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Every year, the Queen's Birthday list gets sent out with its accompanying statistics, and every year the women's share of these honours is half of the men's share.
This year is no different: 206 women have received honours compared to 467 men.
We could try and blame the selection panel, which also has more men than women.
But that cannot entirely be the problem. The figures show that once women are nominated, they are slightly more likely than men to find themselves on the final honours list.
Which brings me to my grandmother (also a great-grandmother) who has organised honours campaigns for two of her friends she has thought worthy of recognition. Both female. Both successfully received honours.
Let's take some clues from her as to how to take matters into our own hands.
Recognise the worthy
"I chose an easy subject," said my grandmother of her friend Peggy Holroyde.
A citizen of many countries: Born in England, a few years in America, then living in India just after independence with her BBC-journalist husband, Western Australia became Peggy's chosen long-term home.
She was an author, a cultural connector for indigenous people around the world and especially the Indian Ocean rim, developing strong links between India and Australia.
In the mid-2000s there was an indigenous people's conference at a university in Perth so, although she must have been about 80 years old at the time, Peggy organised a party at her tiny villa in Fremantle.
I'll never forget it, because I was seated next to the Chief of the Cherokee tribe for dinner.
He was wearing a full Native American feather headdress and gave me his business card.
Just another Peggy party, and an indication of the kind of extraordinary person she was.
Fill out the form
You've got your worthy recipient, now down to the boring part.
The form to fill out if you are nominating a possible honouree is only six pages long.
Each nominee needs four referees, plus the person nominating them, and the nominator will need to fill out their personal details.
The meat in this sandwich is in filling out one Section 2: Activities undertaken by the person you are nominating for an award.
There are two pages provided.
Do you think my grandmother filled out two pages and stopped there? No, and neither should you.
Go beyond the form and write letters
My grandmother was determined that her nomination of Peggy would not be ignored, that there was "no way they could fail to honour Peggy".
She organised a strategy meeting with some of Peggy's many friends.
They divided Peggy's virtues into categories like 'multiculturalism' and 'performance' and then made another list of her possible champions and put them into the categories.
"It's just a matter of having a long list of people that would think of writing something and getting them to do it," my unbelievably energetic grandmother said.
"Most of them do it. If you cast your net wide enough you'll get good responses."
Fifty-five "wonderful" letters came back. One described Peggy as the "unofficial ambassador for Australia", many called her an inspiration.
Rifling through the letters down the phone line from Perth to Sydney, my grandmother teared up as she read a passage from one:
"Peggy's heart and door is always open to people of all creeds, colours and persuasions. On countless occasions she has demonstrated the unique advantages that accrue to Australia from its diverse migrant and indigenous heritages."
You can do it
While I was reminded of Peggy's extraordinary character and contribution as I talked to my grandmother about her, I was aware of the other women in my life worthy of a slice of symbolic recognition in the form of a national honour.
You will surely have them too. So take my grandmother's advice and get nominating.
Anyone can nominate any Australian for an award in the Order of Australia. If you know someone worthy, nominate them now at www.gg.gov.au.
Topics: awards-and-prizes, human-interest, perth-7300, fremantle-6160, sydney-2000, australia
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