Queen's birthday honours: Kirsty Sword Gusmao, from resistance fighter to AO

Kirsty Sword Gusmao – not always the most popular Australian in the corridors of power in Canberra – could be forgiven a wry smile over her elevation to officer in the general division of the Order of Australia.

As a young volunteer aid worker in Indonesia, Ms Sword became involved in Timorese resistance movement, harbouring activists and running messages to their leader Xanana Gusmao in a Jakarta prison cell.

At the time, Australia strongly backed Indonesia's brutal takeover of East Timor. Ms Sword would later marry Mr Gusmao, with whom she has three children.

"To put it mildly, I never felt particularly well supported by the Australian government during my early advocacy for East Timor, particularly during the Indonesian occupation," she says with a laugh.

"But I am very honoured to get this award. I see it as an honour for East Timor too and all the people who have supported our programs."

For almost all of its nationhood, Ms Sword was East Timor's first lady as her husband became president and then prime minister.

She was one of her adopted homeland's most articulate spokespeople, ensuring international support for the fledgling state.

East Timor's living standards have risen thanks to oil and gas revenue and its budget has been managed responsibly. But much of its population remains impoverished and malnourished, with few opportunities to earn an income beyond subsistence agriculture.

Ms Sword oversees and supports a multitude of aid projects in the country, including Alola Foundation, which helps the country's women through health and education programs while lobbying for legislative change and policy reform.

"There's a lot to do but a lot to celebrate," said Ms Sword. Infant mortality rates have come down by two-thirds since independence 13 years ago, she notes.

Alola's campaign to promote breast feeding was integral to that outcome, lifting the rates of women breastfeeding for six months by 50 per cent.

There has also been an education program to highlight the benefits of colostrum, the initial discharge from the breasts of new mothers that is rich in antibodies and immunoglobulins but considered taboo in traditional Timorese culture.

Ms Sword sits on numerous boards and policy advisory committees. Her citation says she was awarded her honour for "distinguished service to Australia-Timor-Leste relations through the development of mutual co-operation and understanding".

Ms Sword, who announced her separation from Mr Gusmao earlier this year, will celebrate quietly with family and friends on Monday, heading to the Wild Timor Cafe in Melbourne's Coburg for lunch.

"It was set-up by some Australian INTERFET soldiers," she says. "The coffee is great and they have a lovely little restaurant."

Tom Allard – SYDNEY  MORNING HERALD - June 8, 2015