Vice-Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the honours showcase the remarkable impact of the La Trobe community across a broad range of fields.
“The King’s Birthday Honours recognise Australians whose service, leadership and achievements have made a lasting impact on our communities and our nation,” Professor Farrell said.
“We are especially proud to see members of the La Trobe community recognised among this year’s recipients, including Honorary Doctorate recipient Fran Kelly AO, Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Professor Timothy Entwisle AO and valued University Council member Ro Allen AO. Their achievements demonstrate the impact that members of the La Trobe community make across the country."
The 2026 King’s Birthday Honours acknowledge outstanding contributions across education, research, public service, health, community wellbeing, industry and the arts. We congratulate all members of the La Trobe community recognised this year and celebrate their dedication to creating positive change locally, nationally and globally.
King’s Birthday Honours List recipients linked to La Trobe include:
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
Professor Timothy John Entwisle (Alumni)
For distinguished service to environmental conservation, to botanical sciences, to the media, to tertiary education, and to the community.
Frances (Fran) Kelly (Alumni)
For distinguished service to broadcast journalism, to the advancement of social justice, to equality, and to advocacy for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Gerald Murnane (Former staff)
For distinguished service to literature as an author and novelist, and to tertiary education.
Ro Allen (La Trobe University Council)
For significant service to the community through social reform and human rights advocacy.
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division
Professor Noel Edward Hayman (Staff)
For significant service to medicine, particularly to Indigenous health care and medical education.
Professor Warwick Middleton (Former staff)
For significant service to psychiatric medicine, and to research into and treatment of complex traumagenic dissociation.
Emeritus Professor Prema-Chandra Athukorala (Alumni and Former staff)
For significant service to tertiary education, and to international trade and development economics.
Professor Grahame John Coleman (Former staff)
For significant service to animal welfare science, and to the discipline of human psychology.
Mary Frances Hoodless (Alumni)
For significant service to regional development, and to the communities of the Riverina and Murray regions.
Professor Anthony Frederick Masters (Former staff)
For significant service to tertiary education and governance, and to chemical science.
Matthew B. Ames (Alumni)
For significant service to community health, to engineering, to business administration, and to corporate governance.
Iain Edwards (Alumni)
For significant service to community health, and to people who are blind or have low vision.
David Elia (Alumni)
For significant service to the superannuation industry through executive roles.
John W. Flynn (Alumni)
For distinguished service to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, to equality and accessibility, and to Auslan training and education.
The Reverend Emeritus Professor Phillip J. Hughes (Former staff)
For significant service to the sociology of religion, to academia, to social cohesion, and to the community.
Bridget Shaw (Alumni)
For significant service to physiotherapy, to clinical training, and to advanced practice leadership.
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division
Ms Bernadette Gigliotti (Alumni)
For service to secondary and vocational education.
Laura Maree Hogan (Staff)
For service to people with disability.
Dr Linton D. Staples (Alumni)
For service to science, and to pest animal management.
La Trobe University extends its sincere congratulations to all recipients and thanks them for the lasting contributions they continue to make to our communities, professions and public life.
