willing to support the nomination. Use the email template at the bottom of this page as a starting point or call them.
You may want to send the referees a copy of the nomination. This may help them to understand the nomination and think of relevant information.
Assessment process
Once submitted, you will receive a confirmation of your nomination.
The Council usually assesses nominations in February and August. The Council then makes recommendations to the Governor-General of Australia.
The Council assesses whether each nominee has:
- Demonstrated achievement at a high level
- Contributed over and above usual expectations through paid employment
- Made a voluntary contribution to the community which stands out from other volunteers.
Who is on the Council for the Order of Australia?
There are 19 members on the Council consisting of:
- Representatives from each state and territory; Public office holders (ex-officio)
- Community representatives.
The Governor-General appoints the community representatives on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
Announcement of the recipients
If your nomination is successful, the Australian Honours and Awards Secretariat (in Canberra) will contact the nominee. The Secretariat will confirm that the nominee is happy to accept the award.
The nominee may choose to decline the award. If accepted, the nominee will be awarded on either:
- Australia Day, 26 January
- King’s Birthday in June
Ready to nominate?
Further information
Need more help with your nomination? The Department of the Premier and Cabinet can provide support and advice with the nomination process.
Email honoursandawards@dpc.wa.gov.au or phone (08) 6552 5941.
