Editing Order of Australia (section)

== Nomination and appointment ==
[[File:The Queen of Australia.jpg|thumb|Queen Elizabeth II wearing the insignia of the Sovereign of the Order of Australia]]Since 1976 any Australian citizen may nominate any person for an Order of Australia award. People who are not Australian citizens may be awarded honorary membership of the order at all levels. Nomination forms are submitted to the Director, Honours Secretariat, a position within the Office of the [[Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia]], at [[Government House, Canberra]],<ref>{{cite web |title=FAQs |url=http://www.theorderofaustralia.asn.au/faqs.php |publisher=The Order of Australia Association |access-date=23 June 2014 |archive-date=5 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605042710/http://www.theorderofaustralia.asn.au/faqs.php |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/nominating/nominating.cfm |title= Nominating for Awards |website= Itsanhonour.gov.au |publisher= Australian Government |access-date= 23 June 2014 |archive-date= 25 January 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200125155044/http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/nominating/nominating.cfm |url-status= dead }}</ref> which are then forwarded to the [[Council for the Order of Australia]].<ref name="GGHonoursOrder" /> The council consists of 19 members: seven selected by the prime minister (described as "community representatives"), eight appointed by the governments of each respective state and territory, and three ''ex officio'' members (the [[Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)|chief of the Defence Force]], the vice-president of the [[Federal Executive Council (Australia)|Federal Executive Council]] and a public servant responsible for honours policy). The Council chair as of August 2024 is Shelley Reys.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awardsorder-australia/council-order-australia|title=Council for the Order of Australia|website=Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia|language=en|access-date=2024-09-22|archive-date=21 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321194901/https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awardsorder-australia/council-order-australia|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Council makes recommendations to the governor-general.<ref name="GGHonoursOrder" /> Awards are announced on [[Australia Day]] and on the [[King's Official Birthday|King's Birthday]] public holiday in June, on the occasion of a special announcement by the governor-general (usually honorary awards), and on the appointment of a new governor-general. The governor-general presents the order's insignia to new appointees.<ref name="GGHonoursOrder" />

Appointments to the order may be made posthumously as long as a person was nominated for an award whilst they were still alive.<ref>{{URL| https://www.gg.gov.au/australian-honours-and-awards/frequently-asked-questions/frequently-asked-questions-order-australia|Frequently asked questions - the Order of Australia}}</ref> Awardees may subsequently resign from the order, and the Council may advise the governor-general to remove an individual from the order, who may cancel an award.{{NoteTag|Resignation and cancellation have occurred up to the companion level – see [[List of companions of the Order of Australia#Former Companions|Former Companions]].}} <ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2012G00032 |title = Termination of Appointment of Member of the Order of Australia in the General Division made to Dr Leslie Howard |website = [[Commonwealth of Australia Gazette]] |date = 3 October 2012 |access-date = 16 September 2013 |archive-date = 23 October 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211023223314/https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2012G00032 |url-status = live }}<br />{{cite web |url = http://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2013G00492 |title = Termination of Appointment of Member of the Order of Australia in the General Division made to Mr Clinton Edward Condon |website = [[Commonwealth of Australia Gazette]] |date = 27 March 2013 |access-date = 16 September 2013 |archive-date = 11 August 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170811020042/https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2013G00492 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2010Q00032 |title = Terminations and Cancellations Ordinance – Order of Australia – Amendment – 11/09/2007 |website = [[Commonwealth of Australia Gazette]] |date = February 2010 |access-date = 16 September 2013 |archive-date = 23 October 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211023215619/https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2010Q00032 |url-status = live }}</ref>

Announcements of all awards, cancellations and resignations appear in the ''[[Commonwealth of Australia Gazette|Commonwealth Gazette]]''. Nomination forms are confidential and not covered by the [[Freedom of Information Act 1982|''Freedom of Information Act 1982'' (Cth)]].<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/terry_romaros_order_of_australia |title= Terry Romaro's Order of Australia |quote= A Freedom of Information request to Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General |publisher= Right To Know |date= February–April 2013 |access-date= 23 June 2014 |archive-date= 2 November 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20211102220608/https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/terry_romaros_order_of_australia |url-status= live }}<br />{{cite web |url= https://www.righttoknow.org.au/user/andrew_laughton/requests |title= Andrew Laughton's Freedom of Information requests |publisher= Right To Know |date= February–April 2013 |access-date= 23 June 2014 |archive-date= 1 February 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140201232700/https://www.righttoknow.org.au/user/andrew_laughton/requests |url-status= live }}<br />{{cite web |quote= For service to the commercial fishing industry |url= https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1141281 |title= Terry Romaro's Medal of the Order of Australia |website= Itsanhonour.gov.au |publisher= Australian Government |date= 8 June 2009 |access-date= 23 June 2014 |archive-date= 5 April 2023 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230405231518/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1141281 |url-status= live }}</ref> The reasoning behind a nomination being successful or unsuccessful—and even the attendees of the meetings where such nominations are discussed—remains confidential.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/cancellation_or_termination_of_o |title = Cancellation or Termination of Order of Australia Awards |quote = A Freedom of Information request to Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General |publisher = Right To Know |date = February–March 2013 |access-date = 23 June 2014 |archive-date = 2 November 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211102220456/https://www.righttoknow.org.au/request/cancellation_or_termination_of_o |url-status = live }}</ref>