Monash community honoured on Australia Day

The Honourable Chief Justice Diana Bryant AO (LLM 1999)

Monash University alumna the Honourable Chief Justice Diana Bryant (LLM 1999) has received an Officer of the Order of Australia in this year’s Australia Day Honours, announced on 26 January.

Chief Justice Bryant received the honour for her “distinguished service to the judiciary and to the law, particularly to family law policy reform and practice, through the establishment of the Federal Magistrates Court, and to the advancement of women in the legal profession”.

Born in Perth, Chief Justice Bryant is a third-generation lawyer who graduated with a Master of Laws from Monash University in 1999. Throughout her long career she has specialised in family law and de facto property disputes. While working in her family law practice, she also handled bankruptcy, human rights and equal opportunity matters.

Chief Justice Bryant is regarded for the role she played in the establishment of the Federal Magistrates Court where she was inaugural Chief Federal Magistrate from 2000-2004. She was appointed Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia in 2004 – only the second woman in Australia’s history to head a federal court. Read her full profile at our Prominent Alumni website.

Renowned Australian businessman and honourary Monash graduate, Sir Rod Eddington also received an Officer of the Order of Australia for “distinguished service to business and commerce through roles with a range of national and international economic, trade, infrastructure development and transport organisations”.

Sir Rod has held high-profile positions in the fields of business, aviation and transport, sport and culture. He is the non-executive Chairman (Australian and New Zealand) of JP Morgan and Chairman of Infrastructure Australia, which advises the Federal Government on national infrastructure priorities, policy and regulatory reforms and financing mechanisms. Since 2000, Sir Rod has served as Chairman of the Hackett Foundation. He is also Chairman of the Alfred Foundation, which brings financial support to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne.

Monash alumnus and medicine staff member, Professor Ian Meredith (BSc(Hons) 1982), MBBS(Hons) 1982), PhD Med 1991), received a Member of the Order of Australia “for service to medicine in the field of cardiology as a clinician and researcher, and through advisory roles with a range of public health and organisations”.

Other recipients include:

• Stephen Newton (BA 1978, DipEd 1979, BEd 1981) who received an Officer of the Order of Australia "for distinguished service to education in the independent schools sector, through executive roles with professional organisations and advisory bodies, and to the development of educational development opportunities with China"
• Professor Stuart MacIntyre (MA 1972) who was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia "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"
• The Honourable Rosemary Balmford (LLD Hon 1998) who received a Member of the Order of Australia "fFor service to the judiciary, the practice of law in Victoria, and to the study of ornithology"

Read the full list of recipients at our Awards for alumni website

More than 675 people were honoured in this year’s Australia Day Honours lists.