The Australian honours and awards system refers to all orders, decorations, and medals, as instituted by letters patent from the Monarch of Australia and countersigned by the Australian prime minister at the time, that have been progressively introduced since 14 February 1975. The Australian honours and awards system excludes all state and local government, and private, issued awards and medals (although a few can be recognised in the order of wearing, like those in the Order of St John).[1]
Honours and awards have been present in Australia since pre-Federation, primarily from the Imperial honours and awards system.[2] This Imperial system remained in place until its full phase out in 1994 (although the Monarch of Australia may still confer some of these honours to Australians in their personal capacity).[3] Between 1975 and 1992, the Australian honours and awards system and the Imperial honours and awards system operated in parallel, although the last Imperial awards to be made were in June 1989.[3]
The Australian honours and awards system consists of honours, which are appointments to orders of chivalry (namely the Order of Australia), and awards (which are decorations and medals – decorations are medals for valour, gallantry, bravery, and distinguished or conspicuous service).[4] Medals include meritorious service medals, operational service medals, campaign medals, long service medals, commemorative medals, and the Champion Shots medal.
Both the Order of Australia, which has a General Division and Military Division (distinguished by gold banding on the edges of the ribbon), and the Australian Operational Service Medal, which has a special civilian ribbon for Defence civilians awarded it, are unique in the Australian honour and awards system in distinguishing between military and civilian awardees (although some awards in the Australian honours and awards system can only be earned by military personnel).
The Australian honours and awards system recognises the contributions of individuals, and for the Group Bravery Citation, Unit Citation for Gallantry, and Meritorious Unit Citation, the efforts of individuals as a group (the unit citations for meritorious service and gallantry also recognise members currently posted to those units, so long as they remain posted there, but without the display of the Federation Star device on those decorations that signifies personal contribution to the granting of that award).[5] Most honours and awards are announced on Australia Day (26 January) and the King's Birthday holiday (June), with the exception of the bravery awards (typically announced in March and August), and the Australian Antarctic Medal (announced on 21 June), although some military medals are awarded all year round (as most are not gazetted).
- ^ Defence Honours and Awards and Commendations Policy Review (PDF). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia. 2008. pp. 1, 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ Defence Honours and Awards and Commendations Policy Review (PDF). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia. 2008. pp. 4–5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ a b Defence Honours and Awards and Commendations Policy Review (PDF). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia. 2008. p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Orders, Decorations, and Medals". Army Manual of Dress (PDF). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia. 2017. pp. 6–2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ "Unit Citations for Gallantry and Meritorious Service". Defence Honours and Awards Manual (PDF). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia. 2017. pp. 9–2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
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