, ▁the ▁O pp osition ▁Le ader , ▁Tony ▁Abb ott , ▁and ▁former ▁Prime ▁Minister s ▁Mal col m ▁F ras er , ▁Bob ▁Haw ke ▁and ▁John ▁Howard . ▁ ▁Hon ours ▁Cow en ' s ▁first ▁honour ▁was ▁a ▁Knight ▁Bach elor ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁When ▁appointed ▁Governor - General ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁Knight ▁Grand ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁St ▁Michael ▁and ▁St ▁George ▁( GC M G ) ▁and ▁Knight ▁of ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁Australia ▁( AK ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁and ▁sw orn ▁of ▁the ▁Priv y ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁When ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁II ▁visited ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁she ▁appointed ▁Cow en ▁a ▁Knight ▁Grand ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Victor ian ▁Order ▁( GC VO ). ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁an ▁Honor ary ▁Fellow ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Academy ▁of ▁Techn ological ▁Sciences ▁and ▁Engineering ▁( FT SE ). ▁ ▁Awards ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁the ▁Royal ▁Australian ▁Institute ▁of ▁Arch itect s ▁( RA IA ) ▁established ▁the ▁Sir ▁Zel man ▁Cow en ▁Award ▁for ▁Public ▁Architecture ▁which ▁is ▁widely ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁Australia ’ s ▁leading ▁award ▁for ▁public ▁buildings . ▁ ▁Melbourne ▁Law ▁School ▁awards ▁the ▁Zel man ▁Cow en ▁Sch olar ship ▁to ▁incoming ▁Jur is ▁Doctor ▁students . ▁Award ed ▁purely ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁academic ▁mer it , ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁law ▁school ' s ▁most ▁pr estig ious ▁scholar ship