Many years ago, when Olivia-Newton-John was given a gong for services to Australian music, the Canberra journalist Ian Warden suggested that we had the whole thing backwards, and Australian music should be given a gong for its services to Olivia Newton-John.

How about an award to the Australian people for their services to John Howard? Or an award to the Father of the Year campaign for their services to Bob Hawke?

Anybody who takes this confraternal boot-licking seriously needs to have their heads read.

This is a timely and well written piece. I hadn't though of the OOA like that before.

A good article on awards iniquities until it became a logging article.

Another premature honour is Nicole Kidman's AC, primarily for her rich and famous Hollywood "career" cruising overseas with infrequent stops in Australia, one of her several homes.

Yes Nicole did do some charity work but normal people have to dedicate 50 years to charity work (coordination and leadership) before receiving the lowest honour, OAM, maybe AM, if they are lucky.

After 18 years of moderate adult acting Nicole received what is meant to be a lifetime acheivement honour, the AC, in 2006 (nowadays equivalent to a Damehood), at the age of 39.

Thanks again to Mr Howard and that memourable GG "joined at the hip" Jeffery. Perhaps they were attempting to be hip to match the British system of knighthoods to the richest celebrities.

ACs are now the quasi Knighthood level by default. Until 1986 there was provision for the appointment of Knights and Dames in the Order of Australia. But not now. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/awards/medals/order_of_australia.cfm#history

Those who work hard for charity all their lives in most parts of Australia get the lowest honour, the OAM, if they're lucky.

Pete

Plantagenet's first sentence is spot on, for mine. Not that I particularly disagree with the politics on logging, but the OOA awards (and all like them, eg most honorary degrees) should have dedicated cannons to take them down.

The Order of Australia Awards is an outdated award system that should be changed but will not be changed because it is simply the best way for the Government of the day to pay back all their friends.

Why should any person receive an award for a job they do where they receive great remuneration and accolades. These awards are an absolute disgrace. A previous writer mentioned Nicole Kidman. Nicole is a multi millionaire who is on the free list for anything from theatre tickets to clothes and jewellery. Where is the need to repay her further with an Award. It lowers the tone of the award.

I believe there are many people in our community who deserve to be recognised for the unpaid great deeds they carry out whilst going about their business, which includes work every day as well as looking after their families. But giving awards to these people gives no kudos to the Government.

Also, the over representation of people in the arts is embarrassing. Most artists who receive these awards are already on the Taxpayers payroll, through grants etc. even though they have been working in these areas for many years.

I would like to see a general discussion started, where the community is allowed to set down some form of criteria where real people doing outstanding actions will be chosen.

The OOA has got to be bullshot, it is "Made in Singapore"...