• Entry type: Person
  • Entry ID: IMP0219

Buttrose, Ita Clare

  • AO, OBE, AC
(1942 – )
  • Born 17 January 1942, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  • Occupation Author, Businesswoman, Editor, Journalist, Print journalist, Radio Journalist, Television Journalist

Summary

On 10 June 2019, Ita Buttrose was appointed Companion (AC) in the General Division, Order of Australia for eminent service to the community through leadership in the media, the arts, and the health sector, and as a role model. On 13 June 1988, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to the community, particularly in the fields of medical education and health care. In the Queen’s Birthday list 1979 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for service to journalism. She became the first woman to be awarded the Harnett Medal for community service and achievements in publishing, journalism, radio and television.

Details

Daughter of: Charles Oswald and Mary Clare (née Rodgers) Buttrose.

Ita Buttrose was the founding editor of Cleo magazine in 1972. She then became editor of the Australian Women’s Weekly and later publisher of Australian Consolidated Press Women’s Division. A journalist by trade, Ida Buttrose has worked in all forms of media (print, radio and television) during her career.

Before starting her own company Capricorn Publishing, Ita Buttrose was a director of News Ltd, editor-in-chief of the Daily and Sunday Telegraphs, columnist and editorial consultant for the Fairfax magazine group and then editor-in-chief of the Sun Herald newspaper.

From 1984-1988, Ita Buttrose chaired the National Advisory Committee on AIDS. She is patron of Women of Vision, World Vision Australia, The University of Third Age, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation of Australia, Amarant, the National Menopause Foundation, the Sydney Women’s Festival, Safety House and National Institute of Secretaries and Administrators.

In 1984 she was named Variety Club’s Personality of the Year as well as Australasian Academy of Broadcast, Arts and Sciences for the most promising Newcomer to Radio. In 1993 Ita Buttrose was named Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Australian of the Year.

[1] http://www.cew.org.au/view_profile.cfm?member=Ita%20Buttrose accessed 28/10/2002.
[2] ibid

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Events

  • 1979

    Appointed the Order of the British Empire – Officer (Civil)

  • 1975 - 1976

    Editor of the Australian Women’s Weekly

  • 1972 - 1975

    Founding editor of Cleo

  • 1990 - 1996

    Director of the Prudential Corporation Trust Australia

  • 1990 - 1994

    Director of the Australia Advisory Board

  • 1998

    Director of The Smith Family, Australia

  • 1997 - 1999

    Chairman of the Australian Services Nurses’ National Memorial Fund

  • 1997 - 1998

    Member of the Federal Government Conference for Older Australians

  • 1995 - 1997

    President of the National Opera Festival

  • 1992 - 1993

    President of Chief Executive Women

  • 1988

    Appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)

  • 2042

    Born daughter of Charles Oswald and Mary Clare (née Rodgers) Buttrose

  • 2001

    Chairman of Terraplanet Ltd

  • 2000

    Director of Terraplanet Ltd

  • 2000

    GST Customer Advocate for Woolworths Supermarket chain

  • 1999

    Columnist for The Australian Women’s Weekly

  • 1998

    Columnist for Courier Newspaper Group (Sydney)

  • 1998

    Member of the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code Complaints Adjudication Panel

  • 1997

    TV Panelist for Beauty and the Beast on Foxtel and the Ten Network, Australia

  • 1995 - 1998

    Director of Buttrose and Dominguez Design

  • 1995 - 1996

    Broadcaster for Radio 2GB, Sydney

  • 1984 - 1987

    Broadcaster for Radio 2KY and 2UE, Sydney

  • 1988 - 1994

    Chief Executive Officer of Capricorn Publishing Pty Ltd

  • 1989 - 1994

    Editor of ITA Magazine

  • 1988

    Editor-in-chief of The Sun-Herald

  • 1981 - 1984

    Editor-in-chief of the The Daily Telegraph and of the The Sunday Telegraph

  • 1976 - 1981

    Editor-in-chief of the Australian Women’s Weekly and of Cleo

  • 1984 - 1988

    Publishing consultant to Women’s Day and Portfolio magazines

  • 1981

    Appointed Board member of News Ltd, Australia

  • 1978 - 1981

    Director of the K G Murray Leisure Group

  • 2001

    Inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women

  • 1991 - 1994

    Chairman of AIDS Trust Australia

  • 1984 - 1988

    Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on AIDS (NACAIDS)

  • 1991 - 1992

    Director of Television & Telecasters Pty Ltd

  • 1992

    Awarded Hartnett Medal

  • 1970 - 2000
  • 2019

    Companion (AC) in the General Division, Order of Australia: For eminent service to the community through leadership in the media, the arts, and the health sector, and as a role model.

    Appointed

Archival resources

  • National Library of Australia, Manuscript Collection
    • Papers of Meredith Hinchliffe, 1957-1981 [manuscript]

Published resources

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    • Australian Service Nurses National Memorial
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    • The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - )
  • Related Concepts
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