Congratulations to Our Members Honoured on Australia Day 2026
The Order of Malta warmly congratulates several of our members who have been recognised in the Australia Day 2026 Honours, receiving the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for their outstanding service to the community.
These honours acknowledge the generosity, leadership, and enduring commitment to service that so clearly reflect the values and mission of the Order of Malta.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to:
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Confrère Shaun Bonett, OAM, for service to the community through a range of organisations. Shaun has been a Knight of Magistral Grace since 2010.
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Confrère Robert Kirby, OAM, for service to the community of Sydney. Robert is a Knight of Grace and Devotion since 1977 and his role with the Order was most significant at our Master of Ceremony. His father Dr Ernest Kirby AM and his mother Anne were founding members of the Australian Association of the Order of Malta and Anne was the first Dame of the Order of Malta in Australia.
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Confrère Gerard O’Donnell, OAM, for service to the community through a range of organisations. Gerard has been a Knight of Magistral Grace since 2015 and is a dedicated servant of the poor and the sick, with executive role in the Order of Malta’s Central Eastern Region’s council, as well as one of the Order’s most active hospitaller work volunteers. Gerard is responsible for organising Masses in aged care homes as well as distributing winter coats for people sleeping rough throughout Melbourne. He has also accompanied palliative care patients writing more than 40 biographies of their lives. These biographies chronicle the important moments of their lives, which otherwise may not be told or remembered.
Each of these members has demonstrated a deep dedication to serving others, often quietly and consistently, in the spirit of faith, compassion, and charity. Their recognition is a source of pride for the Order and an inspiration to all who share in our mission to serve the sick and the poor.
We offer our sincere congratulations and gratitude to our honoured members and pray that their example continues to inspire service to the wider community.
