AUSTRALIAN HONOURS
For more than a century, the Royal Life Saving Society has been shaped and sustained by the quiet dedication of stakeholders who give their time, skills and leadership in service of others. Across pools, rivers, lakes and communities, their contribution reaches far beyond individual acts of service—building safer environments, strengthening community capability, and passing on lifesaving knowledge from one generation to the next. The legacy of these stakeholders is measured not only in lives saved, but in the confidence, resilience and care they foster in communities across Australia, reflecting a shared commitment to compassion, responsibility and the enduring belief that every life is worth protecting.
The Australian Honours and Awards provide an opportunity to recognise the efforts of our dedicated stakeholders. The National Office of Royal Life Saving in Australia recommends that State and Territory Member Organisations consider the volunteers from within their State/Territory be recognised at the National level for their continued service.
AUSTRALIAN HONOURS AND AWARDS CATEGORIES
There are three categories of Australian Honours and Awards:
- Service Honours and Awards - Stakeholder recognise stakeholders who have demonstrated quality and consistent service over a duration of time. The time duration and the type of service depend on the award.
- Service Honours and Awards - Royal Life Saving Staff recognise staff who have demonstrated quality and consistent service over a duration of time. The time duration and the type of service depend on the award.
- Bravery Awards recognises the efforts of those outstanding members of the community who attempt to save the life of another by carrying out an aquatic rescue or by performing CPR in an emergency situation, thereby fulfilling the Royal Life Saving motto “whomsoever you see in distress recognise in them a fellow human being.”
In considering nominees for these awards, the level and length of performance and the quality of the service rendered are the necessary and key components to be reviewed and considered before any honour or award may be granted. Other criteria such as contributions, membership, council or committee involvement, etc. are important factors and these may play a role in determining the nominee’s eligibility and the level of the Honour awarded.
HONOURS AND AWARDS NOMINATIONS PROCESS
The nomination process has five (5) steps:
Step 1: Complete the appropriate online nomination form (all forms are linked below).
Step 2: The nomination form will be sent automatically to the RLS State or Territory Member Organisation where the nominee resides for their endorsement.
NB: Nominations submitted by the National Branch will skip step 2 and immediately submit nomination to the Royal Life Saving Honours Committee.
Step 3: Endorsed nominations are provided to the Royal Life Saving Honours Committee for review against the honours and award criteria and approved.
Step 4: Eligible Life Member and Life Governor nominations are forwarded to the RLS National Board for Members to vote on at the RLS Annual General Meeting.
Step 5: Approved honours and awards are sent to each State and Territory Member Organisation for distribution to nominees.
HONOURS AND AWARDS TIMELINE
While a Call for Honours and Awards nominations is issued late summer, nominations can be submitted at any time during the year.
The timeline for the review and ratification of nominations depends on the category of Australian Honours and Awards:
- Service Honours and Awards - Volunteer and Royal Life Saving Staff: The RLS Honours Committee meets in late autumn or early winter to review the nominations against the honours and award criteria and sends eligible nominations to the National Board for ratification at their mid-winter meeting.
- Nominations CLOSE on 31 May 2026 for winter review
- Bravery Awards: Nominations are reviewed and ratified on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
Australian Service Awards - Stakeholders
Honours and Awards are progressive. It is preferred that a nominee receives the honours in order. It is only in exceptional circumstances that a higher honour/award will be awarded without the nominee having previously received a lower honour/award in the honours sequence.
NB: For nomination citations, nominations should only covers the period commencing from the date of the individual’s last honour which must be a minimum of 5 years prior to the date of nomination unless otherwise specified.
Certificate of Thanks
To recognise significant service, contributions or achievements as an instructor, examiner, committee member, official made by individuals, clubs, schools, organisations, etc.
Citation needs: a brief explanation statement to explain the reason for certificate.
President's Award
To recognise the significant service, support or contributions made to the operation of Royal Life Saving by organisations, clubs, schools etc. This award is not available to individuals.
Citation needs: a brief explanation statement to explain the reason for the award.
Associate
To recognise individual active stakeholders with noteworthy service performed as an instructor, examiner, representative, officer, committee members, official with a minimum of five (5) years' service.
Citation needs: a limited citation detailing level of volunteer service, type of service, years, etc.
Fellow
To recognise individual active stakeholders with significant service performed as an instructor, examiner, representative, officer, committee member or official with a minimum of ten (10) years' service.
Citation needs: a limited citation detailing level of service, type of service, years, etc. since the date of the nominees previous award.
Companion
To recognise individual active stakeholders with outstanding service performed as an instructor, examiner, representative, committee member, official with a minimum of fifteen (15) years' service.
Citation needs: a limited citation detailing level of service, type of service, years, etc. since the date of the nominees previous award.
Meritorious Service Medal
To recognise individual active stakeholders who are exemplary representatives of Royal Life Saving Australia with exceptional service performed as an instructor, examiner, representative, officer, official or committee member with a minimum of twenty (20) years' service.
Citation needs: A full citation that shows a complete record of Royal Life Saving Australia service.
Life Member
To recognise individual active stakeholders who are exemplary representatives of Royal Life Saving Society - Australia with significant outstanding service as an instructor, representative, officer or committee member to National Office or a State or Territory Member Organisation with a minimum of twenty-five (25) years' service.
Citation needs: A full citation representing a comprehensive record of Royal Life Saving Australia service.
NB: A maximum of one (1) nomination per State or Territory Member Organisation will be considered per annum.
Life Governor
To recognise individual active stakeholders who are exemplary representatives of Royal Life Saving Society - Australia and contributed in a substantial and measurable way to the mission with a minimum thirty (30) years' exemplary service as an instructor, representative, officer or committee member to National Office or a State or Territory Member Organisation.
Citation needs: A full citation representing a comprehensive record of Royal Life Saving Australia service and the manner in which this service was exceptional.
NB: A maximum of one (1) nomination per State or Territory Member Organisation will be considered per annum.
Australian Service Awards - Royal Life Saving Staff
Certificate of Thanks
Recognise specific individual efforts of a past or present staff of National or a State or Territory Member Organisation.
Australian Service Order
To recognise individual efforts or outstanding contribution of a past or present staff member of the National Office or a State or Territory Member Organisation with a minimum of five (5) years' service.
Citation needs: a limited citation detailing level of volunteer service, type of service, years, etc.
Australian Long Service Order
To recognise the dedicated service of a past or present staff member of the National Office or a State or Territory Member Organisation with a minimum of ten (10) years' service.
Citation needs: a limited citation detailing level of volunteer service, type of service, years, etc.
Australian Meritorious Service Order
To recognise the continuing meritorious service of a past or present staff member of the National Office or a State or Territory Member Organisation with a minimum of fifteen (15) years' dedicated service.
Citation needs: a full citation detailing level of volunteer service, type of service, years, etc.
Australian Outstanding Service Order
To recognise the continuing outstanding service of a past or present staff member of the National Office or a State or Territory Member Organisation with a minimum of twenty (20) years' service.
Citation needs: a full citation detailing level of volunteer service, type of service, years, etc.
Australian Bravery Awards
President's Commendation
Awarded to a person who undertakes an aquatic rescue or attempted rescue.
Rescue Medal
Awarded to a person who undertakes a rescue or attempted rescue in an aquatic environment under extreme or difficult circumstances.
Bravery Cross
Awarded to a person who undertakes a rescue or attempted rescue in an aquatic environment under circumstances that endangers the life of the rescuer.
Resuscitation Recognition Medal
Awarded to a person who has attempted to save a life through the application of CPR regardless of the outcome. Application of CPR does not need to be performed in an aquatic environment.
For more information about Australian Honour and Awards, please contact honours@rlssa.org.au
