Honorary Appointments within the General Division of the Order of Australia - 15 February 2013

Legislation au C2013G00262 In force Gazette

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  Government House

                                               CANBERRA  ACT  2600

 

                                                                                                                15 February 2013

 

 

 

 

The Governor-General is pleased to announce the following honorary appointments within the General Division of the Order of Australia:

 

 

ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

 

 

Honorary Officer (AO) in the General Division

 

Mr Robert Neil MacGREGOR OM,

Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3DG, United Kingdom

For service to promoting Australia and Australian art in the United Kingdom.

 

Honorary Member (AM) in the General Division

 

Mr Bernard André WRIGHT,

67 Lockhart Street, Como WA 6152

For service to the accounting profession, particularly for his sustained contribution to CPA Australia, to business and commerce and to the community.

 

 

 

 

 

By Her Excellency’s Command

 

 

Stephen Brady CVO

Official Secretary to the Governor-General

 


ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

 

Appointed an honorary Officer (AO) in the General Division

 

 

NAME : Mr Robert Neil MacGregor OM

 

POSITION : Director, The British Museum

 

ADDRESS : Great Russell Street

 London   WC1B 3DG

 UNITED KINGDOM

 

CITATION : For service to promoting Australia and Australian art in the United Kingdom.

 

 

Mr MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, has promoted Australia and Australian art and flora in Britain, particularly through the Australian season exhibition held in 2011 which included: Out of Australia: Prints and drawings from Sidney Noland to Rover Thomas, the forecourt Australian Landscape display and the Baskets and belonging: Indigenous Australian histories.

 

As Director of the Museum since 2002, Mr MacGregor has collected over 880 Australian prints and drawings and has made annual visits to Australia, including as guest lecturer at the Museum Leadership Program held at the Macquarie Graduate School of Management in 2009.  He has also organised a series of exhibitions to be lent to Australian Museums from the British Museum collections.  The first exhibition Extraordinary Stories from the British Museum was staged in Western Australia from October 2011 to February 2012; the second Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb has featured at the Brisbane Museum from April to August 2012 and the last The Wonders of Ancient Mesopotamia opened at the Melbourne Museum in May 2012.

 

Mr MacGregor’s collaboration with Australian museums and his contribution to promoting Australian art has been outstanding.

 

 

Phone No:  (not to be contacted)

 

 

ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

 

Appointed an honorary Member (AM) in the General Division

 

 

NAME : Mr Bernard André Wright

 

ADDRESS : 67 Lockhart Street

 COMO   WA   6152

 

CITATION : For service to the accounting profession, particularly for his sustained contribution to CPA Australia, to business and commerce and to the community.

 

 

Mr Wright is a retired Certified Practising Accountant and a businessman who has made a sustained and considerable contribution to the accounting profession, including to the Perth Stock Exchange, to business and to the general community in Western Australia.

 

An outline of Mr Wright’s professional contributions includes:

  • 26 years as an accountant with James W. Paterson & Son (including 10 years as a senior partner);
  • member of several committees of the Perth Stock Exchange (3 years as Chairman);
  • 7 years as Director of Australian Associated Stock Exchanges;
  • 23 years as a non-executive Director of Home Building Society (16 years as Chairman);
  • member of CPA Australia since 1954 (awarded Life Membership in 1989 of Australian Society of CPAs which is now known as CPA Australia) with -
    • contribution to WA Divisional Council was as a member of 14 committees and in various executive positions (including as Divisional State President);
    • contribution at a national level as well as service on six working committees and in various executive positions (including as National President);
  • consultant to Bain & Co (Sydney Stock Exchange members) for 6 years; and
  • Chairman of Directors, Allwood Furniture Holdings for 4 years.

 

Throughout his career, Mr Wright was a very active member of CPA Australia, introducing a number of initiatives which have enhanced the society’s standing and professionalism.  In October 1991, he was made a Fellow of the Australian Stock Exchange for service to the Australian securities industry.  Mr Wright also made extensive contributions to the community, including as the inaugural Chairman of the Western Australian Film Council in 1971, Chairman of Penrhos College Silver Jubilee appeal (1975), Wesley College Council Finance and Properties subcommittee (1975‑1988) and as the inaugural Chairman of the Wesley College Endowment Fund (1981).

 

 

Phone No:  (08) 9450 6437

 

 

 

Overview

The Australian Citizenship Amendment Act 2007 was introduced by the Australian Parliament to address issues surrounding the revocation of citizenship, particularly in cases where individuals had acquired citizenship by fraud or had engaged in terrorist activities. The Act aimed to ensure that individuals who obtained Australian citizenship under false pretences could have their citizenship revoked, aligning with the policy objective of maintaining the integrity of the Australian citizenship process. The Act also provided for the revocation of citizenship in cases where it was deemed that the person's actions were detrimental to the national interests of Australia. This legislative measure was intended to strengthen the criteria for citizenship and to uphold the standards of integrity and security within the Australian community.

Scope and Application

The Order of Australia is a prestigious honour system established by the Australian Government to recognise and reward outstanding achievements and service by Australian citizens, as well as non-citizens who have made a significant contribution to Australia. This specific Gazette announcement from February 2013 includes two honorary appointments within the General Division of the Order of Australia. The Act applies to individuals who have rendered exceptional service to Australia or to humanity at large, with the honours being bestowed by the Governor-General upon the recommendation of state and territory governments, and independent expert advisory councils. The recipients are Mr Robert Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum in the United Kingdom, and Mr Bernard André Wright, a retired Certified Practising Accountant from Western Australia. Both appointees receive the honour in recognition of their significant contributions to promoting Australia and Australian art abroad, and to the accounting profession and business community in Australia, respectively. The Order of Australia does not specify a particular industry or geographic jurisdiction but extends to individuals globally who have made outstanding contributions to Australia. There are no exclusions or exemptions stated in the text, and the decision to appoint individuals as members of the Order of Australia is subject to the approval of the Governor-General.

Key Provisions

The Gazette C2013G00262 announces the appointment of two individuals to the Order of Australia, highlighting their significant contributions to various sectors. Section (1) of the document introduces Mr Robert Neil MacGregor as an Honorary Officer (AO) in the General Division for his dedication to promoting Australia and Australian art in the United Kingdom. Similarly, Section (2) recognises Mr Bernard André Wright as an Honorary Member (AM) in the General Division for his sustained contributions to the accounting profession, business, and community service in Western Australia. These appointments impose a formal recognition of the recipients' contributions to their respective fields. Mr MacGregor's role as Director of the British Museum involved extensive efforts to promote Australian art and culture through various exhibitions and collaborations. His service included curating the Australian season exhibition in 2011 and lending British Museum collections to Australian museums. Mr Wright, on the other hand, has made considerable contributions to the accounting profession through his long-standing involvement with CPA Australia, the Perth Stock Exchange, and other business entities. His community service includes leadership roles in educational and cultural organisations. Breach of the honours system or misuse of the title conferred by these appointments may lead to revocation of the honour. Although the Gazette itself does not detail specific penalties for such breaches, Australian law generally provides for legal consequences, including fines and imprisonment, for misuse of official titles or honours. The maximum penalties can vary depending on the nature and severity of the offence, as stipulated in relevant Australian statutes.

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