Queen’s Birthday Honours: Ash Barty and Shane Warne recognised with the Order of Australia

Retired tennis star Ash Barty and the late cricketing icon Shane Warne have joined hundreds of fellow inspirational Australians who have been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours List.

Almost 1000 Australians were honoured for their commitment to “selflessness, excellence and a commitment to service”. Joining Barty and Warne were former chief medical officer Dr Brendan Murphy, NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant, Queensland governor, and former chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young and country music star Beccy Cole.

Governor-General David Hurley said “collectively the recipients, whose achievements span community service, science and research, industry, sport, the arts and more, represent the very best of Australia.”

“On behalf of all Australians, I congratulate the Australians recognised in today’s Honours List,” he said

“Recipients share some common traits – including selflessness, excellence and a commitment to service. They’re from different backgrounds, their stories are each unique, and each has served in different ways. This diversity is a strength and each has impacted their community and made it better.

“For that, we thank them and, today, we celebrate them.

“The Order of Australia belongs to all Australians. In addition to the characteristics of selflessness, excellence and service, each recipient in the Order has something else in common: someone has taken the time to nominate them for recognition.”

Ash Barty, who sent shockwaves through the world of tennis by announcing her retirement from the sport at just 25 years old, was honoured with the Order of Australia “for distinguished service to tennis at the elite level, and to youth development programs”.

The retired sports star began playing tennis at the age of four. She was the second Australian tennis player to be ranked No. 1 in the world in singles by the Women’s Tennis Association and is also a three-time Grand Slam singles champion.

The late cricket legend Shane Warne was posthumously honoured in this year’s list “for distinguished service to cricket as a player, role model and commentator, to the community through charitable initiatives, and for philanthropic contributions”.

Warne died of a suspected heart attack, age 52, while holidaying on the island of Koh Samui in Thailand on March 4.

Warne’s father, Keith, told ABC News that the award recognised “that Shane was much more than an incredible cricketer”.

“He really was a selfless and remarkable man who always looked to support those less fortunate,” he said.

“We are so proud of him. We hope his legacy will inspire many generations to come.”

Of those recognised, almost half (43.6 per cent) were for service and achievement in the community, 92 Australians were recognised for their contribution to Australia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 45.9 per cent of awards this year in the General Division were awarded to women