2019 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 2019 in Australia.

Incumbents

Monarch – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – Sir Peter Cosgrove, then David Hurley
Prime Minister – Scott Morrison
*[Deputy Prime Minister of Australia|Prime Minister of Australia|Deputy Prime Minister] – Michael McCormack
*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

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.
19 March – a few days prior to the state election, a video from September 2018 surfaced in which NSW Labor leader Michael Daley made comments about Asian immigration in Sydney. Daley said "Our young children will flee and who are they being replaced with? They are being replaced by young people from typically Asia with PhDs," and "So there's a transformation happening in Sydney now where our kids are moving out and foreigners are moving in and taking their jobs".
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.
12–14 April – After 25 years, Australia's Dirt n Dust Festival is held for the final time at Julia Creek, Queensland. Although scheduled for 2020 and 2021, those events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was announced in 2021 that the festival had been permanently cancelled due to a lack of volunteers.

May

16 May – Bob Hawke, Australia's 23rd Prime Minister, dies at the age of 89.
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.
26 May – The Sydney Metro is opened from Tallawong to Chatswood.
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

15 February —
* Rugby league: The Indigenous All Stars defeat the Māori All Stars 34–14 in the 2019 All Stars match. Indigenous halfback Tyrone Roberts, of the Gold Coast Titans, wins the Preston Campbell medal for Man of the Match.
* Rugby league: The Māori Women's All Stars defeat the Indigenous Women's All Stars 8–4 in the 2019 Women's All Stars match.
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.
* Rugby league: 2018 NRL premiers Sydney Roosters defeat Super League XXIII champions Wigan Warriors 20–8 in the 2019 World Club Challenge, held at DW Stadium in Wigan.

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 the 4th A League title win for Sydney FC.

June

5 June – Rugby league: Queensland defeat New South Wales 18–14 at Suncorp Stadium in the first match of the 2019 State of Origin series. Queensland winger Dane Gagai is awarded man of the match.
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.
*Rugby league: New South Wales defeat Queensland 38–6 at Optus Stadium in the second match of the 2019 State of Origin series. NSW prop Jake Trbojevic is awarded man of the match.
24 June – Surfing: Sally Fitzgibbons is ranked No. 1 in women's surfing after winning the Rio Pro in Brazil.

July

10 July – Rugby league: New South Wales win the 2019 State of Origin series, defeating Queensland 26–20 at ANZ Stadium in the third match. NSW fullback James Tedesco is awarded both man of the match and the Wally Lewis Medal for player of the series.

August

29 August 2019 - Rugby league: After 25 seasons, the final NRL game is played at Willows Sports Complex in Townsville when more than 15,000 spectators watch the North Queensland Cowboys beat the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs.

September

8 September – Rugby league: Melbourne Storm win the minor premiership following the final main round of the 2019 NRL season. Gold Coast Titans finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon.
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 to win the 2019 NRL Grand Final at ANZ Stadium, becoming the first team since 1992/1993 to win back to back rugby league titles. Raiders five-eighth Jack Wighton is awarded the Clive Churchill Medal for Man of the Match. Pre-match entertainment is headlined by American pop rock band OneRepublic, featuring Thandi Phoenix, while Daryl Braithwaite performs at halftime.
* Rugby league: Brisbane Broncos defeat St. George Illawarra Dragons 30–6 in the NRL Women's Premiership Grand Final, winning the title for the second year in a row.

November

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

Deaths

January

1 January – Paul Neville, Queensland 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, Anglican bishop
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, Australian Capital Territory Supreme Court Chief Justice
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, Victorian Supreme Court judge
* Dame Margaret Scott, ballet dancer
25 February – John Herron, Queensland politician and diplomat
27 February
* Bill Landeryou, Victorian politician and union official
* Milton Morris, New South Wales politician
28 February – Bruce Rosier, Anglican bishop

March

1 March – Mike Willesee, television journalist
3 March – Richard Lewis, Western Australian politician
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
* Lance Oswald, Australian rules footballer
* Ian Thorogood, Australian rules footballer and coach
* 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, 30th New South Wales Leader of the Opposition

April

1 April – Bill Butchart, middle-distance runner
4 April – John Winneke, Victorian Supreme Court judge
6 April – Lloyd McDermott, barrister and rugby union player
7 April
* Peter Armstrong, rugby league footballer
* 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 of Australia and President of the ACTU
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, aviator
26 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, swimmer
20 June
* Bill Collins, film critic
* Noel White, rugby league footballer
21 June
* Lindsay Drake, rugby league footballer
* John Vernon, Olympic high jumper
23 June
* John Kobelke, Western Australian politician
* George Strickland, 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
* Neil Oliver, Western Australian politician
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 Wales 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
* John Matthews, New South Wales politician
* 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 of Australia
23 August – Peter Moscatt, rugby league footballer
24 August – Tony Nichols, Anglican prelate
28 August – Max McDonald, Victorian politician
30 August – Elaine Darling, Queensland politician
31 August – Jane Mathews, Federal Court 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, 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 footballer
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, Federal Court judge and military officer
14 October – Patrick Ward, actor
21 October – Peter Hobbs, musician
22 October – Garry Koehler, singer-songwriter
27 October
* Ivan Milat, convicted serial killer
* Anne Phelan, actress
30 October
* Beatrice Faust, co-founder of Women's Electoral Lobby and author
* Paul Whelan, New South Wales politician

November

5 November
* Kevin Hogan, broadcaster and Australian rules footballer
* Robert Smithies, rugby league footballer
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 footballer
17 November
* Ben Humphreys, Queenslander politician
* John Wegner, opera singer
19 November
* John Abel, New South Wales 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
14 December – Ken Wright, Victorian politician
15 December – Alfred Dennis, New South Wales politician
18 December – Doug Ricketson, rugby league footballer
20 December – Robert Moir, medical researcher
21 December – Ron Penny, immunologist
23 December – John Cain Jr., 41st Premier of Victoria
29 December – M. C. Ricklefs, Indonesianist
30 December – Horst Kwech, racecar driver