1991 in Australia
Encyclopedia
Incumbents
- Monarch – Elizabeth II
- Governor-GeneralGovernor-General of AustraliaThe Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
– Bill HaydenBill HaydenWilliam George "Bill" Hayden AC was the 21st Governor-General of Australia. Prior to this, he represented the Australian Labor Party in parliament; he was a minister in the government of Gough Whitlam, and later became Leader of the Opposition, narrowly losing the 1980 federal election to the... - Prime MinisterPrime Minister of AustraliaThe Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
– Bob HawkeBob HawkeRobert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
(until 20 December), then Paul KeatingPaul KeatingPaul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
Premiers and Chief Ministers
- Premier of New South Wales – Nick GreinerNick GreinerNicholas "Nick" Frank Hugo Greiner AC, is an Australian businessman and former politician. He was the 37th Premier New South Wales from 1988 to 1992. He was Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party from 1983 to 1992 and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1988. He is married...
- Premier of Queensland – Wayne GossWayne GossWayne Keith Goss was Premier of Queensland from 7 December 1989 until 19 February 1996.-Early life:He was born at Mundubbera, Queensland and educated at Inala High School and the University of Queensland...
- Premier of South Australia – John BannonJohn BannonJohn Charles Bannon AO is a former Australian politician. He was the 39th Premier of South Australia, leading the Labor Party to government at the 1982 election. The Bannon Labor government was re-elected at the 1985 election and the 1989 election...
- Premier of Tasmania – Michael FieldMichael Field (Australian politician)Michael Walter Field, AC was Tasmanian Labor leader from 1988 until his retirement in 1996, and was the Premier of Tasmania between 1989 and 1992...
- Premier of Victoria – Joan KirnerJoan KirnerJoan Elizabeth Kirner AM , Australian politician, was the 42nd Premier of Victoria, the first woman to hold the position, which she held for two years prior to a landslide election defeat.-Biography:...
- Premier of Western AustraliaPremier of Western AustraliaThe Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
– Carmen LawrenceCarmen LawrenceCarmen Mary Lawrence is a retired Australian politician; a former Premier of Western Australia and the first woman to become Premier of a State of the Commonwealth of Australia.... - Chief Minister of the Australian Capital TerritoryChief Minister of the Australian Capital TerritoryThe Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory is the head of government of the Australian Capital Territory. The leader of party with the largest representation of seats in the unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly usually takes on the role...
– Trevor KaineTrevor KaineTrevor Thomas Kaine , an Australian politician, was Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory from 1989 to 1991, and was elected a multi-member single electorate first unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly, from 1989 to 2001, initially as a member of the Liberal...
(until 6 June), then Rosemary FollettRosemary FollettRosemary Follett AO , Australian politician, was the first Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. She was the first woman to become head of government in an Australian state or territory.... - Chief Minister of the Northern TerritoryChief Minister of the Northern TerritoryThe Chief Minister of the Northern Territory is appointed by the Administrator, who in normal circumstances will appoint the head of whatever party holds the majority of seats in the legislature of the territory...
– Marshall PerronMarshall PerronMarshall Bruce Perron is a former Australian politician, who was a Country Liberal Party member of the Legislative Assembly in the Northern Territory from the formation of the Assembly in 1974 until his resignation in 1995. From 1988 to 1995, Perron was the Chief Minister of the Northern...
Governors and Administrators
- Governor of New South Wales – Peter Sinclair
- Governor of Queensland – Sir Walter Campbell
- Governor of South Australia – Sir Donald DunstanDonald Dunstan (Australian Governor)Lieutenant General Sir Donald Beaumont Dunstan, AC, KBE, CB was an Australian Army officer who was Governor of South Australia from 23 April 1982 until 5 February 1991.-Military career:...
(until 5 February), then Dame Roma MitchellRoma MitchellDame Roma Flinders Mitchell, AC, DBE, CVO, QC was an Australian lawyer, judge and state governor. Mitchell was the first Australian woman to be a judge, a Queen's Counsel, a chancellor of an Australian university and the Governor of an Australian state.Roma Mitchell was born in Adelaide in 1913,... - Governor of Tasmania – Sir Phillip BennettPhillip BennettGeneral Sir Phillip Harvey Bennett AC, KBE, DSO is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army who served as Chief of the Australian Defence Force from 1984 to 1987, and later as Governor of Tasmania from 1987 to 1995....
- Governor of Victoria – Davis McCaugheyDavis McCaugheyJohn Davis McCaughey, AC was a bible scholar, church and university administrator, and was Governor of Victoria from 1986–1992.-Working life:...
- Governor of Western AustraliaGovernor of Western AustraliaThe Governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of Australia's Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governor performs important constitutional, ceremonial and community functions, including:* presiding over the Executive Council;...
– Sir Francis BurtFrancis BurtSir Francis Theodore Page Burt, AC, KCMG, QC , commonly known as "Red", Australian jurist, served as Chief Justice of Western Australia from 1977 until 1988 and as Governor of Western Australia from 1990 to 1993. He was also Lieutenant Governor of the State from 1977 to 1990... - Administrator of the Northern TerritoryAdministrator of the Northern TerritoryThe Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to exercise powers analogous to that of a state governor...
– James MuirheadJames MuirheadJames Henry Muirhead AC KStJ QC was an Administrator of the Northern Territory and a Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory.-Pre-Northern Territory:... - Administrator of Norfolk Island – Herbert Bruce MacDonald
Events
- 10 January – The State Government of South AustraliaSouth AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
is forced to bail out the State Bank of South AustraliaState Bank of South AustraliaThe State Bank of South Australia was a bank owned by the Government of South Australia. Its collapse in 1991 was a major political event in South Australia...
to the tune of . The bailout is increased to $2.4 billion in August. - 17 April – The bulk carrier MV Mineral Diamond disappears of the coast of Western Australia. The vessel is believed to have been sunk during adverse conditions caused by Cyclone Fifi.
- 9 May – The report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in CustodyRoyal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in CustodyThe Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody studied and reported on the high level of deaths of Aboriginal people whilst in custody after being arrested or convicted of committing crimes. This included suicide, natural causes, medical conditions and injuries caused by police...
is released. No criminal charges were recommended, nor was compensation for victims' families, but changes were recommended to the way that Aboriginal people were dealt with in police custody. - 25 May – The state electionNew South Wales state election, 1991Elections to the 50th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 25 May 1991. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
in New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
produces a hung parliamentHung parliamentIn a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
. The ruling LiberalLiberal Party of AustraliaThe Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
/NationalNational Party of AustraliaThe National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
coalitionCoalitionA coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
government of Nick Greiner manages to form a minority governmentMinority governmentA minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
with the support of four IndependentIndependent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
MPs. - 30 May – A television report reveals that Prime Minister Bob HawkeBob HawkeRobert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
made a secret deal in 1988, known as the "Kirribilli agreementKirribilli agreementA Kirribilli agreement refers, in Australian culture, to an agreement - typically confidential - between a leader and their deputy leader for the handing over of power on the satisfaction of an agreed precondition....
", to hand over the ALPAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
leadership at a suitable time after the 1990 federal election to Paul Keating. - 3 June – After the secret deal emerged, Paul Keating makes his first challenge against Bob Hawke for the Australian Labor PartyAustralian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
leadership. Hawke wins 66–44, and Keating resigns as TreasurerTreasurer of AustraliaThe Treasurer of Australia is the minister in the Government of Australia responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. He is the head of the Department of the Treasury. The Treasurer plays a key role in the economic policy of the government...
the same day. - 2 August – The Palm Grove Hostel fire kills 12 people in Dungog, New South WalesDungog, New South WalesDungog is a country town on the Williams River in the upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia. Located in the middle of dairy and timber country, it is the centre of the Dungog Shire Local Government Area and at the 2006 census it had a population of 2,102 people. The area includes the...
. - 5 August – Former Queensland PoliceQueensland PoliceThe Queensland Police Service is the law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto of "Firmness with Courtesy" was changed to "With Honour We Serve"...
Commissioner Terry LewisTerry Lewis (police commissioner)Terence Murray "Terry" Lewis is a former Queensland, Australia police commissioner who was convicted and jailed for corruption as a result of the Fitzgerald Inquiry. He was stripped of his knighthood and other honours and awards in consequence.In 1976 Lewis was promoted from obscurity to the rank...
is sentenced to 14 years in prison for corruption. - 17 August – Strathfield massacreStrathfield MassacreThe Strathfield massacre was a shooting rampage in Sydney, Australia on Saturday, 17 August 1991. The shooter was Wade Frankum, who killed himself as police arrived at the scene. The incident left eight dead and six wounded.-Perpetrator:...
: Wade Frankum kills seven people, mostly women, in a killing spree in StrathfieldStrathfield, New South WalesStrathfield is an Inner West suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Strathfield is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield...
Plaza in SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. - 19 October – The perjuryPerjuryPerjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
trial of former Premier of Queensland Sir Joh Bjelke-PetersenJoh Bjelke-PetersenSir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...
ends in a hung jury. Prosecutors decide against a retrial on the basis of Joh's advancing age and divided public opinion. - 23 October – The first general strikeGeneral strikeA general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
in Australia in 65 years takes place in New South Wales. - 19 December – Paul Keating makes his second Labor leadership challenge. This time, he wins 56-51 and becomes Australia's 24th Prime MinisterPrime Minister of AustraliaThe Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
the next day. - 20 December – Barely a year after starting up, Compass AirlinesCompass Airlines (Australia)Compass Airlines operated in Australia for two brief periods in the early 1990s. The two incarnations of the airline were quite separate with different management and aircraft.-History:...
Mk I is shut down. The shutdown is somewhat controversial, coming shortly before the peak Christmas travelling period and partially coming about as a result of debts owed to a government authority.
Arts and literature
- Cloudstreet adapted for the stage by Nick Enright and Justin Monjo, the theatrical adaptation opened in Sydney under the direction of Neil Armfield. Seasons followed in Perth, Melbourne, London, Dublin, New York and Washington, D.C., with the Company B cast touring the production until 2001 with minimal recasting. A lengthy adaptation at 5 and a half hours, the play attracted rave reviews around the world. The adaptation is published by Currency Press. There are plans to produce a TV miniseries version of Cloudstreet.
- David MaloufDavid MaloufDavid George Joseph Malouf is an acclaimed Australian writer. He was awarded the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2000, his 1993 novel Remembering Babylon won the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 1996, he won the inaugural Australia-Asia Literary Award in 2008, and he was...
's novel The Great WorldThe Great WorldThe Great World is a 1990 Miles Franklin literary award winning novel by the Australian author David Malouf.-Awards:*Festival Awards for Literature , National Fiction Award, 1992: winner*Prix Femina , Best Foreign Novel, 1991: winner...
wins the Miles Franklin AwardMiles Franklin AwardThe Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual literary prize for the best Australian ‘published novel or play portraying Australian life in any of its phases’. The award was set up according to the will of Miles Franklin , who is best known for writing the Australian classic My Brilliant Career ...
Television
- January - Network TenNetwork TenNetwork Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
relaunches with a new logo, which is still in use to this day. - 31 December - The Northern New South Wales television market is aggregated, with Prime TelevisionPrime TelevisionPRIME7 is an Australian television network owned by Prime Media Group Limited. Prime Television launched on 17 March 1962 as CBN/CWN in Orange and Dubbo, New South Wales, and has since expanded to cover regional New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory as a Seven Network...
taking a Seven NetworkSeven NetworkThe Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
affiliation, NBNNBN TelevisionNBN Television is a television station based in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The station was inaugurated on 4 March 1962 as the first regional commercial television station in New South Wales, and has since expanded to 39 transmitters throughout the northern half of New South Wales and...
taking a Nine NetworkNine NetworkThe Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
affiliation & NRTV (now Southern CrossSouthern Cross BroadcastingSouthern Cross Broadcasting Limited was a diversified Australian media company, that owned and operated a variety of media businesses, primarily radio and television.-History:...
Ten) taking a Network Ten affiliation.
Sport
- 22 February – First day of the Australian Track & Field Championships for the 1990-1991 season, which are held at the Sydney Athletic Field in Sydney, New South Wales. The combined events were conducted in PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
on 22 and 23 March, while the relays were conducted at Hobart on 6 January 1991. - 22 March – The Adelaide CrowsAdelaide CrowsThe Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
play their first game in the AFLAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. In front of a sellout crowd at Football Park (now AAMI StadiumAAMI StadiumFootball Park is an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia...
), they defeat the HawthornHawthorn, VictoriaHawthorn is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara...
Hawks 24.11.155 to 9.15.69 - May – South MelbourneSouth Melbourne FCSouth Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
, managed by legendary Hungarian Ferenc PuskasFerenc PuskásFerenc Puskás was a Hungarian footballer and manager. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and was a World Cup finalist in 1954...
, defeat Melbourne Croatia on penalties after a thoroughly entertaining 1-1 draw in the National Soccer LeagueNational Soccer LeagueThe National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
Grand Final at Olympic ParkOlympic ParkAn Olympic Park is a sports campus for hosting the Olympic Games. Typically it contains the Olympic Stadium and the International Broadcast Centre. It may also contain the Olympic Village or some of the other sports venues, such as the aquatics complex in the case of the summer games, or the main...
. - 2 June – CarltonCarlton Football ClubThe Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
go within thirty seconds of becoming the first goalless team in the VFL/AFLAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
since 1961 and only the second since 1921. Mark ArceriMark ArceriMark Arceri is a former Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne, Carlton andSt Kilda in the AFL. A rover, he made the final shortlist of 50 for the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century...
kicks a goal from a free kick with 33 seconds remaining. - 21 July – Sean Quilty wins the his first men's national marathon title, clocking 2:14:59 in BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, while Karen Gobby claims the women's title in 2:36:42. - 22 September – The Penrith PanthersPenrith PanthersThe Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
defeat the Canberra RaidersCanberra RaidersThe Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
19-12 to win the 84th NSWRLNew South Wales Rugby LeagueThe New South Wales Rugby League is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was known as the New South Wales Rugby Football League until 1984 when forward thinking marketing managers decided...
premiership. It is the first premiership for PenrithPenrith, New South WalesPenrith is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Penrith is located west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Penrith...
, who have been trying since 1967 to win one. - 28 September – The Hawthorn Hawks (20.19.139) defeat the West Coast EaglesWest Coast EaglesThe West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
(13.8.86) to win the 95th VFL/AFLAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
premiership. It is the most recent grand final that was not played at the Melbourne Cricket GroundMelbourne Cricket GroundThe Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
, it was played at Waverley ParkWaverley ParkWaverley Park was an Australian rules football stadium in Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue and used by all Victorian based Victorian Football League/Australian Football League clubs. However, during the 1990s it became the home ground of...
instead as the MCG was being renovated.
Births
- 7 January – Michael Walters, Australian rules footballer
- 21 January - Jason Hodzic, actor
- 17 April – Tessa JamesTessa JamesTessa James is an Australian actress who is best known for the role of Nicole Franklin in the Australian soap opera Home and Away.-Early and personal life:...
, actress - 25 May – Joe RobinsonJoe Robinson (musician)Joe Robinson , is an Australian guitar player. Robinson is most famous for his fast-paced fingerpicking style and being the winner of the 2008 series of Australia's Got Talent.-Biography:...
, musician - 1 June – Sally PeersSally PeersSally Peers is an Australian professional tennis player. She plays right-handed, with a double-handed backhand. Her career high WTA singles ranking is world no. 153, which she reached on 20 September 2010 & her career high doubles ranking is world no. 89 which she reached on 8 November 2010, while...
, tennis player - 7 June – Olivia RogowskaOlivia RogowskaOlivia Rogowska is an Australian tennis player. The right-hander was born in and lives in Melbourne, Australia. Her highest WTA singles ranking is 138, which she reached on 7 December 2009. Her career high in doubles is 170, which she reached on 20 September 2010...
, tennis player - 18 June – Aaron Streeter, Bloodline of Australian Bushranger Ned Kelly
- 23 July – Lauren MitchellLauren MitchellLauren Mitchell is an Australian artistic gymnast. She is the 2010 World Champion on floor and the 2009 World Championships silver medalist on balance beam and floor. Mitchell is only the second Australian woman gymnast to win medals at a World Championships, and the first to win gold...
, gymnast - 17 August – Michael HepburnMichael HepburnMichael Hepburn is an Australian track and road cyclist from Brisbane. Hepburn started competitively cycling at 14 years of age after making the change from triathlons.- Sporting Achievements :...
, cyclist - 19 September – Demelza ReveleyDemelza ReveleyDemelza Reveley is an Australian model, who was the winner in the fourth cycle of Australia's Next Top Model.-Early life:...
, model - 17 October
- Gabriella CilmiGabriella CilmiGabriella Lucia Cilmi is an Australian singer-songwriter. In 2008, Cilmi was awarded six ARIA awards including Single of the Year and Best Female Artist....
, singer - Joseph DareJoseph Dare (footballer)Joseph Dare , is an Australian rules footballer currently rookie-listed at the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League.Dare primarily plays as a tallish defender...
, footballer
- Gabriella Cilmi
- 20 October – Mitchell MarshMitchell MarshMitchell Ross 'Mitch' Marsh is an Australian cricketer who plays for the Western Warriors& Sahara Pune Warriors in the IPL. He is a Wesley College Old Boy and holds the record for most runs in one Darlot Season, while Shaun Marsh, his brother, holds the highest Darlot average...
, cricketer - 10 December – Thomas OarThomas OarThomas Michael "Tommy" Oar is an Australian football player who plays for Utrecht in the Dutch Eredivisie.-Brisbane Roar:...
, soccer player - 27 December – Sam ReidSam Reid (Australian footballer born 1991)Sam Reid is an Australian rules footballer for the Sydney Swans Football Club in the Australian Football League . Reid, whose brother Ben Reid plays for Collingwood, was drafted to Sydney with the 38th selection in the 2009 AFL Draft...
, Australian rules footballer
Deaths
- 24 March – Sir John Kerr (b. 1914), Governor-General of AustraliaGovernor-General of AustraliaThe Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
(1974–1977) - 23 May – Manning ClarkManning ClarkCharles Manning Hope Clark, AC , an Australian historian, was the author of the best-known general history of Australia, his six-volume A History of Australia, published between 1962 and 1987...
(b. 1915), historian - 14 June – Vladimir PetrovVladimir Mikhaylovich Petrov (diplomat)Vladimir Mikhaylovich Petrov was a member of the Soviet Union's clandestine services who became famous in 1954 for his defection to Australia.-Early life:...
(b. 1907), defected SovietSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
spy - 29 June – Russ HinzeRuss HinzeThe Hon. Russell James "Russ" Hinze , born in Oxenford on the Gold Coast, was a Queensland politician in the 1970s and 1980s. He presided over an era of controversy that included the setting up of the Racing Development Fund, ministerial rezonings and the licensing of Jupiters Casino...
(b. 1919), Queensland politician - 4 July – Victor ChangVictor ChangVictor Peter Chang, AC , was a Chinese Australian cardiac surgeon and a pioneer of modern heart transplantation. Born in Shanghai to Australian-born Chinese parents, he grew up in Hong Kong before moving to Australia...
(b. 1936), heart surgeon - 7 October – Darren MillaneDarren MillaneDarren "Pants" Millane was an Australian rules football player in the VFL/AFL for the Collingwood Football Club between 1984 and 1991.-AFL career:...
(b.1965), Australian rules footballer