Call for equality ... Australia's ambassador to France Stephen Brady says he hopes the selection process for Australia Day honours will change. Picture: Ella Pellegrini Source: Supplied

Australian Ambassador to France Stephen Brady was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to successive Federal Governments, to international relations through senior diplomatic roles, including critical behind-the-scenes work during Australia’s war in Afghanistan.

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Humbled ... Stephen Brady (far right) with Governor-General Peter Cosgrove and French President François Hollande. Source: Supplied

But Mr Brady told News Corp Australia while he was humbled to receive the AO on behalf of all public servants who go about their work in the usual unacknowledged role of supporting government, he also firmly hoped the selection process would change.

“Yes more women and indigenous people,” Mr Brady, who has also served as Secretary of the Council of the Order of Australia, said.

Recognition ... Stephen Brady at a wreath-laying ceremony for World War I centenary commemorations. Picture: Ella Pellegrini. Source: Supplied

“My hope is the Australian honours system needs to be like the British and that they award equally to men and women. The British honours system was changed sometime ago where it is now 50-50 and the other thing my hope is the honours system actively encourages indigenous Australians to nominate.

‘The integrity of honours systems relies upon the public’s broad acceptance of it and ours is very robust and is very good but its quite obvious in the statistics women are just not there and there are certain professions that have a strangle hold on the nominations.”

In this year’s awards, there were almost twice as many men to women — 406 to 207. In Britain in 2013, for the first time since the Order of the British Empire was established in 1917, more women were recognised than men.

Mr Brady believed there were professions that were hugely male dominated and thus received more nominations and while some conservative people in society might object to his remarks, the fact was the British found a way to make it proportional.

“It really is not that radical,” he added, saying the value of a public servant was their honesty in service.

Mr Brady who has been with his same sex partner Peter Stephens — also an accomplished public servant with significant experience — for 34 years said he was stunned when he heard he was being considered for recognition.

As private secretary to the office of Governor-General, for both Quentin Bryce and early stages of Peter Cosgrove, he said he saw first hand the many “quiet contributors”.

“I get this award but what struck me over six years (in GG’s office) people go through life doing remarkable things and get no reward, no acknowledgment

so I’m deeply humbled by this,” he said from his embassy home overlooking The Eiffel Tower in Paris.

In mourning ... Stephen Brady lays flowers outside the Charlie Hebdo offices in Paris where 12 people were murdered. Picture: Ella Pellegrini. Source: Supplied

Mr Brady had only been in the job a few months before he faced what was a national crisis of the Paris terror attacks.

But he greatest diplomatic achievement so far has been as the negotiator during the Afghan war. In 2004 as ambassador to the Netherlands his unexpected crucial mission was to get the Dutch and keep the Dutch in Uruzgan in southern Afghanistan.

Mr Brady recalled it was in Australia’s national interest to have a joint task force but was a “difficult dance” since like many European government at that time Netherlands had a complex coalition government including the defence, foreign affairs and prime ministers all being from different parties.

Honour ... Stephen Brady on the Western Front at the grave of a World War I Digger. Picture: Ella Pellegrini. Source: Supplied

“It was the ultimate sense of being a diplomat where you could have an effect, I saw the real worth of advocacy,” he said.

He has worked with or about all prime ministers since Paul Keating including two terms with John Howard.

“The system of honours is a noble concept but inevitably through a process whereby people must nominate there are thousands of people that I saw doing extraordinary work, huge commitments in difficult areas and indeed irrespective of acknowledgments, they are the people I keep coming back to,” he said.

“For my own I sort of think it’s a recognition of public service not just for myself but of the public service. It’s not particularly an acknowledged part of government.

From what I take from the 34 years so far is that the government relies on a public service willing to be honest and to provide it with creative and the best advice. Public servants need to never shy away from that.”