2019 in Australia

Incumbents

• Monarch – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Sir Peter Cosgrove, then David Hurley
• Prime Minister – Scott Morrison
• *Opposition Leader – Bill Shorten, then Anthony Albanese
• Chief Justice – Susan Kiefel

  State and Territory Leaders

• Premier of New South Wales – Gladys Berejiklian
• *Opposition Leader – Michael Daley, then Penny Sharpe, then Jodi McKay
• Premier of Queensland – Annastacia Palaszczuk
• *Opposition Leader – Deb Frecklington
• Premier of South Australia – Steven Marshall
• *Opposition Leader – Peter Malinauskas
• Premier of Tasmania – Will Hodgman
• *Opposition Leader – Rebecca White
• Premier of Victoria – Daniel Andrews
• *Opposition Leader – Michael O'Brien
• Premier of Western Australia – Mark McGowan
• *Opposition Leader – Mike Nahan, then Liza Harvey
• Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory – Andrew Barr
• *Opposition Leader – Alistair Coe
• Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – Michael Gunner
• *Opposition Leader – Gary Higgins

  Governors and Administrators

• Governor of New South Wales – David Hurley, then Margaret Beazley
• Governor of Queensland – Paul de Jersey
• Governor of South Australia – Hieu Van Le
• Governor of Tasmania – Kate Warner
• Governor of Victoria – Linda Dessau
• Governor of Western Australia – Kim Beazley
• Administrator of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories – Natasha Griggs
• Administrator of Norfolk Island – Eric Hutchinson
• Administrator of the Northern Territory – Vicki O'Halloran

  Events

January

• 3 January – One man is killed and another is injured following a double stabbing at the Asia-Pacific headquarters of the Church of Scientology in the Sydney suburb of Chatswood.
• 5 January – A far-right political rally held in Melbourne, marked by scuffles with police and counter-protesters, is attended by Independent Senator Fraser Anning, who admits to using tax-payer funded travel to attend the event.
• 7 January – A mass fish die-off occurs on the Lower Darling River at Menindee Lakes. Up to 1 million fish, including endangered species, ultimately die in what is described as possibly the largest fish die-off in Australian history.
• 24 January – Professor Tanya Monro is appointed Australia's next Chief Defence Scientist, the first woman in the position.
• 29 January – The South Australian Murray Darling Basin Royal Commission report is released. The commission, which commenced in 2018, was critical of the Murray Darling Basin Plan and the Commonwealth Murray Darling Basin Authority.

  February

• Four people are killed and over a thousand people remain evacuated from homes in Townsville as flooding peaks in the city, following a metre of rainfall in the first week of the month. Among the dead were two men on 4 February, and two young boys on 25 February, all from drowning.
• 4 February – The Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry final report is tabled in Parliament. The report makes 76 recommendations.
• 12 February – The Liberal-National Coalition government becomes the first Australian federal government to lose a vote on its own legislation in 78 years, after a defeat on the floor of the House of Representatives.
• 13 February – Nineteen homes are destroyed by bushfires in the New England and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales.
• 26 February – Following the lifting of a suppression order, it is revealed that Cardinal George Pell had been convicted in December 2018 of sexually abusing two choirboys in 1996.

  March

• 13 March – Cardinal George Pell is sentenced to six years in prison following his conviction over the sexual abuse of two choirboys.
• 23 March –
• *The Liberal-National Coalition government led by Gladys Berejiklian wins the 2019 New South Wales state election and returns to office with a reduced majority.
• *Tropical Cyclone Trevor makes landfall in the Northern Territory.

  April

• 11 April – Actor Geoffrey Rush is awarded $850,000 in damages after winning a defamation case against The Daily Telegraph.

  May

• 18 May – 2019 Australian federal election: Scott Morrison's Liberal/National Coalition Government is narrowly re-elected, defeating the Labor Party led by Bill Shorten.
• 30 May – Anthony Albanese is elected unopposed as leader of the Australian Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition, replacing Bill Shorten. Richard Marles is elected deputy unopposed, succeeding Tanya Plibersek

  June

• 4 June – At least four men are killed and a woman is injured after a 45-year-old gunman allegedly goes on a shooting spree in the city centre of Darwin, Northern Territory.
• 4–5 June – The Australian Federal Police raid the home of News Corp Australia journalist Annika Smethurst and the headquarters of the ABC over national security and special forces stories.
• 24 June – Parts of the Darwin CBD are evacuated after the city is impacted by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake originating in Indonesia.

  July

• 1 July – David Hurley is sworn in as the 27th Governor-General of Australia.
• 8–27 July – A biennial joint Australia-United States military exercise Talisman Saber 2019 is held.

  August

• 13 August – 2019 Sydney stabbing attack
• 16 August – Pro-Hong Kong protesters clash with pro-China supporters in Melbourne, while police are forced to intervene during similar confrontations in Sydney and Adelaide, following the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests.
• 21 August – The Victorian Court of Appeal dismisses George Pell's appeal to overturn his conviction for child sex offences.
• 29 August – An attempt to deport the Sri Lankan Tamil Nadesalingam family asylum seekers was thwarted by a last-minute injunction, forcing the plane carrying the couple and their children out of Australia to land in Darwin.

  September

• 9 September – Homes and buildings, including the historic Binna Burra Lodge, are destroyed by a bushfire in Queensland's Scenic Rim region.

  October

• 26 October – Climbing Uluru is banned by authority of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park board.
• 31 October – The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety interim report is published and tabled in Parliament.

  November

• 8 November – Three people are killed and 150 homes are destroyed by a large number of bushfires burning across New South Wales and South East Queensland.
• 11 November – A week-long State of Emergency is declared in New South Wales and the Australian Defence Force is put on alert amid mounting bushfire warnings.

  December

• 30–31 December – Eight people are killed, hundreds of homes are destroyed and the Royal Australian Navy is mobilised to assist evacuation efforts following bushfires on the New South Wales South Coast and in Victoria's East Gippsland

  Music, arts and literature

• 10 May – Tony Costa wins the Archibald Prize for his portrait of artist Lindy Lee.
• 30 July – Melissa Lucashenko wins the Miles Franklin Award for Too Much Lip

  Sport

January

• 5 January – Tennis: The Swiss team consisting of Roger Federer and Belinda Bencic defeat Germany 2–1 in the final of the 2018 Hopman Cup.
• 26 January –
• * Cricket: Brisbane Heat defeat Sydney Sixers by 3 wickets at Drummoyne Oval in Sydney in the final of the 2018–19 Women's Big Bash League season.
• * Tennis: Naomi Osaka defeats Petra Kvitová 7–6, 5–7, 6–4 at Melbourne Park in the final of the 2019 Australian Open women's singles.
• 27 January – Tennis: Novak Djokovic defeats Rafael Nadal 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 at Melbourne Park in the final of the 2019 Australian Open men's singles.

  February

• 16 February –
• * Association football: Sydney FC defeats Perth Glory 4–2 at Jubilee Oval, Sydney to win the 2019 W-League Grand Final.
• * Basketball: Canberra Capitals defeat Adelaide Lightning 93–73 to win the 2018–19 WNBL series in the third game of the grand final series at AIS Arena in Canberra.
• 17 February – Cricket: Melbourne Renegades defeat Melbourne Stars by 13 runs to win the 2018–19 Big Bash League season.

  March

• 17 March –
• * Basketball: Perth Wildcats defeat Melbourne United 97–82 to win the 2018–19 NBL series in the fourth game of the grand final series at Melbourne Arena.
• * Motorsport: Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas wins the 2019 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne from Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
• 31 March – Australian rules football: Adelaide wins the 2019 AFL Women's Grand Final, defeating Carlton 10.3 to 2.6.

  May

• 19 May –
• * Association Football: Sydney FC defeat Perth Glory 0 to 0 on penalties to claim the 2018-19 A-League season at Perth’s Optus Stadium. It’s a 4th A League title win for Sydney FC.

  June

• 23 June –
• *Golf: Hannah Green wins the 2019 Women's PGA Championship.
• *Tennis: Ashleigh Barty wins the 2019 Birmingham Classic, becoming the No. 1 ranked WTA tennis player.
• 24 June – Surfing: Sally Fitzgibbons is ranked No. 1 in women's surfing after winning the Rio Pro in Brazil.

  September

• 9 September – Cricket: At Old Trafford, Australia defeats England in the fourth Test of the 2019 Ashes series thereby retaining The Ashes.
• 28 September – Australian rules football: Richmond defeats Greater Western Sydney 17.12 to 3.7, winning the 2019 AFL Grand Final.
• 29 September – Surfing: Mitch Parkinson wins the So Sri Lanka Pro 2019 as a part of the World Surf League, his first career WSL title.

  October

• 6 October – Rugby league: Sydney Roosters defeat Canberra Raiders 14–8 at ANZ Stadium becoming the first team since 1992/1993 to win back to back rugby league titles.

  November

• 5 November – Horse racing: Vow And Declare wins the 2019 Melbourne Cup.

  Deaths

January

• 1 January – Paul Neville, Queenslander politician
• 2 January – Darius Perkins, actor
• 4 January – John Thornett, rugby union player
• 6 January – Annalise Braakensiek, model
• 7 January – Jimmy Hannan, television presenter
• 8 January – Sir William Cole, public servant
• 16 January – Chris Wilson, blues musician
• 17 January – Tara Simmons, musician
• 19 January – Robert Furlonger, diplomat and public servant
• 20 January – Fred Castledine, Australian rules footballer
• 22 January – Eileen Massey, cricketer
• 24 January – Jim McCabe, Victorian politician
• 29 January – Ian George, former Anglican Archbishop of Adelaide
• 30 January
• * Maureen Brunt, economist
• * Alan Hayes, Australian rules footballer

  February

• 1 February – Andrew McGahan, novelist
• 3 February
• * Carmen Duncan, actor
• * John Sinclair, conservationist
• 9 February – Barney Cooney, Victorian politician
• 11 February – Jeffrey Miles, judge
• 13 February – Leonard Casley, self-proclaimed monarch of the Principality of Hutt River
• 21 February – Sir Rupert Myers, metallurgist and university administrator
• 24 February
• * Paul Blackwell, actor
• * Philip Cummins, judge
• * Dame Margaret Scott, ballet dancer
• 25 February – John Herron, Queenslander politician and diplomat
• 27 February
• * Bill Landeryou, Victorian politician and union official
• * Milton Morris, New South Welsh politician
• 28 February – Bruce Rosier, Anglican bishop

  March

• 1 March – Mike Willesee, television journalist
• 4 March – Les Carlyon, newspaper editor
• 10 March – Gordon McIntosh, Western Australian politician
• 11 March – Desmond Ford, theologian
• 13 March – Edmund Capon, art historian
• 18 March – Giovanni Sgro, Victorian politician
• 19 March
• * Ian Thorogood, Australian rules footballer and coach
• * Lance Oswald, Australian rules footballer
• * Kenneth To, swimmer
• 20 March – Noel Hush, chemist
• 22 March – Jack Absalom, artist, author and adventurer
• 24 March – Vicky Kippin, Queensland politician
• 25 March – Stylianos Harkianakis, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Australia
• 27 March – Bruce Yardley, Test cricketer
• 30 March – Geoff Harvey, musician and television personality
• 31 March – Peter Coleman, New South Welsh politician

  April

• 1 April – Bill Butchart, middle-distance runner
• 4 April – John Winneke, judge
• 6 April – Lloyd McDermott, barrister and rugby union player
• 7 April –
• * Peter Armstrong, rugby league player
• * Joe Bertony, spy and engineer
• 9 April – Rod Galt, Australian rules footballer
• 11 April –
• * Lewis Cooper, cricketer
• * Peter Smedley, businessman
• 13 April –
• * Ron Austin, LGBT rights activist
• * Wally Carr, boxer
• * Michael Coper, legal scholar
• 15 April – Rex Harry, cricketer
• 16 April – Suzanne Twelftree, Paralympic wheelchair tennis player and powerlifter
• 18 April – Andrew Mallard, wrongfully convicted ex-convict
• 20 April – Joyce Evans, photographer
• 23 April – Scott W. Sloan, civil engineer and academic
• 26 April – Eric Kent, Victorian politician
• 29 April – Les Murray, poet
• 30 April – Max Evans, Western Australian politician

  May

• 1 May – Sir Arvi Parbo, businessman
• 2 May – Mike Williamson, sports commentator
• 3 May – Enrico Taglietti, architect
• 4 May – Adam Sky, DJ
• 12 May – Alan Grover, Olympic rowing coxswain
• 14 May – Barbara York Main, arachnologist
• 16 May
• * David Cervinski, soccer player
• * Bob Hawke, 23rd Prime Minister
• 19 May – John Millett, poet
• 20 May – Peter Hitchcock, environmentalist
• 21 May
• * Lawrence Carroll, painter
• * Densey Clyne, naturalist
• * Brian Kann, Australian rules footballer
• * Peter Schulze, Tasmanian politician
• 24 May – Alan Murray, golfer
• 25 May – Jean Burns, aviatrix
• 27 May – Kath Venn, Tasmanian politician
• 27 May – Judith McKenzie, archaeologist
• 28 May – Nick Yakich, rugby league footballer
• 30 May – Allan Edwards, cricketer

  June

• 1 June – Christobel Mattingley, writer
• 4 June
• * Roger Covell, musicologist
• * Max Kay, entertainer and manager
• 5 June –
• * Stan Smith, Australian rules footballer
• * Peter Toogood, golfer
• 8 June –
• * John Causby, cricketer
• * Bob Henderson, Australian rules footballer
• 12 June – Don Benson, Australian rules footballer
• 13 June – Anne Hamilton-Byrne, cult leader of The Family
• 15 June – John Wilson, Australian rules footballer
• 18 June – Alf Hughes, Australian rules footballer
• 19 June – Christine Barnetson, Olympic swimmer
• 20 June
• * Bill Collins, film critic
• * Noel White, rugby league player
• 21 June –
• * Lindsay Drake, rugby league player
• * John Vernon, Olympic high jumper
• 23 June – John Kobelke, Western Australian politician
• 24 June – Steve Dunleavy, journalist
• 25 June –
• * Mack Atkins, Australian rules footballer
• * Bryan Marshall, actor
• 26 June – Ian Johnson, television executive
• 28 June – Brian Rhodes, cricketer
• 30 June – Doug Ford, cricketer

  July

• 2 July – Bruce Wallrodt, Paralympic athlete
• 5 July
• * Dorothy Buckland-Fuller, sociologist and social activist
• * Neil Davey, public servant
• * Kevin Higgins, Australian rules footballer
• 6 July –
• * Bill Casimaty, farmer
• * Peter Hamilton, Australian rules footballer
• * John Waddington, Australian rules footballer
• 8 July – Nick Garratt, rowing coach
• 10 July – Nino Randazzo, journalist and member of the Italian Senate
• 13 July
• * Richard Carter, actor
• * Kerry Reed-Gilbert, poet, author, collector and Aboriginal rights activist
• 15 July – Doug Flett, songwriter
• 19 July – David Hunt, New South Wales Supreme Court judge
• 20 July – Peter McNamara, tennis player and coach
• 21 July –
• * Laurie Hergenhan, literary scholar
• * Ann Moyal, historian
• 24 July – Margaret Fulton, cookbook writer
• 25 July – Bruce Webster, New South Welsh politician and broadcaster
• 26 July – Graham Freudenberg, political speechwriter
• 28 July – Ian Drohan, Australian rules footballer
• 29 July –
• * Doris Goddard, cabaret singer and actress
• * Sam Trimble, cricketer
• 31 July
• * Barrington Pheloung, composer
• * John Scarlett, Australian rules footballer

  August

• 1 August – Barrington Pheloung, composer
• 3 August – Damien Lovelock, musician
• 5 August – Russell Middlemiss, Australian rules footballer
• 6 August
• * Mick Miller, police officer
• * George Whaley, actor and director
• 8 August – Malcolm T. Elliott, radio personality
• 9 August – Hendricus Vogels, Olympic cyclist
• 10 August – Jim Forbes, South Australian politician
• 11 August
• * Bluey Adams, Australian rules footballer
• * Ningali Lawford, actor
• 14 August
• * Polly Farmer, Australian rules footballer
• * Ben Unwin, actor
• 15 August – Glenn Tasker, president of Paralympics Australia
• 17 August – Ronald Gray, Olympic athlete
• 19 August – Jan Ruff O'Herne, human rights activist, former "comfort woman"
• 20 August – Colin Beard, Australian rules footballer
• 21 August – Norma Croker, Olympic athlete
• 22 August – Tim Fischer, 10th Deputy Prime Minister
• 23 August – Peter Moscatt, rugby league footballer
• 24 August – Tony Nichols, Anglican prelate
• 30 August – Elaine Darling, Queenslander politician
• 31 August – Jane Mathews, judge

  September

• 1 September – Alison Cheek, Episcopal priest
• 3 September –
• * David Evans, Western Australian politician
• * Tony Thiessen, Australian rules footballer
• 6 September – Susan Irvine, author and educator
• 8 September – Paul Lyons, Olympic taekwondo practitioner
• 9 September – Danny Frawley, Australian rules footballer and coach
• 10 September – Hal Colebatch, author
• 11 September – Penny Whetton, climatologist
• 13 September –
• * Paul Cronin, actor
• * Charles Henderson, Olympic weightlifter
• 16 September – Peter Lucas, Australian rules footballer
• 17 September – Robert Oatey, Australian rules footballer
• 20 September – Jim Macken, lawyer, judge and human rights activist
• 21 September – David Combe, political lobbyist
• 23 September – Tauto Sansbury, Indigenous activist
• 26 September – Martin Wesley-Smith, composer
• 29 September – John D'Arcy, Australian rules footballer
• 30 September – Tom Allsop, Australian rules footballer

  October

• 1 October – Richard Scotton, health economist
• 2 October – Robert Hickman, Australian rules footballer
• 4 October – Bryce Gaudry, New South Wales politician
• 6 October –
• * Neale Lavis, equestrian
• * Eddie Lumsden, rugby league player
• 8 October –
• * John Bennett, Tasmanian politician
• * Louis Waller, legal scholar
• * Reg Watson, television producer and screenwriter
• 9 October – John Williams, Australian rules footballer
• 11 October – Richard Tracey, judge and military officer
• 14 October – Patrick Ward, actor
• 21 October – Peter Hobbs, musician
• 22 October – Garry Koehler, singer-songwriter
• 27 October –
• * Ivan Milat, serial killer
• * Anne Phelan, actress
• 30 October –
• * Beatrice Faust, co-founder of Women's Electoral Lobby and author
• * Paul Whelan, politician

  November

• 5 November –
• * Kevin Hogan, broadcaster and Australian rules footballer
• * Robert Smithies, rugby league player
• 6 November –
• * John Curro, conductor
• * Clive Minton, ornithologist
• 9 November –
• * Dwight Ritchie, boxer
• * Mehmet Tillem, Victorian politician
• 13 November
• * Stephen Albert, actor and singer
• * Kieran Modra, Paralympic cyclist
• 15 November –
• * Tony Mann, cricketer
• * Ray Preston, rugby league player
• 17 November –
• * Ben Humphreys, Queenslander politician
• * John Wegner, opera singer
• 19 November –
• * John Abel, New South Welsh politician
• * Colin Tatz, historian
• 22 November –
• * Tony Bull, Australian rules footballer
• * Bill Waterhouse, bookmaker
• 23 November – Terry Board, Australian rules footballer
• 24 November –
• * J. Bruce Jacobs, academic
• * Clive James, writer and broadcaster
• 25 November – Tsebin Tchen, Victorian politician
• 26 November – Ken Kavanagh, motorcycle racer
• 27 November –
• * Martin Armiger, musician, record producer and composer
• * Sam Watson, activist, politician and writer
• 28 November – Graham Crouch, athlete
• 30 November – Doug Cox, Australian rules footballer

  December

• 1 December – Stuart Fraser, musician
• 2 December – Greedy Smith, musician
• 5 December – Don Howell, Australian rules footballer
• 9 December – Paddy Guinane, Australian rules footballer
• 10 December – Bill Welsh, Australian rules footballer
• 13 December – Graham Cooper, Australian rules footballer
• 15 December – Alfred Dennis, New South Wales politician
• 18 December – Doug Ricketson, rugby league player
• 20 December – Robert Moir, medical researcher
• 21 December – Ron Penny, immunologist
• 23 December – John Cain Jr., Premier of Victoria
• 29 December – M. C. Ricklefs, indonesianist
• 30 December – Horst Kwech, racecar driver