Media Release by The Hon Tanya Pibersek MP

Queen’s birthday 2008 honours list

165 outstanding women have been honoured in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

These women have been recognised by the community for their extraordinary service and are an inspiration to not only women and girls all over Australia, but to the community at large.

Women figured prominently in the community area as well as in medicine, and the arts.

138 women were honoured out of a total of 458 (30.1%) in the General Division of the Order of Australia.

Four women were appointed as an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia:

  • Mrs Dorothy Hoddinott, for service to education and the teaching profession, particularly through the Australian Joint Council of Professional Teaching Associations and through the professional development of teachers of English as a second language, and to the community through the support of immigrant and refugee students.
  • Ms Patricia Faulkner, for service to the community through the development and implementation of public policy relating to health, aged care, children’s services, disability services and housing.
  • Ms Joanna Hewitt, for service to the community, particularly through significant contributions to Australia’s agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors, to cross departmental policy formulation and delivery, and to international relations through fostering diplomatic, trade and cultural interests.
  • Ms Kim McKay, for service to the environment through executive public relations roles with a range of organisations, particularly as co-founder of Clean Up Australia and Clean Up the World, and to the community.

Thirty-five women were appointed as Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia.

They include:

  • Mrs Ellen Boyd, for service to youth, particularly through the Guiding movement as State Commissioner, Victoria, and to the community as a contributor to a range of women’s organisations.
  • Ms Dorothy Buckland-Fuller MBE, for service to the community as a contributor to a range of social justice, ethnic and migrant women’s organisations and through raising awareness of issues affecting women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
  • Mrs Mollie Campbell-Smith MBE, for service to the community of Tasmania, particularly through the promotion of issues that affect the interests of women and to a range of organisations involved in the areas of health and aged care.

A further 99 women were awarded the Medal (OAM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia.

I look forward to seeing a greater proportion of women represented in the honours list next year.