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Winners
- 2014 Deborah Cheetham
- 2014 Sandra Levy For distinguished service to the arts as a film and television director and producer, and through strategic leadership and educational roles.
- 2014 Lewis O'Brien For distinguished service to the indigenous community of South Australia as an elder and educator, and to the promotion and protection of indigenous culture and heritage.
- 2014 Tony Wheeler For distinguished service to business and commerce as a publisher of travel guides, and as a benefactor to a range of Australian arts and aid organisations.
- 2014 Jacki Weaver For distinguished service to the performing arts as an actor and entertainer, as a supporter of social welfare organisations, and as a role model and mentor to young performers.
- 2014 Stephanie Alexander For distinguished service to education through the design and establishment of schools-based learning programs promoting improved food and eating choices for children, and as an author.
- 2013 Bonita Mabo For distinguished service to the Indigenous community and to human rights as an advocate for the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander peoples.
- 2013 Clive James For distinguished service to literature through contributions to cultural and intellectual heritage, particularly as a writer and poet.
- 2012 Phillip Toyne For distinguished service to environmental law through executive and advisory roles, particularly the introduction of a National Landcare Program, to the protection and restoration of Australian landscapes, and to the Indigenous community.
- 2012 Frank Thompson For distinguished service to the publishing industry, to the promotion of modern Australian cultural expression, particularly in the area of literary fiction, and through support for emerging authors.
- 2012 Brett Sheehy For distinguished service to the performing and visual arts as a director of national festivals, to international artistic exchange, and through mentoring roles.
- 2012 Shelley Reys For distinguished service to the Indigenous community, to reconciliation and social inclusion, and as an advocate for improved educational, health and employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- 2012 Richard Falkinger For distinguished service to heritage architecture, particularly the restoration and conservation of ecclesiastical structures, to philanthropy, and through support for young architects.
- 2012 Harry Butler For distinguished service to the community through the promotion of public understanding of natural history and wildlife conservation, to the development of collaborative environmental partnerships with industry, and to the community.
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2012
Rolf Harris
For distinguished service to the performing and visual arts, to charitable organisations, and to international relations through the promotion of Australian culture.
This appointment was rescinded in February 2015, after Harris's conviction.
- 2012 Jennifer Bott For distinguished service to the arts through executive and leadership roles in national cultural organisations, and to the development of policy reform initiatives promoting funding and best practice.
- 2012 Liz Jones For distinguished service to the performing arts as an artistic director, administrator and performer, to the promotion of Indigenous playwrights and actors, and to the community.
- 2012 Barbara Blackman For distinguished service to the arts and to the community, as a supporter of artistic performance, through philanthropic contributions, and as an advocate for people who are blind and partially sighted.
- 2012 Peter Carey For distinguished service to literature as a novelist, through international promotion of the Australian identity, as a teacher, and as a mentor to emerging writers.
- 2012 Ricky Ponting For service to cricket and the community through the establishment of the Ponting Foundation.
- 2012 Stuart Macintyre For distinguished service to the social sciences and to the humanities as a leading academic in the areas of 19th- and 20th-century Australian history, particularly through advancing the understanding of social and political life, and as an author, researcher and mentor.
- 2012 Tom Calma For distinguished service to the Indigenous community as an advocate for human rights and social justice, through contributions to government policy and reform, and to cross cultural understanding.
- 2011 Owen Peter Coaldrake For distinguished service to higher education
- 2011 Jonathan Mills For distinguished service to the performing arts as a composer and director of international festivals, through the promotion of cultural exchange, and to public debate.
- 2011 Tony McMichael For distinguished service to population health, particularly in the area of environmental inpact, as an academic and author and through leadership roles with international organisations.
- 2009 Chris O'Brien For continued service to medicine and to the community through advocacy and fundraising roles for the development of integrated care and clinical research facilities for people with cancer, particularly the establishment of the Lifehouse Centre at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
- 2009 Julian Burnside For service as a human rights advocate, particularly for refugees and asylum seekers, to the arts as a patron and fundraiser, and to the law.
- 2009 John Bell For service to the performing arts, nationally and internationally, as an actor and a director, as a supporter of emerging artists, and through a range of educational programs.
- 2008 Sue Milliken For service to the film and television industry
- 2007 Colin Mackerras
- 2007 Jill Roe For service to the community through the promotion of Australian history as a researcher and author, through executive roles in professional organsations particularly as Chair, Editorial Board, Australian Dictionary of Biography, and to education.
- 2007 Iain McCalman For service to history and to the humanities as a teacher, researcher and author, and through administrative, advocacy and advisory roles in academic and public sector organisations.
- 2007 Neil Armfield For service to the arts, nationally and internationally, as a director of theatre, opera and film, and as a promoter of innovative Australian productions including Australian Indigenous drama.
- 2006 (General Division) Colleen McCullough For service to the arts as an author and to the community through roles supporting national and international educational programs, medico-scientific disciplines and charitable organisations and causes.
- 2006 Patricia Davis-Hurst
- 2005 (General Division) Clive Newman For services to literature, particularly through the publication and prmotion of the literary works of new writers.
- 2005 Phillip George Knightley
- 2005 Jan Fullerton For service to librarianship through the facilitation of wider community access to the collections of the National Library of Australia, the preservation of cultural heritage in digital forms, and collaboration with other collecting agencies nationally and internationally.
- 2004 Ted Egan
- 2004 Brenda Niall For service to Australian literature as an academic, biographer and literary critic.
- 2003 Garry McDonald For service to the community by raising awareness of mental health issues and the effects of anxiety disorders and depression on sufferers and carers, and to the arts as an entertainer.
- 2003 Michael Blakemore For service to the performing arts as a leading international director of stage and screen.
- 2003 Gawirrin Gumana For service to the community as a cultural ambassador and religious leader promoting understanding, sharing and mutual respect, to the reconciliation process, and to the arts as a significant contributor to Australias indigenous artistic heritage.
- 2003 Thancoupie Gloria Fletcher As: Fletcher-James, Thanacoupie Gloria
- 2002 (Officer in the General Division) John D. Ritchie For service in recording the history of the social sciences and the humanities in Australia as General Editor of the Australian Dictionary of Biography, particularly in the maintenance of international standards of historical biography and encouragement of new initiatives in the field.
- 2002 Michael Thwaites For service to the community, to the Anglican Diocese of Canberra-Goulburn, and to literature as an author of poetry and narrative works reflecting the emergence of Australia's nationhood.
- 2002 Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri
- 2002 Lưu Tường Quang
- 2001 Gareth John Evans For service to the Australian Parliament, particularly through advancing Australia's foreign policy and trade interests, especially in Asia and through the United Nations.
- 1999 Greg Norman
- 1998 Rodney Seaborn For service to the performing arts through the establishment of the Seaborn, Broughton and Walfrod Foundation offering philanthropic support to rejuvenate old theatre facilities to continue the development of Australian drama and theatre.
- 1998 Slim Dusty
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1998
Don Aitkin
For service to higher education and to the community as a scholar, writer, teacher, mentor, and leader in the Australian universities sector.
- 1997 Morris West For service to literature.
- 1996 Robyn Rowland For contribution to higher education and women's health.
- 1995 Christopher Koch For services to Australian literature.
- 1995 Peter Boyce For services to education, international relations and the community.
- 1995 Frank Brennan In recognition of service to Aboriginal Australians, particularly as an advocate in the areas of law, social justice and reconciliation.
- 1994 Laurie Hergenhan For services to Australian literary scholarship and education
- 1994 Patsy Adam-Smith In recognition of service to community history, particularly through the preservation of national traditions and folklore and recording of oral histories
- 1993 Anne Deveson
- 1993 Barry Jones for service to the promotion of science, the arts and film, writing and Australian politics.
- 1993 Bruce Bennett For services to Australian literature and university education,
- 1992 Thea Astley
- 1992 R. M. Williams
- 1992 Bruce Dawe In recognition of service to Austalian literature, particularly in the field of poetry.
- 1992 John McCallum
- 1991 (General Division) Robert Hughes For service to art and to the promotion of Australian culture.
- 1991 Geraldine Briggs
- 1991 Creighton Burns In recognition of service to the media and to international relations
- 1990 Peter Sculthorpe For service to music.
- 1990 Rosemary Goldie For service to religion and to international relations.
- 1990 James Gleeson
- 1989 Les Murray
- 1989 Gwen Harwood For services to literature.
- 1989 Max Harris
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1989
Richard Kingsland
For service to the community. DFC, CBE QB 1967, KTB QB 1977. For distinguished public service
- 1989 Thomas Shapcott For service to Australian literature and to arts administration.
- 1988 Dorothy Green For service to Australian literature, particularly as a writer, critic and teacher.
- 1988 Elizabeth Jolley For service to Australian literature
- 1987 Rosemary Dobson For service to literature particularly in the field of poetry.
- 1987 David Malouf
- 1987 S.J. M. Goulston
- 1986 Hector Crawford 'For service to Australian television production'.
- 1983 Thomas Keneally For service to literature
- 1983 Margaret Whitlam For services to the community.
- 1982 Evonne Cawley
- 1982 Donald Horne
- 1980 Kylie Tennant For service to literature.
- 1978 Hal Missingham For Service to Art.
- 1882 Barry Humphries For service to theatre.
- Fred Chaney
