Only about three-in-10 of the Order of Australia awards - which celebrate the impressive contributions of Australians - have gone to women since 1975.

Labor wants 40 per cent of the awards given to women in 2020, with the ultimate aim of women receiving half of all awards.

The party also wants better monitoring of whether award recipients are indigenous, culturally diverse or have a disability, to confirm its suspicion such groups are also under-represented, before updating the system to better recognise them.

Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek says gender targets could be reached by reviewing the awards categories.

At the moment, stand-alone categories recognise traditionally male-dominated professions, such as building and construction.

But some female-dominated fields fall under other categories - such as nursing, recognised within the medicine section.

"If we believe that Australian women are making as important a contribution to our public life, our volunteering and so on as men, then there's obviously something wrong with the nomination system," Ms Plibersek told ABC Radio National on Thursday.

"We need to look at the categories that people are nominated in and we need to look at the nomination process to encourage more women to be nominated."

But she said Labor would not make directions to the council that chooses award recipients based on public nominations.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne, one of the most senior female figures in the coalition government, wants more women to receive Australia Day honours but is opposed to gender quotas.

"I would always encourage the nomination of fabulous Australian women into the honours process and encourage the national Australia Day board or committee to consider those," Senator Payne told reporters.

"I would also say that we need to make sure that in our communities - large, small, city, rural, regional - that we should be looking at opportunities to nominate more women in that process.

"I have not considered the idea of quotas in regard to that, but I think there is more than enough Australian women to fill the honours application process without needing quotas, to be honest with you."

At the moment, only about 30 per cent of nominations highlight women's achievements.

"What we want to say to people is, have a look around you at the women that are working so diligently for the betterment of our community that aren't being acknowledged, and think about acknowledging them," Ms Plibersek said.

Australian Associated Press