The 1998 Australia Day Honours are appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 1998 by the Governor General of Australia, Sir William Deane.
The Australia Day Honours are the first of the two major annual honours lists, the first announced to coincide with Australia Day (26 January), with the other being the Queen's Birthday Honours, which are announced on the second Monday in June.
Order of Australia Companion (AC) General Division Recipient Citation NotesThe Honourable Chief Justice Michael Eric John Black For service to the law, to the legal profession and to the judiciary, particularly as Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia through enhancing the quality of judicial services provided to the community in the resolution of disputes Major General William Brian James, For service to the welfare of veterans and service people, particularly as National President of the Returned and Services League of Australia through leadership and advocacy in the areas of health prevention, medication usage and communityProfessor Sir Robert McCredie May For service to science and scientific research, particularly in the area of biological conservation involving the interaction between population, resources and the environment, to scholarship and to the formulation of science policyThe Very Reverend Dr James Frederick McKay, For service to the spiritual and physical wellbeing of the people of outback Australia through innovation and initiative in pioneering the best possible health care and educational services in remote areasThe Honourable Chief Justice John Harber Phillips For service to the law, the administration of justice, law reform and education as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, and for his contributions to literature, the visual arts and the communityProfessor Grant Robert Sutherland For service to science in the field of human genetics research and to the human genome project and, in particular, for his contribution to the discovery of the importance of 'fragile chromosomes' in the field of inherited diseases
Officer (AO) General Division Recipient Citation Notes Donald Robert Argus For service to banking and finance, particularly as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Australia Bank Ltd and for his contributions as a member and supporter of a wide range of community and sporting organisations Douglass Ingham Aspinall, For service to primary industry, in particular, the merino sheep breeding industry, to ex-service organisations and to the community Richard Lawrence Crosbie For service to business and finance, particularly through the credit union movement since 1975, and as Chairman of the Credit Union Services Corporation (Australia) Limited Judith Jane Perry Dunster For service to the community in the field of aged care as the founder and developer of the Abbeyfield Society (Australia) Limited in creating a new concept of community housing for older people Slim Dusty, For service to Australian country music and to the entertainment industry as a composer and performer Donald George Fry For service to engineering, in particular, marine engineering in the areas of design and construction, and to the communityProfessor John Watson Funder For service to medicine, particularly in the field of endocrinology research, and in the development of public policy across a range of primary health issuesProfessor Frederick George Hilmer For service to management education, competition policy, and workplace reformDr Cherrell Hirst For service to education as Chancellor of the Queensland University of Technology, and to medicine, in particular women's health through the promotion of mammographic screening for the early detection of breast cancer Clifford Frederick Hughes For service to medicine, in particular as a cardiac surgeon, to international relations, and to the community Warwick Gordon Kent For service to commerce at State, National and international levels as Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of the Bank of Western Australia Ltd (Bank West), and to community organisations Glen William Kinross For service to community development programs and to improving international relations as an executive member of Rotary International in Australia and as the elected International President 1997-1998Commissioner Michael John Palmer, For service to advancing the professionalisation of policing through the introduction of far-reaching anti-corruption processes and management practice reformDr John Robert Philip For service to the science of hydrology, to scientific communication in promoting the interests of science for the community, and the Australian culture through architecture and literatureProfessor Rudolf George Herman Prince For service to the discipline of chemical engineering, both academically and professionally, to tertiary education and to the community David William Rogers For service to tertiary education as the Chancellor of Monash University, to the gas and petroleum industry, and to the community Richard Vincent Ryan, For service to the Aboriginal community of the Northern Territory through the promotion of education, employment, health and tourism programsDr Rodney Frederick Marsden Seaborn, For service to the performing arts through the establishment of the Seaborn, Broughton and Walford Foundation offering philanthropic support to rejuvenate old theatre facilities to continue the development of Australian drama and theatreHis Excellency Richard Campbell Smith For service to international relations and to the development of policy approaches to sanctions, human rights, defence and trade issues Geoffrey Bernard White For service to the business community in the areas of civil engineering, construction and mining, and to the advancement of the thoroughbred racing industryProfessor Kenneth William Wiltshire For service in the field of social sciences, especially public administration through the formulation of public policy advice and for his contribution to UNESCO in all its fields
Military Division Branch Recipient Citation Notes Army Major General James Paul Stevens For distinguished service to the Australian Army in the fields of training and personnel management, particularly as the Chief of the General Staff – Personnel
Member (AM) General Division