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Leading creative Victorians recognised in 2021 Queen's Birthday honours

17 June 2021

David McAllister has been awarded the highest accolade in the Australian honours system– the Companion of Australia (AC) – along with only five other Australians.

Black and white image of man in a bow tie and suit staring at the camera with naked torsos around him
David McAllister

The honour upgrades his previous AM recognition in 2004, acknowledging his ‘eminent service to the performing arts, particularly to ballet both nationally and internationally, to artistic directorship and dance education, and as a mentor’.

The Australian Ballet’s former Artistic Director last month received the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award – the highest award from London’s Royal Academy of Dance.

An Order of Australia Medal went to sculptor and mosaic artist Deborah Halpern. Halpern’s 35-year career is noted for her works in public space, including Angel, which was commissioned for the moat of the NGV before moving to the bank of Birrarung near Federation Square.

McAllister and Halpern are two of the thirty-seven creative Victorians recognised with prestigious Queen’s Birthday Honours for 2021.

Honourees in the preforming arts sector included Lee Christofis, who received a Member of the Order for his ‘significant service to the performing arts, particularly to dance’ and Colin Cornish for ‘services to performing arts with music and youth’.

Order of Australia Medals were conferred to artistic directors HelenMadden and Elaine Mitchell, as well as musicians including Adrian Bartak, Charles Colman and Joan Glen.

Leaders in architecture, including Nonda Katsalidis, Susan Carr, Roger Poole, Shelley Penn and Charles Justin, have been honoured.

In film and media AMs were awarded to Ricci Swart for service to the media and film industries, and Mandy Walker for her service to film as a cinematographer.

For service to the arts, honourees included Rose Downer and Dindy Vaughan, as well as Clive Scott for service to cultural tourism.

Brian Wise and Pamela Vardy received OAMs for services to radio media and Julie Watts for her service to literature as a publisher.

Philanthropy and leadership in the arts was spotlighted with honours going to Ian HicksSusan Beaufort MorganJames OstroburskiJennifer Florence Brukner and Elizabeth Cousins, among others.

The General Division of the Order of Australia has four levels; the Companion of the Order (AC) is the highest civilian award; followed by Officer of the Order (AO), Member of the Order (AM) and Medal of the Order (OAM).

A list of all Australians honoured can be found at www.gg.gov.au

The full list of awarded creative Victorians is below.

Creative Victorians who received Queen’s Birthday Honours:

Companion of the Order

David McAllister

For eminent service to the performing arts, particularly to ballet both nationally and internationally, to artistic directorship and dance education, and as a mentor.

Officer of the Order

Ian William Hicks

For distinguished service to the community through philanthropic support for the arts, education and social welfare bodies.

Member of the Order

Emeritus Professor Jaynie Louise Anderson

For significant service to tertiary education, particularly to art history in Australia.

Professor Kevin John Brophy

For significant service to tertiary education, and to creative writing.

Susan Carr

For significant service to interior design, to education, and to women in business.

Lee Christofis

For significant service to the performing arts, particularly to dance.

Colin Cornish

For significant service to the performing arts, to music, and to youth.

Elizabeth Ann Cousins

For significant service to the community through charitable initiatives.

Dr John Christopher Daley

For significant service to public policy development, and to the community.

Rose Downer

For significant service to the visual and performing arts as a patron and supporter

Louise Mary Gourlay

For significant service to the community through charitable initiatives.

Charles Justin

For significant service to the museums sector, to arts administration, and to architecture.

Nonda (Epaminondas) Katsalidis

For significant service to architecture, and to sustainable construction innovations.

Peter Godfrey McMullin

For significant service to business, to the law, and to the community.

Shelley Penn

For significant service to architecture and design in the public realm, and to professional institutes.

Clive Ian Scott

For significant service to the hotel accommodation industry, and to the arts.

Ricci Swart

For significant service to the media and film industries, and to the community.

Amanda (Mandy) Walker

For significant service to film as a cinematographer, and to professional societies.

Medal of the Order

Adrian Bartak

For service to music.

Jax Jacki Brown

For service to people with disability.

Sister Deirdre Patrice Browne

For service to the community as a religious sister, and through music, education and the liturgical arts.

Jennifer Florence Brukner

For service to the community through charitable organisations.

Charles Colman

For service to music.

Abigail Margaret Forsyth

For service to sustainable design.

Joan Glen

For service to music.

Deborah Halpern

For service to the arts.

Tom McCullough

For service to the galleries sector.

Helen Madden

For service to the performing arts as an artistic director and creative producer.

Elaine Myfanwy Mitchell

For service to the performing arts.

Susan Beaufort Morgan

For service to the community through charitable initiatives.

James Ostroburski

For service to the community through charitable organisations.

Arthur Papadimitriou

For service to the galleries sector.

Roger William Poole

For service to architecture, and to the community

Janet Patricia Synot

For service to the arts, to the community, and to badminton.

Dindy Vaughan

For service to the arts.

Julie Deirdre Watts

For service to literature as a publisher.

Brian Wise

For service to the broadcast media, particularly to radio.