Past Honorary Award recipients

Council confers the degree of Doctor of the University in recognition of distinction by the person in public service or service to the University, or in recognition of distinguished contribution by the person in a field of academic endeavour and in accordance with University policy Honorary Degrees. 

2025

• The Honourable Catherine Branson AC SC
• Mr Michael Abbott AO KC

2023

• The Honourable Hieu Van Le AC
• Professor Tom Calma AO
• Professor Dr Marcia Langton AO

2022

• Mr Andrew Pridham AO
• Mr George Takei
• Mr James (Jimmy) Barnes AO
• Mr Geoffrey Wilson OAM (deceased)
• Ms Ronni Kahn AO
• Mr Shaun Bonétt

2021

• Dr Robyn Archer AO

2020

• Mr Philip Liggett MBE
• Mr Neil Gaiman

2019

• Ms Anna Meares OAM
• Ms Gillian Hicks AM MBE 
• Dr Kumi Naidoo
• Dr Rosemary Bryant AO
• Professor Fiona Stanley AC
• Ms Natasha Stott Despoja AO
• Mr Michael Hickinbotham
• The Honourable Dr Brendan Nelson AO
• Mr Jim McDowell
• Mr Adam Goodes

2018

• Mr Eric Idle
• The Honourable Greg Combet AO
• Mr Peter Gago AC
• Mr William (Bill) Muirhead AO
• Ms Deborah Cheetham AO
• Adjunct Associate Professor Monica Oliphant AO

2017

• Dr Curtis Wong
• The Honourable Julia Gillard AC
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK AFC (Ret'd)
• Dr Kevin O'Loughlin OAM
• The Honourable John Mansfield AM KC
• Dr Ian Gould AM
• Mrs Janet Holmes à Court AC  
• Emeritus Professor MaryAnn Bin-Sallik AO
• Mr Thomas Keneally AO

2016

• Mr Jack Manning Bancroft
• Professor Gary Banks AO
• Mrs Marie Coleman AO PSM
• Ms Evonne Goolagong Cawley AC MBE
• Ms Maggie Beer AO
• Professor Lord Anthony Giddens
• Mr John Barry Humphries AO CBE (deceased)

2015

• Professor Robyn Williams AO
• Professor Gerald Goodhardt (deceased)

2014

• Dr Wolf Blass AM
• Major General Charles Bolden Jr.
• Professor Peter Høj AC
• Dr Anne Summers AO
• Sir Terence Pratchett OBE (deceased)
• Dame Jane Goodall DBE
• The Honourable Quentin Bryce AD CVO
• Professor Brian Burdekin AO
• Professor Mary McAleese
• Mr Vinton G Cerf
• Mr Peter Gabriel

2013

• Mr Sydney Ball (deceased)
• The Honourable Robyn Layton AO KC
• Mr Michael Heard
• The Honourable Alexander Downer AC

2012

• Ms Fiona Hall AO

2011

• Ms Alice McCleary
• Professor Ashis Nandy
• Emeritus Professor Maxwell Brennan AO
• Mr Jeffrey Smart AO (deceased)

2010

• Dr Neil Bryans AM
• Emeritus Professor Brian Vincent

2009

• Mr David Klingberg AO
• Mr Martin Albrecht AC
• Professor Emeritus Jarl Rosenholm

2008

• Dr Pamela Ryan OAM
• Mr Milton Moon AM (deceased)

2007

• Dr Leanna Read
• Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley AC (deceased)
• Professor Don Bursill AM
• Dr Ron Radford AM

2006

• Mr Norton Jackson AM  (deceased)
• The Honourable Mike Rann AC CNZM
• The Honourable Susan Ryan AO

2005

• Professor Andrew Ehrenberg (deceased)
• Professor Frank Bass (deceased)
• Dr Julian Burnside KC AO
• Mr Leon Davis AO
• Professor R Natarajan
• Dr Gregor Ramsey AM (deceased)
• Dr Simon Wong

2004

• Mr Phillip Adams AO
• Mr Stephen Page AM

2003

• Professor Zhang Xiaowei
• Mr Maurice de Rohan AO OBE (deceased)
• Dr Yuan Tseh Lee
• Dr Alfred Huang AM

2002

• Ms Dagmar Egen AM
• Professor Eleanor Ramsay (deceased)

2001

• The Honourable Justice Michael Kirby AC CMG

2000

• Dr Patricia Crook AO
• Adjunct Professor Lyndsay Connors AO
• Dr Malcolm Kinnaird AC (deceased)
• Mr Rick Allert AO
• Mr Kym Bonython AC DFC AFC (deceased)

1999

• Professor Lyndall Ryan AO (deceased)
• Dr Colin Thiele AC (deceased)
• The Honourable Dr Basil Hetzel AC (deceased)

1998

• Mr Nelson Mandela (deceased)
• The Honourable RJL Hawke AC (deceased)
• Mr Bruce Webb (deceased)
• Dr Julian Clark
• Ms Ruth Tuck OAM (deceased)
• Dr Don Williams AO (deceased)
• Dr Alice Rigney AO PSM (deceased)

1997

• Mr Daniel Thomas AM
• Ms Sue Vardon AO
• Mr John Moriarty AM
• The Honourable Justice Samuel Jacobs AO QC(deceased)
• Dr S (Max) Richards

1996

• Mr Archie Barton AM (deceased) 
• Dr Betty Davis AM (deceased)
• The Honourable Justice John Von Doussa AO KC
• Ms Wendy McCarthy AO
• The Honourable  Dr John Dawkins AO
• Sir Eric Neal AC CVO

1995

• Ms Doreen Kartinyeri (deceased)
• Dr David Pank AM (deceased)
• Dr Christobel Mattingley AM (deceased)
• Dr James CY Soong

1994

• Ms Anne Deveson AO (deceased)
• Mr Gavin Walkley AM (deceased)
• Mr John Uhrig AC (deceased)
• Dame Roma Mitchell AC DBE CVO QC (deceased)

1993

• Mr John McDonald AM (deceased)
• Dr Jean Blackburn AO (deceased)
• Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG (deceased)
• Ms Alison Crook AO
• Dr James May AM (deceased)

The title of Emeritus Professor is an honour conferred by the University on a retired academic staff member holding the title of Professor in recognition of distinguished service to the University and in accordance with University policy: Emeritus Professor. 

2025

• Emeritus Professor Julie Mills
• Emeritus Professor John Boland
• Emeritus Professor Allan Evans

2023

• Emeritus Professor Timothy Olds
• Emeritus Professor Bruce Thomas
• Emeritus Professor Simon Beecham
• Emeritus Professor Barbara Comber OAM
• Emeritus Professor Michael Roberts
• Emeritus Professor Christine Helliar

2021

• Emeritus Professor Andreas (Andy) Koronios
• Emeritus Professor Graham Brown
• Emeritus Professor Robert Hattam
• Emeritus Professor Larry Lockshin
• Emeritus Professor Carol Grech

2020

• Emeritus Professor Jordan Louviere (deceased)
• Emeritus Professor Tanya Monro AC
• Emeritus Professor Mads Gaardboe
• Emeritus Professor Christopher Saint
• Emeritus Professor Wasim Saman
• Emeritus Professor Rick Sarre

2019

• Emeritus Professor Jason White
• Emeritus Professor Robert Vink AM
• Emeritus Professor Tony Winefield (deceased)
• Emeritus Professor Hans Greisser

2018

• Emeritus Professor Rhonda Sharp AM

2017

• Emeritus Professor Claire Woods
• Emeritus Professor Roger Harris
• Emeritus Professor David Corkindale
• Emeritus Professor Kerin O'Dea AO
• Emeritus Professor Richard Head

2016

• Emeritus Professor Suzanne Franzway
• Emeritus Professor Kay Lawrence AM
• Emeritus Professor Mervyn Lewis

2015

• Emeritus Professor Barbara Pocock AM
• Emeritus Professor Bruce Johnson

2014

• Emeritus Professor Gerry Griffin (deceased)

2012

• Emeritus Professor Roger Smart
• Emeritus Professor Andrew Gilbert  AM (deceased)
• Emeritus Professor Michael Taylor

2011

• Emeritus Professor Mary Barton AO
• Emeritus Hilary Winchester AM

2010

• Emeritus Professor Stephen Hamnett
• Emeritus Professor Philip Howlett
• Emeritus Professor Dorothy Scott OAM

2009

• Emeritus Professor Alan Reid AM
• Emeritus Professor Marjory Ebbeck

2008

• Emeritus Professor Michael Rowan
• Emeritus Professor Paul Hughes AM FACE (deceased)

2007

• Emeritus Professor Bruce King
• Emeritus Professor Denise Bradley AC (deceased)
• Emeritus Professor Robin King (deceased)

2006

• Emeritus Professor Ian Davey (deceased)
• Emeritus Professor Alison Mackinnon AM (deceased)
• Emeritus Professor Robert Crotty

2004

• Emeritus Professor Kevin O’Brien

2003

• Emeritus Professor Kym Adey AM (deceased)

2002

• Emeritus Professor Freda Briggs AO (deceased)
• Emeritus Professor Ruth Grant AM

2000

• Emeritus Professor Michael Miller AO (deceased)
• Emeritus Professor Lloyd Sansom  AO

1999

• Emeritus Professor Henry d’Assumpcao AO FTSE

1998

• Emeritus Professor Colin Bourke (deceased)
• Emeritus Professor David Lee
• Emeritus Professor David Robinson
• Emeritus Professor Robert Smyth
• Emeritus Professor Kenneth Atkins (deceased)

1997

• Emeritus Professor Robert Northcote (deceased)

1992

• Emeritus Professor Alan Mead OBE (deceased)

Council confers the Honorary Award of University Fellow in recognition of substantial continuous support for the University and in accordance with University policy: University Fellows.

2025

• Mr James Hazel
• Mr Kelvin W Johnson (deceased)

2023

• Emeritus Professor Paul Hughes AM FACE (deceased)
• Professor Peter Buckskin PSM FACE

2022

• Mr Robert (Bob) Cowan OAM (deceased)
• Mrs Gayle Cowan OAM (deceased)

2021

• Mr Paul Flynn
• Ms Jillian Saunders AM

2019

• Hon Trish White AM
• Mr Patrick Jonker
• Mr Terry Evans AM

2018

• Mr Guy Maron AM

2017

• Ms Ruth Blenkiron

2016

• Mr Barry Pearce

2015

• Dr Anna Ciccarelli
• Mr Bruce Linn AM
• Mr Theo Maras AM

2014

• Ms Elizabeth Ho OAM
• Adjunct Associate Professor Adrian Vicary (deceased)
• Adjunct Professor Dennis Mulcahy (deceased)

2013

• Mr Terry Weston
• Mr Bill Cossey AM (deceased)

2010

• Ms Jan Lowe
• Mr Peter Smith

2009

• Dr Kia Ngee Chew

2008

• Mr Kelvin Trimper AM (deceased)

2007

• Mr Stephen Hains
• Mrs Li Yian Lin

2006

• Mr Andrew Chen
• Mr Yeong Chee Meng

2005

• Mr Ian Hardy AM
• Mr Gordon Ingkatji (deceased)
• Professor Jong Taik Lee (deceased)

2004

• Mrs Elizabeth (Liz) Watson (deceased)
• Mr Eric Granger
• Dr Lewis O’Brien AO
• Dr Geoff Wood

2002

• Mr Wallace Cameron

1999

• Mr Norton Jackson, AM (deceased)
• Mr Frank Lampard OAM
• Mr John Heard AM (deceased)
• Mr Earle Scott, OAM  (deceased)
• Mr Malcolm Colegate
• Mr Richard (Dick) Fidock. AO