FORMER Warrnambool priest turned political journalist Paul Bongiorno (pictured) was one of the hundreds of people recognised in the Australia Day honours list.
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Mr Bongiorno was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to print and broadcast media as a journalist, political commentator and editor.
In the early 1970s he served as a priest in Warrnambool before leaving to pursue a career in journalism.
He has been the national affairs editor at Channel Ten since 2011, the host of the television program Meet the Press and is a guest presenter on the Radio National breakfast program.
He is a member of the advisory board for the Walkley Awards and has himself won five Walkleys. The Governor-General Quentin Bryce approved the awards announced yesterday which included 683 recipients of awards in the general division of the Order of Australia, recognising their diverse contributions and service to fellow citizens.
“I want to give my strong support to the awards made through the Australian honours system’, Ms Bryce said.
“They elevate the concept of giving to others. They heighten our respect for one another, and they encourage Australians to think about the responsibilities of citizenship in our democracy.”