Australia Day Honours 2023: Steve Liebmann, Claudia Karvan, David Wenham, Jean Kittson.

Australia Day Honours have been bestowed upon television industry names including performers Claudia Karvan, David Wenham, Jean Kittson, Chloe Dallimore, producer Bruna Papandrea, director Phil Noyce, TV chef & presenter Kylie Kwong and veteran journalist Steve Liebmann.

Liebmann only learned of the honour for Services to Broadcast Media several days ago.

“I’m still getting my head around it all, to be perfectly honest. It’s great. I’m very flattered and very grateful,” he told TV Tonight.

Liebmann was an original Today host with Sue Kellaway, at the invitation of 1980s Nine TV boss Sam Chisholm.

“In 1981 he had an idea for a breakfast television show. Word leaked, and Channel 10 jumped in and pinched the title he was going to use: Good Morning Australia.

“Dear ‘ol Mike Gibson said we had more pilots then Qantas! But then Kerry Packer finally gave us the green light.”

Liebmann had 21 years with Nine’s Today show, split across two periods. He also anchored 11am for Seven, Sydney’s 10 Eyewitness News and presented Foxtel’s Crime Investigation Australia -each for 5 years.

But he still considers Today the highlight of his career.

“I can honestly say the alarm would go at 3 every morning, Monday to Friday, but there was never a day where you’d think, ‘Oh, geez, I don’t want to go to work today.’ It was a joy to work for and on.

I’ve been very lucky to work for media bosses, in radio and television, who had a genuine passion for the business. If you want to go way back to the Lamb family at 2UE when you had people like Alan Faulkner and Brian McClenahagn, who were fantastic bosses and great mentors. And then at Channel Nine with Kerry Packer -these were people that really had a passion for the business. I think now the passion is ratings and revenue.

“But I reckon I got as much from the media from the broadcast media as, as I gave back. Probably I got more from radio and television than I ever contributed.”

Liebmann also acknowledges his co-hosts, Sue Kellaway, Lizzie Hayes, Tracy Grimshaw but these days doesn’t see a lot of the breakfast genre -which he blames on morning tennis sessions.

“When you look at the combined audience for breakfast television it’s not bad. They’re not as high as they used to be, for either program and I don’t know whether that reflects changing tastes on the part of the viewer or the program content,” he suggests.

“But there’s also so much competition now. You’ve got Today & Sunrise but you’ve also got Pete Stefanovic on SKY News and the ABC – two other factors that we didn’t have to worry about. So I think that’s something you can’t ignore.

“I don’t see a lot of breakfast television. If I’m at home, I’ll have flick around, take a look at what my old alma mater is doing, have a look at what ABC is doing, put on Sky News. I don’t have a preference if I’m at home I’ll surf, but I’m usually on the tennis court.”

TV and related Australia Day Honours:

Member AM in the General Division of the Order of Australia

Ms Chloe Bennett Dallimore, Coogee NSW
For significant service to the performing arts, particularly as a performer.

Ms Jean Kittson, NSW
For significant service to the arts as a performer, writer and comedian.

Ms Kylie Jane Kwong, NSW
For significant service to the hospitality industry, and to the community.

Mr Warren Lindsay Brown, Goulburn NSW
For significant service to media as a cartoonist, and to military history.

Ms Bruna Papandrea, Coogee NSW
For significant service to the performing arts as a film and television producer.

Mrs Bess Nungarrayi Price, East Side NT
For significant service to the Parliament of the Northern Territory, and to the Indigenous community.

Dr Norman Gabriel Swan, NSW
For significant service to the broadcast media as a science and health commentator.

Mr David Wenham, QLD
For significant service to the performing arts as an actor and producer.

Mr Philip Stretton Williams, Wallaroo NSW
For significant service to the broadcast media as a presenter and journalist.

Ms Robbie Sefton, Tamworth NSW
For significant service to agribusiness, and to the community in a range of roles.

Officer AO in the General Division of the Order of Australia

The Honourable Prudence Jane Goward, Goulburn NSW
For distinguished service to the people and Parliament of New South Wales, and to women’s affairs.

Mr Phillip Roger Noyce, California USA
For distinguished service to the arts as a film and television director, producer, and screenwriter.

Medal OAM of the Order of Australia in the General Division

Ms Chantal Marie-Rose Abouchar, NSW
For service to business, and to the media.

Mr Stephen David Hill, VIC
For service to the skateboarding industry.

Mr John Martin Hyde, Mount Lawley WA
For service to the community through a range of roles.

Ms Claudia Karvan, NSW
For service to the film and television industry.

Mr William Granger, NSW
For service to the tourism and hospitality sector.

Mr Steve Liebmann, Cremorne NSW
For service to the broadcast media as a journalist.

Ms Patricia Fiske, Bondi Beach NSW
For service to the film industry.

Mrs Judith Ellen Travers, Acton Park Tas
For service to education administration, and to the community.