Milne's honoured for environmentalism

Former Australian Greens leader Christine Milne is among a raft of women to receive Queen's Birthday Honours for contributions to fields including environment.

Former Australian Greens leader Christine Milne.

Former Greens leader Christine Milne has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours. (AAP) Source: AAP

Former Australian Greens leader Christine Milne might have ended her time fighting for the better good in Canberra but is still on the frontline battling for environmental change.

Since retiring from politics in 2015, the former senator has remained in demand both in Australia and abroad.

She recently addressed Ireland's Green Party and spoke out in Paris about Cambodian human rights oppressions, all while continuing her long-time climate activism and fighting to protect Aboriginal rock art in Western Australia.

The 65-year-old has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her service to politics both federally and in her home state of Tasmania, and for her work more broadly helping to preserve the natural environment.

She is just one of a raft of women receiving Queen's Birthday Honours for their contributions to areas including politics, science, the environment and business.

"It's humbling because you know just how many people work in the community for so many causes for so long," Ms Milne told AAP.

"Until recently, the awards have had, well I won't say a bias, but have been disproportionably awarded to men when it is women who are frequently doing huge amounts of community work."

University of NSW Dean of Science, Emma Johnston, is also being appointed as an AO for her services to higher education, particularly marine ecology and ecotoxicology.

Researching how humans and pollution change the ocean is depressing, the professor concedes, but she's determined to find solutions.

"The exciting thing about the marine environment is it's so different to what's on land ... to work in that environment, you feel like you're exploring the unknown but you're revealing a secret world to everybody."

Professor Johnston says she's passionate about making science accessible to everybody, particularly women.

"I speak to so many (female) early career scientists who just lack confidence because they have no role models in front of them."

Other eminent Australians to be recognised for their services to science are Geoffrey Burnstock and San Hoa Thang, each being appointed as a Companion in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AC).

Rose Amal will also be appointed an AC for services to chemical engineering, and the late David Albert Cooper AO for HIV/AIDS research.


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Source: AAP


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