These honours come in recognition of years and often decades of service to the surgical profession, across a range of areas and disciplines including advancing Indigenous health equity; breast cancer treatment and research; colorectal surgical medicine and training; bowel cancer awareness; neurosurgical practice, research and education; cardiothoracic surgery and otorhinolaryngology.
Dr Maxine Ronald
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MZNM)
For services to breast cancer treatment and research
Dr Ronald, after completing her surgical training in New Zealand in 2005, held colorectal and oncoplastic surgical roles in Australia, and is now a general and breast surgeon at Whangārei Hospital. She is the first Indigenous councillor at RACS, a member of the Aotearoa New Zealand National Committee Surgery, and a past Chair of RACS Indigenous Health Committee. She was awarded the RACS Māori Health Medal in 2023, recognising her transformative advocacy for Indigenous health equity. She was significant in developing the Cultural Safety and Cultural Competency framework for surgical trainees and in adding cultural safety as a core competency for all RACS members. In 2024, she was awarded the inaugural Breast Cancer Fellowship from Hei Āhuru Mōwai Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa, to address breast cancer inequities and advocate for Māori health equity, with a focus on building Māori capability and leadership in breast cancer research. Dr Ronald is a member of Hei Āhuru Mowai and Te Pae Whakatere (BreastScreen Aotearoa steering group), the Steering Committee for Medical Workforce, the National Māori Pandemic Group, and was a clinical expert advisor for Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority).
A/Prof Graham Newstead AM
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the General Division
For distinguished service to colorectal surgical medicine and training, to bowel cancer awareness, education and prevention, and to professional societies
A/Prof Newstead AM was founding Secretary, then President, and subsequently Executive Director of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia & New Zealand. He was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2005 for service to medicine in the field of colorectal surgery, particularly through the development of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australasia, the implementation of international specialist surgical training programs, and the promotion of health awareness initiatives. A/Prof Newstead has held numerous clinical positions in public hospitals and private practice in Australia and overseas since 1966. His teaching experience at the University of New South Wales started in 1969. Research interests include polyp syndromes and the relative risks of bowel cancer, bowel cancer incidence and prevention programs, surgical procedures for haemorrhoids and anal fissures, and pouch reservoir construction after radical bowel resections.
Dr Glenn McCulloch
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division
For significant service to neurosurgical practice, research and education
Dr McCulloch is a retired neurosurgeon, having worked mainly during his career at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in South Australia but also at the other South Australian public hospitals. In 2018, Dr McCulloch received the Sir Henry Newland Award from RACS, which is awarded to a South Australian Fellow who has served the community with distinction over a number of years. Dr McCulloch has been involved with RACS in a number of roles including Councillor and Member of the Surgical Education and Training Board in Neurosurgery. He has also been actively involved with the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia (President, Secretary, Treasurer and Board Member) and was President of the NeuroSurgical Research Foundation from 2020-23.
Prof Alistair Royse
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division
For significant service to medicine as a cardiothoracic surgeon, researcher, educator, and trainer
Prof Royse is a cardiothoracic surgeon and has pioneered the use of arterial coronary bypass grafts and complex arterial reconstructions. This has radically changed the practice of coronary surgery in Australia. He has also been intimately involved in the development of clinical ultrasound including intraoperative ultrasound. With his brother, who is an anaesthetist as co-CEO of the UltraSound Education Group, they oversee a large distance learning education (eLearning) program with almost 40, 000 students in 3 years. He has more than 240 peer reviewed papers.
Dr Edward Chapman
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division
For service to medicine in Otorhinolaryngology
Dr Chapman was an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon at Canberra Hospital for 25 years from 1993-2018 including director of the hospital’s ENT (Otorhinolaryngology) Unit from 2014-2017. He was a cochlear implant specialist with Canberra ENT in the 2010s and a specialist with the Cochlear Implant Service, Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, as well as an ENT surgeon in Orange, NSW, from 1985-1993. Dr Chapman also did work for the John James Foundation in Canberra. He was a volunteer ENT specialist with ENT Surgical Missions, National Referral Hospital, Solomon Islands in 2015 and the Indigenous Outreach Program, Katherine Hospital in the Northern Territory in 2008 and from 2011-2013. He was a member of RACS’ New South Wales Regional Training Committee from 2003-2015, and a board member of the RACS Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery College of Examiners. Dr Chapman was made a Fellow in 1984 and was a surgical supervisor at Canberra Hospital for 12 years. He was a representative of the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (ASOHNS) Panel of Clinical Experts for Otolaryngology and Cochlear Implants, Department of Health and Ageing, in the early 2000s, and has been a member since 1985.
See here for the full list of Australian and New Zealand appointments to the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours.
Dr Maxine Ronald
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MZNM)
For services to breast cancer treatment and research
Dr Ronald, after completing her surgical training in New Zealand in 2005, held colorectal and oncoplastic surgical roles in Australia, and is now a general and breast surgeon at Whangārei Hospital. She is the first Indigenous councillor at RACS, a member of the Aotearoa New Zealand National Committee Surgery, and a past Chair of RACS Indigenous Health Committee. She was awarded the RACS Māori Health Medal in 2023, recognising her transformative advocacy for Indigenous health equity. She was significant in developing the Cultural Safety and Cultural Competency framework for surgical trainees and in adding cultural safety as a core competency for all RACS members. In 2024, she was awarded the inaugural Breast Cancer Fellowship from Hei Āhuru Mōwai Māori Cancer Leadership Aotearoa, to address breast cancer inequities and advocate for Māori health equity, with a focus on building Māori capability and leadership in breast cancer research. Dr Ronald is a member of Hei Āhuru Mowai and Te Pae Whakatere (BreastScreen Aotearoa steering group), the Steering Committee for Medical Workforce, the National Māori Pandemic Group, and was a clinical expert advisor for Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority).
A/Prof Graham Newstead AM
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the General Division
For distinguished service to colorectal surgical medicine and training, to bowel cancer awareness, education and prevention, and to professional societies
A/Prof Newstead AM was founding Secretary, then President, and subsequently Executive Director of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia & New Zealand. He was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2005 for service to medicine in the field of colorectal surgery, particularly through the development of the Colorectal Surgical Society of Australasia, the implementation of international specialist surgical training programs, and the promotion of health awareness initiatives. A/Prof Newstead has held numerous clinical positions in public hospitals and private practice in Australia and overseas since 1966. His teaching experience at the University of New South Wales started in 1969. Research interests include polyp syndromes and the relative risks of bowel cancer, bowel cancer incidence and prevention programs, surgical procedures for haemorrhoids and anal fissures, and pouch reservoir construction after radical bowel resections.
Dr Glenn McCulloch
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division
For significant service to neurosurgical practice, research and education
Dr McCulloch is a retired neurosurgeon, having worked mainly during his career at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in South Australia but also at the other South Australian public hospitals. In 2018, Dr McCulloch received the Sir Henry Newland Award from RACS, which is awarded to a South Australian Fellow who has served the community with distinction over a number of years. Dr McCulloch has been involved with RACS in a number of roles including Councillor and Member of the Surgical Education and Training Board in Neurosurgery. He has also been actively involved with the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia (President, Secretary, Treasurer and Board Member) and was President of the NeuroSurgical Research Foundation from 2020-23.
Prof Alistair Royse
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division
For significant service to medicine as a cardiothoracic surgeon, researcher, educator, and trainer
Prof Royse is a cardiothoracic surgeon and has pioneered the use of arterial coronary bypass grafts and complex arterial reconstructions. This has radically changed the practice of coronary surgery in Australia. He has also been intimately involved in the development of clinical ultrasound including intraoperative ultrasound. With his brother, who is an anaesthetist as co-CEO of the UltraSound Education Group, they oversee a large distance learning education (eLearning) program with almost 40, 000 students in 3 years. He has more than 240 peer reviewed papers.
Dr Edward Chapman
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division
For service to medicine in Otorhinolaryngology
Dr Chapman was an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon at Canberra Hospital for 25 years from 1993-2018 including director of the hospital’s ENT (Otorhinolaryngology) Unit from 2014-2017. He was a cochlear implant specialist with Canberra ENT in the 2010s and a specialist with the Cochlear Implant Service, Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, as well as an ENT surgeon in Orange, NSW, from 1985-1993. Dr Chapman also did work for the John James Foundation in Canberra. He was a volunteer ENT specialist with ENT Surgical Missions, National Referral Hospital, Solomon Islands in 2015 and the Indigenous Outreach Program, Katherine Hospital in the Northern Territory in 2008 and from 2011-2013. He was a member of RACS’ New South Wales Regional Training Committee from 2003-2015, and a board member of the RACS Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery College of Examiners. Dr Chapman was made a Fellow in 1984 and was a surgical supervisor at Canberra Hospital for 12 years. He was a representative of the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery (ASOHNS) Panel of Clinical Experts for Otolaryngology and Cochlear Implants, Department of Health and Ageing, in the early 2000s, and has been a member since 1985.
See here for the full list of Australian and New Zealand appointments to the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours.