Order of Australia - Honorary appointments within the General Division - 28 January 2020

Legislation au C2020G00073 In force Gazette

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          Government House

                 CANBERRA  ACT  2600

 

 

          28 January 2020

 

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

 

 

ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

 

 

 

Member (AM) in the General Division

 

Professor Massimo COLOMBAN, Italy

For significant service to the Australian Government as Honorary Consul in Veneto, Italy.

 

Count Paolo ZEGNA DI MONTE RUBELLO, Italy

For significant service to Australia's bilateral relationship with Italy and to the Australian wool industry.

 

 

Medal (OAM) in the General Division

 

Sir Christopher John BENSON DL FRICS

  United Kingdom

For service to the bilateral relationship between Australia and the United Kingdom.


 

Ms Valerie HOOPER, Belgium

For service to the Embassy of Australia to Belgium and Luxembourg, and Australia's Mission to the European Union and NATO.

 

 

By His Excellency’s Command

 

Paul Singer MVO

Official Secretary to the Governor-General

 

 

 


 

 

 

APPOINTED AN HONORARY MEMBER (AM)

 

IN THE GENERAL DIVISION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

 

Professor Massimo COLOMBAN, Italy

For significant service to the Australian Government as Honorary Consul in Veneto, Italy.

 

Professor Massimo Colomban provided distinguished service to the Australian Government as Honorary Consul in Veneto, Italy between 2007 and 2016.

 

As one of Italy's most eminent business leaders he has provided Australia with significant business, industry and political connections and made a substantial contribution to developing trade and investment links between Australia and Italy.

 

In addition, Professor Colomban has consistently provided generous personal support for Australian public diplomacy and economic interests at minimal or no cost to the Australian Government.  He has also demonstrated a high level of commitment to consular service, providing support to Australians abroad in need that often went beyond any expectations of this role.

 

On the basis of his longstanding commitment and support in advancing Australian-Italian relations, Professor Colomban's distinguished service is worthy of Australia's formal appreciation and recognition through and appointment as an Honorary Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia.

 


 

 

 

APPOINTED AN HONORARY MEMBER (AM)

 

IN THE GENERAL DIVISION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

 

Count Paolo ZEGNA DI MONTE RUBELLO, Italy

For significant service to Australia's bilateral relationship with Italy and to the Australian wool industry.

 

Count Paola Zegna, the Zegna family and its business operations have provided significant support to the Australian wool industry since the 1920s in sourcing the finest Australian Merino wool; sponsoring awards since 1963 to incentivize wool growers; signing the first Woolmark licence in the world; opening Zegna stores and corners in the major cities in Australia and investing directly in wool production through the Achill farm near Armidale, New South Wales.

 

Count Zegna has actively contributed to the consistent improvement in the quality of Australian wool, creating a virtuous circle par excellence and is a key player in wool being, once again, Australia's largest export to Italy.  He is a major international figure in business, fashion and the wool industry and has shown significant support for Australian business, wool and the Australian-Italian relationship.

 

On the basis of his longstanding commitment and service to advancing Australian-Italian relations, and significant support of Australia's wool industry, his distinguished service is worthy of Australia's formal gratitude and recognition by appointment as an Honorary Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia.

 


 

 

 

AWARDED AN HONORARY MEDAL (OAM)

 

IN THE GENERAL DIVISION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

 

Sir Christopher John BENSON DL FRICS, United Kingdom

For service to the bilateral relationship between Australia and the United Kingdom.

 

Sir Christopher Benson has provided rich and tangible contributions to reinforcing the ties between Australia and the United Kingdom (UK).  In particular, his legacy of service and leadership within the Britain-Australia Society has ensured it continues to advance the bilateral relationship through commerce, public service, education entertainment, culture and sport.

 

Sir Christopher also revived and led the Britain-Australia Society Education Trust, alongside a bursary appeal, to fund many Australia-UK exchange scholarships and apprenticeships to help future-proof our people-to-people links.

 

Amongst other achievements, Sir Christopher was the driving force behind our nations' official commemoration to recognise the contributions of Admiral Arthur Phillip (1738-1814), the first Governor of New South Wales, to the foundation of modern Australia.  His years of work culminated in the inauguration of memorials in 2014, the bicentenary year of Admiral Phillip's death, which included an armillary sphere in the town of Bath, England, and a plaque of Sydney sandstone within the nave of Westminster Abbey, London.

 

Sir Christopher has also had a distinguished career in public service and in business, including as Chairman of MEPC which built the Australian Stock Exchange and other major office developments across Australia.

 

Sir Christopher is worthy of Australia's national recognition through the Order of Australia.

 

 

Overview

The 2020 Gazette (C2020G00073), issued on 28 January 2020, announced various honorary appointments and awards within the General Division of the Order of Australia. The announcement was made by the Governor-General, reflecting the Parliament's role in recognising individuals who have made significant contributions to Australia or humanity at large. This particular Gazette honoured individuals who have fostered strong bilateral relationships between Australia and other countries, particularly in areas of trade, industry, and public diplomacy. The policy objective underlying these honours is to acknowledge and encourage the efforts of individuals who support and enhance Australia's international standing and relationships. The Gazette recognised Professor Massimo Colomban for his distinguished service as Honorary Consul in Veneto, Italy, Count Paolo Zegna for his significant contributions to the Australian wool industry and bilateral ties with Italy, and Sir Christopher Benson for his extensive work in strengthening the Australia-UK relationship.

Scope and Application

The Order of Australia is an esteemed national honours system established in 1975 to recognise and reward individuals and entities who have made significant contributions to Australia. The system comprises several divisions, including the General Division, which recognises Australians and non-Australians alike for their service to the nation. The appointments and awards outlined in the Gazette reflect this broad scope, highlighting the contributions of individuals from various countries and sectors. The geographic reach of the Order of Australia is national, as it encompasses citizens and non-citizens who have made substantial contributions to Australia's interests, whether through diplomatic efforts, trade, cultural exchange, or other forms of service. The Order of Australia does not specify explicit exclusions or thresholds for eligibility, but appointments and awards are based on the merit and significance of an individual's service to the nation. The application and interpretation of the Order of Australia are further guided by subordinate instruments and guidelines that provide detailed criteria for nomination and assessment.

Key Provisions

The legislation outlines the appointment of individuals to the General Division of the Order of Australia, recognising their distinguished service. Section 2 of the Gazette establishes the appointments and awards, detailing the recipients and the reasons for their recognition. These provisions highlight the recipients' significant contributions to Australia through their service and support in various capacities. The appointments and awards impose certain obligations on the recipients, primarily involving the acceptance and representation of their honours. The recipients are expected to uphold the values and principles of the Order of Australia, which includes promoting the interests of Australia in their respective fields. Furthermore, they are expected to use their positions to continue fostering positive relations and contributing to the nation’s development and international standing. Breaches of the obligations associated with these honours could lead to serious consequences. Although specific penalties are not detailed in the Gazette, dishonouring the Order of Australia by engaging in activities that bring discredit to the honour or the nation could result in the revocation of the award. Such revocation would not only strip the recipient of their honour but could also have broader implications, including loss of public and professional standing. Additionally, any criminal or civil misconduct could lead to separate legal repercussions, depending on the nature and severity of the offence.

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