Australia Day Awards 2015: Should they be awarded without proper investigation of the recipient?

It's Australia Day Awards time again. The secret process has been happening for the past few months. The public has no idea of who is being considered or what investigations are taking place into their possibly dark past. The citizens of Australia, some of whom may have been abused by senior public servants, have no input. Public servants: can they be trusted? This is an old article but still relevant in 2015. 

https://indymedia.org.au/2009/11/18/australia-day-honours-for-the-dishonourable-the-public-service-medal