Not criticising, just noting - and not saying

Legal reasons forbid me from mentioning what may be an advantage in the receiving of high honours:

Who will emerge as Australian of the Year 2011? The finalists are:

- Professor Larissa Behrendt, indigenous rights lawyer (NSW)

- Simon McKeon, businessman and former director of World Vision (Victoria)

- Associate professor Noel Hayman, indigenous doctor (Queensland)

- Malcolm McCusker QC, philanthropic barrister (WA)

- Professor Tanya Monro, physicist (SA)

- Deborah De Williams, breast cancer campaigner (Tas)

- Professor Ian Chubb, vice-chancellor of the Australian National University (ACT)

- Professor Michael Christie, indigenous language expert (NT)

What I can say is that. not being a businessman or soldier helps.