Emerita Professor Carmen Lawrence from The University of Western Australia’s School of Psychological Science has been recognised in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours List as an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to the people and parliaments of Australia and WA, to conservation, and to arts administration.
Dr Lawrence was the premier of Western Australia from 1990 to 1993, Australia’s first woman premier, and held a ministerial position in the Keating government, serving as Minister for Human Services and Health and Minister for Women until the government’s defeat in 1996.
She held various portfolios in Opposition, including Indigenous Affairs, Environment, Industry and Innovation and was elected national President of the Labor Party in 2004, the first person to be directly elected to the position.
Dr Lawrence retired from politics in 2007. She was Director of the Centre for the Study of Social Change in the School of Psychological Science at UWA between 2010 and 2018 and is now Professor Emerita in the same School.
The UWA alumni, who was born in Northam in WA, said becoming premier of WA in 1990 was “an important achievement for women collectively”.
Winthrop Professor Donna Cross from UWA’s School of Global and Population Health and Program Head of Health Promotion and Education Research at The Kids Research Institute Australia was also recognised, awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to youth mental health and wellbeing.
Since 1999 Professor Cross has been awarded over $84 million in funding for school and community-based research projects into ways to enhance child and adolescent social and emotional development and wellbeing and reduce anti-social behaviour.
Professor Lawrence and Professor Cross are among 21 alumni and staff recognised in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Dr Ruth Shean was recognised with an AO for her distinguished service to public administration, and to not-for-profit and community health organisations and Mr John Stone was awarded an AO for his distinguished service to the people and parliament of Australia, and to public administration.
Staff and graduates recognised with an AM included Emeritus Professor Marcus Atlas, Professor Graham Barrett, Associate Professor Meredith Borland, Professor Joy Damousi, Ms Diana Jones, Emeritus Professor Neil Morgan, Mr Mark Perica, Ms Maria Said and Adjunct Professor Tarun Weeramanthri.
Staff and alumni awarded a medal (OAM) in the General Division included retired magistrate and judge Valerie French, a UWA Law School graduate who was the first woman to practise as a barrister in Western Australia, and Dr Sally Murphy, Mr Kevin O’Keefe, Ms Patricia Rodrigues, Mr Barrymore Markham and the late Ms Peta Townsing.
The Queen’s Birthday Honours List recognises and celebrates the outstanding contribution of Australians.