Roberts, Ceberano, Holden, Keller, in Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Image: Kate Ceberano

The music and media communities were represented among the 771 Australians honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

The highest acclaim was accorded to Rhoda Roberts, founder and Director of the Boomerang festival and Head of Indigenous Programming at the Sydney Opera House. She was also Director of Lighting the Sails’ for this year’s Vivid Festival. The Bundjalung woman was made an Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia for her contribution to indigenous culture.

Kate Ceberano received an AM (Member of the Order of Australia) for “significant service to the performing arts, particularly music, as a singer, songwriter and entertainer, and to charitable organisations.”

Ceberano, who has sold 1.5 million units in this country, was the first woman inducted into the Australian Songwriters Hall Of Fame, Artistic Director for the Adelaide Cabaret Festival for three years, and Ambassador for National Breast Cancer Foundation. The 49-year-old is currently celebrating 35 years in the music industry with the release of the Anthology album.

She said in a statement, “I am so very proud and honoured to be receiving this award from this great country of Australia that I love.”

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Also awarded the AM was entertainment lawyer Robert McCormack of TressCox Lawyers. Specialising in live and musical theatre, he has notably set up the legal requirements for the presentation and funding of major theatrical productions since 1985, including Cats, Phantom of The Opera and Les Miserables. He also provides services free to a number of industry peak bodies including Live Performance Australia and Friends of the Australian Ballet.

Receiving the OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia) was FJ Holden, who emerged in the mid-70s of the multi-platinum retro-pop band Ol’55 and was later part of Ol’ Skydaddies, also made up of members of Skyhooks and Daddy Cool. He also expanded to TV and films, currently operates a seaside holiday park Tathra Beach Family Park in NSW and was a highly vocal advocate to save the local hospital.

Radio and TV identity Amanda Keller also received an OAM for services to broadcast media (including WS FM Sydney, on which she co-presents the breakfast show) and the community. Among her charity work has been as Ambassador for organ donation campaign DonateLife, a patron of the Sydney Kids Committee and supporter of Kidney Health Australia and Save Our Sons.

Australian Radio Network CEO Tony Kendall said, “Amanda is a genuine media professional with a generous heart and great strength of character and this is a wonderful acknowledgement of her contribution to the media industry and the community. Amanda is admired and respected by all her colleagues at ARN and her longevity in the industry is testament to her talent but also the passion and commitment she brings to the station every day. On behalf of everyone at ARN, we congratulate Amanda on this honour.”

Among others on the Honours List

David Ashton-Smith (OAM) founded the Melbourne amateur choral ensemble, he Ashton-Smith Singers Of Australia, in 1980.

Tom Lowenstein (OAM), arts patron and founder of Lowenstein Arts Management which offers business and tax advice to clients including those from the arts and music sector in Sydney and Melbourne.

Classical music conductor Richard Gill (AO) who is also known for his mentoring of younger talent and for his passion for encouraging music education.

Elizabeth Koch (AM), Associate Professor of Flute, Head of Performance and Head of Woodwind, University of Adelaide. She also served as Director of the 2007 Sydney Flute Festival and 2009 Australian Flute Festival, as well as her own Elizabeth Koch Flute Summer Schools.

Canberra didgeridoo player, dancer and indigenous youth activist Duncan Smith (OAM) is a popular figure at Welcome To Country and Citizenship celebrations.