‘It’s important for us all to understand what it means to go ‘above and beyond’ and proactively nominate those who excel’, says Shelley Reys AO, Chair, The Council for the Order of Australia.

Shelley Reys AO is a Djiribul woman of far north Queensland and Chair for The Council for the Order of Australia. She explains what it means to go ‘above and beyond’ and demystifies the process behind Australia’s eminent award.

The King's Birthday 2026 Honours List released on 8 June will recognise hundreds of Australians who have gone ‘above and beyond’ what is reasonably expected (or could be expected) to make life better for others.

In a nation of high achievers it can be hard to qualify the distinction of excellence between one outstanding individual and another. Equally difficult is achieving a merit system truly reflective of the great diversity of our population – balancing social, cultural and gender diversity.

Now in its 51st year, the Honours List does step towards a more balanced cross-section of our communities and that is entirely by virtue of the broader nominations received. Yet the statistics remain alarming:

• Far more men than women are being nominated (1)
• Men nominate more than women (2)
• Both men and women tend to nominate men (3)
• Nominations are common for service in business and commerce, community, medicine and sport and leisure but other parts of society are less represented. (4)

As Chair of The Council for the Order of Australia, it’s my privilege to lead the body that considers nominations and makes recommendations to the Governor-General as to who gets awarded members of the Order. These are people who go the extra mile and show us, as Australians, what courage, tenacity and commitment looks like.

For those who aren’t aware, the Council comprises eight community representatives (of which I am one), a representative from each state and territory, as well as representatives from the Chief of the Defence Force, The Prime Minister, and Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who serve as ex-officio members of the Council.

Each member of the Council brings diverse perspectives and experiences and their unique and important lens over every nomination.

Why do we do that? Because we recognise that we’re custodians of a system with a 50-year history and we understand the importance of an unbiased system based on merit.

So, what does ‘above and beyond’ mean exactly?

1. Meritorious work is not necessarily voluntary work. Someone might be paid in their job and still deserve recognition such as a brilliant medical researcher whose work has saved lives or a nurse who has transformed health care in a remote community.

2. We do not recognise people simply for doing their job well. A highly competent and well respected school principal, for example, may do an outstanding job but that doesn’t mean they’ve gone above and beyond, unless they invented something like a literacy program that changed the lives of hundreds of students in a demonstrative way.

3. A successful business person is not recognised solely because their company has performed well. But they might be if they have gone above and beyond by mentoring people, engaging in philanthropy or helping to shape a sector beyond their own company’s ‘business as usual’ contribution.

4. Award recipients aren’t confined to success measured on financial, healthcare or humanitarian outcomes. Artists, composers, actors and writers are equally relevant in their contribution or significant service to music, visual arts and literature. Just as innovators and creatives are equally outstanding.

5. For all nominations, we’ll ask ourselves, how has this person gone beyond that of their peers - through exceptional impact, volunteering, mentoring, innovative or life-changing work, success in very challenging circumstances, or outstanding achievement in their field.

In testing ourselves, we might picture the nominee standing with their colleagues and ask, ‘if awarded, how would their peers react’? Would they regard the honour as appropriate and fitting of a colleague who did more than what would be expected in their role. Would they stand proud to be associated with that person?

None of this is easy, and no system is perfect, but as Chair, I am indebted to the commitment, due diligence and rigour of my fellow Council members in their assessment of each of the thousands of nominations received every year.

Ultimately, The King’s Birthday is a celebration – a long weekend for many – and a time for family, friends and community to come together. Let’s take this time to observe those around us who do go above and beyond, whose achievements are noteworthy and take action to nominate them.

As a nation and award nominators, the onus is on us to set the course for future dreams, inclusivity and diversity.

I look forward to a day when, through the Honours system, every young Australian regardless of their gender, social or cultural characteristics can look at the Honours List and see themselves.

Because when someone sees themselves, a new world opens up – a world of endless possibility.

[END]

Footnotes:
1) From 1 Dec 2025-30 April 2026, 740 nominations were received and only 36.90% for women
2) In the past five years, 62% of all nominations were made by men, of these, 74% are for men
3) In the past five years, 44% of all nominations made by women were for men
4) In 2025, 67% of all nominations came from these four categories alone