To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
A'COURT, Ms Michèle Edith
For services to the entertainment and comedy industries
Ms Michèle A’Court is a multi-award-winning New Zealand comedian who has performed for 30 years nationally and internationally, and has worked across four decades in radio, theatre and television.
Ms A’Court established the New Zealand Comedy Guild, still the only industry body globally solely representing comedians, serving as its inaugural Chair from 1999 to 2006 overseeing the setting of professional rates for New Zealand comedians and the establishment of the New Zealand Comedy Guild Awards. She has been a trailblazer for women in television, print media and the live stage, challenging the status quo, championing marginalised voices and presenting women’s experiences. She has advocated for access and safety within the comedy community, driving necessary change across the sector. She has provided practical assistance to many New Zealand comedians to help build their careers and the industry. She has a range of television credits and has authored two bestselling books. She has donated her time to support numerous charities and to raise awareness of social impact issues. She is a Patron of The Aunties and Ambassador for Breast Cancer Cure. She has been Patron of the Moving and Handling Association of New Zealand since 2012, which supports carers in the health sector. Ms A’Court has hosted Auckland Women’s Centre key annual fundraising event ‘Feminists are Funny’ since 2016.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
BENNETT, Mr Martin Ranfurly
For services to the environment and the community
Mr Martin Bennett has been contributing to the Waikato community for more than 30 years.
Mr Bennett has championed environmental sustainability on farms since 2006, as one of the first dairy farms to take up a national leadership role in sustainability. Regarded as the national champion for social and environmental sustainability on farms, he served as the inaugural Chair of Dairy Environment Leaders Forum between 2009 and 2016, a Dairy New Zealand initiative bringing together farmers recognised for their sustainable efforts, to share perspectives with the government and organisations. He established the Little Waipa Streamcare group, which was one of the first local waterway groups, discussing management of water quality. In 2014, he was appointed to the Farm Management Committee of OWL Farm becoming Chair in 2017, a joint venture between St Peter’s School and Lincoln University turning the school dairy farm into a demonstration farm. During his time with OWL Farm a wetland was built to measure the amount of nitrogen being absorbed into the wetland achieving a 24-percent reduction in nitrogen loss, reduced greenhouse gas loss by 16-percent and improving profit. Mr Bennett suffering with Parkinson’s himself, founded the Parkinson’s Waikato Tinman Club in 2017 competing in three Tinman Triathlons, raising $30,000 for Parkinson’s New Zealand.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CALDWELL, Ms Elizabeth Anne
For services to the arts
Ms Elizabeth Caldwell has been a leader within the arts sector for 30 years.
As a Curator at the Aigantighe Art Gallery in Timaru and Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Ms Caldwell has supported and promoted a wide range of contemporary artists and their practices. From 1998 through 2006, she played a significant role in driving key visual arts initiatives at CreativeNZ Toi Aotearoa, including leading New Zealand’s first two exhibitions at the Venice Biennale in 2001 and 2003, international residencies, and the foundation of Objectspace. The latter project established a signature venue for contemporary craft/object art practice in New Zealand. In recent decades, she has held a series of key leadership roles, including Head of Art at Te Papa, Director of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Director of City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi, and Director Art and Heritage Te Ringa Auaha at Experience Wellington. In these roles, Ms Caldwell has been a significant leader in bringing the best of contemporary art and culture to an increasingly broad and diverse audience and has advocated for the role of the arts in building strong, inclusive, and cohesive communities.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CLARK, Mr Barry John (BJ), QSM, JP
For services to the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association
Mr BJ Clark has held roles with the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RNZRSA) for 30 years and has been National President from 2014 until 2022.
Mr Clark was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for Public Services in 2003 for his services to the community and local RSA. He was Canterbury District President from 2004 and National Vice President from 2008. As National President, he has been well regarded for his representation of the RSA at significant national and overseas events, and regularly at days of remembrance. He has led the organisation through the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing adjustments for clubs to persist in the pandemic environment. As New Zealand representative on the Royal Commonwealth Ex Services League, he has attended six Council meetings in Hong Kong, Malaysia and South Africa. He is a member of the Veterans Advisory Board and the National War Memorial Advisory Committee. He has undertaken his roles with the RSA while employed as National Manager Access and Infrastructure for CCS Disability Action. He has been a Justice of the Peace since 2004 and has held executive appointments, including Canterbury President from 2017 to 2019. Mr Clark serves on the Community Justice Panel and assists young offenders in the Canterbury region.
HONOURS
Queen’s Service Medal for Public Services, New Year 2003
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CLARKSON, Dr Bruce Dudley
For services to ecological restoration
Professor Bruce Clarkson is recognised as one of New Zealand’s foremost authorities on ecological restoration, making significant contributions to conservation through his ongoing research, education, protection, and restoration of native plants and ecosystems over a 40-year career.
Professor Clarkson was Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research at the University of Waikato from 2015 to 2019, having held professor roles since 2000. He has 223 publications on the ecology of New Zealand native plants and vegetation. He is a Board member of the International Society for Ecological Restoration and chairs the Australasian chapter. He is ambassador for New Zealand's Biological Heritage National Science Challenge. In 2005, he co-conducted a review of progress on the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy. Since 2016 he has led ‘People, Cities and Nature’, a research programme focusing on restoring damaged or depleted indigenous ecosystems in urban environments. His research has guided biodiversity and restoration projects including the Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park and Hamilton’s Gully Restoration Programme, and he has contributed significantly to many other North Island conservation and restoration projects. His research has helped guide district and regional councils’ increasing commitment to environmental sustainability, native plantings, biodiversity strategies and long-term plans. Professor Clarkson assists community groups, iwi, hapū, whānau, the Department of Conservation and other agencies with practical advice.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CLELAND, Mr Grant
For services to disabled people
Mr Grant Cleland has contributed to the disability sector for more than 30 years, initially joining the Disabled Persons Assembly at 21 and holding executive roles in Dunedin and Christchurch from 1986 to 1992.
Mr Cleland has been Board member of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority since 2021, President of ACHIEVE, a national network which promotes inclusive post-secondary education for disabled learners, Co-chair of the Ministry of Social Development Health and Disability Reference Group from 2010 to 2016, and Chair of the Disability Employment Forum from 2010 to 2019. In 2011 he was on the Ministerial Project Group that developed the now widely used Enabling Good Lives principles. Locally he chairs the Skillwise Trust, the Canterbury DHB Disability Steering Group and Ara Disability Strategy Group. He was Chief Executive of Workbridge from 2009 to 2019, the first disabled person to hold this role, where he was instrumental in the upskilling of staff and forming effective relationships with large-scale employers. He established consultancy firm Creative Solutions, through which he provides disability-related strategic advice, training and other services for various organisations particularly in employment, transition and tertiary education for disabled people. Mr Cleland has been project lead for the TEC Kia Orite Disability Action Plan Toolkit for Tertiary Education providers and the development of the Diploma of Employment Support.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
COLL, Mr Paul Daniel
For services to squash
Mr Paul Coll has represented New Zealand on and off the court on the world squash circuit since 2011.
Mr Coll became the first New Zealand male to reach the number one position in the Professional Squash Association World Rankings in 2022. His sporting achievements consist of numerous championships and world titles from 2013 to present day. He was the New Zealand Men’s Squash Champion in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, the Australian Open Champion in 2015, British Open Champion in 2021 and 2022. He received silver in the men’s individual event and bronze in the mixed doubles event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and was runner-up at the 2020 World Championships. He was the 2021 Canary Wharf Platinum Classic Champion, the 2021 CIB Squash Open Black Ball Champion, the 2022 Windy City Open Champion and a semi-finalist at the 2022 World Championships. He has been recipient of the Sir Richard Hadlee Young Sportsman of the Year and Sportsman of the Year in 2011 and joint Squash New Zealand Chairman’s award in 2017. His success has garnered recognition of the sport in New Zealand, with coverage now available through major television broadcasters. Mr Coll became New Zealand’s first male to win gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 in squash.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CONNOR, Professor Emerita Jennie Lynne
For services to alcohol harm reduction
Professor Emerita Jennie Connor has contributed to alcohol policy in New Zealand whilst supporting women in public health for more than ten years.
Professor Connor has been an advocate for evidence-based alcohol policy, in order to improve health, wellbeing and reduce inequities among and between communities. She has devoted academic research to health effects of alcohol in the population, evaluating policies for their effectiveness in reducing harm. Her work was used extensively by the New Zealand Law Commission in the review of liquor law in 2009, producing recommendations for new national alcohol policy. She helped establish Alcohol Action New Zealand in 2009, an organisation dedicated to advocacy of evidence-based alcohol policy, and runs annual conferences, engages with media, communicates with politicians and corrects misinformation. She became a founding Board member of the Health Coalition Aotearoa and is a member of the HCA Alcohol Expert Panel, currently advocating for the review of the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act with the organisation. She was the Chair of Preventive and Social Medicine with the University of Otago between 2010 and 2020 and Professor Emerita since 2020. She has also provided mentoring, support and supervision for young women in public health. Professor Connor had provided support particularly to those who faced surmountable barriers in study projects.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
DARBY, Mr John Terence
For services to wildlife conservation and science
Mr John Darby has dedicated 50 years to conservation and wildlife science in New Zealand, including three summers in Antarctica.
Mr Darby took up the role of Zoologist at the Otago Museum in 1969 and was appointed Assistant Director in 1971. He developed many science-based holiday programmes for children and senior students, including setting up ‘Discovery World’ at the museum, New Zealand’s first interactive science centre. He spent two decades researching the conservation needs of the yellow-eyed penguins (Hoiho) on the mainland and New Zealand Sub-Antarctic. In 1985, he negotiated the purchase by WWF of the largest breeding area of yellow-eyed penguins on the mainland, engineering the first fully protected area for this species. He was a foundation Trustee of the Otago Natural History Trust and the Yellow Penguin Trust. He served as a Board member of the Otago Science into Action project and served on the Scientific Advisory Group for the Otago Conservation Board. He has spent the last ten years on the conservation of the rare and threatened species of water bird, the Australasian crested Grebe (Puteketeke) in southern New Zealand. The Puteketeke project has been undertaken around Lake Wanaka, Lake Hayes, Lake Wakatipu and Lake Hawea and Mr Darby has assisted in the preparation of a management plan for the species.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
DONNELLY, Mr Brian Patrick
For services to social housing
Mr Brian Donnelly was Executive Director of the inaugural New Zealand Housing Foundation from establishment in 2002 until 2019, since continuing to advise on housing.
Mr Donnelly guided trustees through the development of the Vision, Mission and Values of the organisation, which has seen the Housing Foundation focus on delivering real housing outcomes, empowering communities and create innovative affordable housing solutions while acknowledging Te Tiriti o Waitangi. He was primarily responsible for bringing into New Zealand a working model of shared ownership housing, which has been replicated by other organisations nationally and on which recent government shared housing schemes have been based. He has overseen growth in net assets from a few hundred thousand dollars in 2002 to more than $70 million. His partnering with others has resulted in many successful products and services now widely adopted by Community Housing Providers nationally. He was a member of the Shareholders Ministers Advisory Group on Housing in 2010/2011. He has been a director of BRANZ, a Trustee of Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust, Chair of the Wilson Home for housing those with disabilities, and inaugural Chair of the Tamaki Regeneration Company focused on the redevelopment of the Glen Innes community. More broadly, Mr Donnelly has been involved with rugby administration on the North Shore and with the New Zealand Rugby Union.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
DUNBIER, Deputy Commissioner Glenn Murray
For services to the New Zealand Police and the community
Deputy Commissioner Glenn Dunbier has served 37 years with the New Zealand Police.
Deputy Commissioner Dunbier joined Police in 1985, serving as a frontline Constable and Detective in Counties Manukau, before becoming Sergeant in Auckland City. He then specialised in covert policing for more than a decade, before transferring to the Waikato Police District in 1996. He became Area Commander of Eastern Bay of Plenty in 2006 and then District Commander of Bay of Plenty in 2010, implementing the Policing Excellence change programme and introducing the Prevention First operating model in the area, resulting in the reduction of crime and an increase in workplace engagement. He became the Deputy Commissioner: Resource Management in 2014, successfully leading the implementation and embedding of the 47 recommendations for Police from the Commission of Inquiry into Police Conduct. Following a three-year secondment to the Australian Department of Defence, he became Deputy Commissioner: Operations in early 2020, with responsibility for more than 10,000 New Zealand Police staff. Deputy Commissioner Dunbier led the Police response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which included the policing of lockdown restrictions, staffing and managing the Managed Isolation and Quarantine facilities across the country, and operating the alert level boundary checkpoints.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
FA'AVAE, Mr Nathan Edward
For services to adventure racing, outdoor education and the Pacific community
Mr Nathan Fa’avae has dedicated 20 years to New Zealand outdoor adventure sport, women’s health and the betterment of the Pacific community.
Mr Fa’avae is a seven-time adventure racing world champion, which consists of non-stop mountain biking, kayaking and trekking. He has represented New Zealand in Adventure Racing since 2001. He captains the New Zealand Adventure Racing Team and has led them to win seven world championships, including the most recent in 2022 hosted in Paraguay. He pioneered women’s adventure racing, establishing the Spring Challenge Women’s Adventure Race in 2007 to encourage participation of women in adventure sport, with more than 25,000 women participating in the last 16 years. This event is hosted at a different location throughout New Zealand each year, allowing female athletes to explore New Zealand’s environments and to support local businesses. He is the Patron of Whenua-Iti Outdoors in Tasman, encouraging youth into outdoor activities. He founded the Fa’avae Foundation to provide funds for Pacific youth to experience outdoor education, continuing on his parents work in helping underprivileged Pacific youth. The projects are supported by Whenua-Iti Outdoors and the Top of the South Community Foundation. Mr Fa’avae is a former Outward Bound Instructor.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
FANE, Mr David Rodney
For services to the performing arts
Mr David Fane has worked as a Pacific actor in New Zealand for 30 years.
Mr Fane graduated from Toi Whakaari in 1992 and his since acted in many key productions strengthening the Pacific voice in New Zealand, including ‘Fresh off the Boat’, ‘Niu Sila’, ‘Dawn Raids’, ‘Sons’ and ‘A Frigate Bird Sings’, also working as a writer or director on several of these works. With memorable and varied roles across theatre, film and television, he has contributed to providing visibility to Pacific communities in New Zealand on stage and screen. He is a driving force of the Naked Samoans, an acting company focused on satirical comedy, which has been well received nationally and internationally for sold out live shows and film and television projects. He has featured in iconic television series and films in New Zealand including ‘Outrageous Fortunes’, ‘What Now’, ‘Bro’Town’, ‘The Tattooist’, ‘Eagle vs Shark’ and the ‘Sione’s Wedding’ films. He has also expanded his profile internationally in a range of Australian and United States productions. He has sought to extend possibilities for Pacific performing artists and has worked to created accessible experiences and pathways for the next generation of creatives. Mr Fane was awarded Creative New Zealand’s Pacific Arts Senior Artist in 2016 for his valuable contributions to performing arts.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
FONG, Mr Grahame Boston
For services to powerlifting
Mr Grahame Fong has been involved with the sport of powerlifting for more than 50 years and has been significant in the growth of powerlifting nationally and to New Zealand’s contribution to the sport internationally.
Mr Fong helped found the New Zealand Powerlifting Federation in 1984, served multiple terms as President and is its current Patron. He wrote the Federation’s current constitution and as President from 2018 to 2020, he led the organisation through a difficult period following turnover of the Executive. He was instrumental in drafting and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Special Olympics New Zealand. Between 1989 and 1995 he was Vice-President, and then President of the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) and was inducted into the IPF Hall of Fame in 1998. He was a founding member and office holder of the Oceania Powerlifting Federation. He is New Zealand’s only IPF Category One referee, officiating at all events up to and including World Champions. He coached New Zealand powerlifter Cathy Millen to win five powerlifting World Championships and break numerous national and international records. Mr Fong has also been involved with the national administration of the sports of bodybuilding and billiards and snooker, and is an international judge in both of these sports.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
GAULD, Dr Natalie Joan
For services to pharmacy and health
Dr Natalie Gauld has contributed to pharmacy and healthcare in New Zealand, through improving access to medicines.
Dr Gauld successfully applied to the Medicines Classification Committee to allow pharmacists to provide medicines without prescription, including multiple vaccinations, melatonin for insomnia, selected oral contraceptives, adapalene for acne, calcipotriol for psoriasis and sildenafil. This reclassification work has been world-leading and award-winning. She was the Principal Investigator on various pharmacy service studies, including a three-year research project involving funded pertussis and influenza vaccines in pregnancy, and a pilot of hepatitis C screening. She has supported pharmacists to safely supply reclassified medicines with education and collaboratively developed screening tools. She co-developed and implemented a Hepatitis C Pharmacy Test and Treat programme across 64 community pharmacies. She co-developed a unique pharmacy service administering routine antenatal anti-D prophylaxis to rhesus negative pregnant women on a Lead Maternity Carer prescription. She has produced 37 peer-reviewed papers and three book chapters. Dr Gauld served as a member of the Medicines Classification Committee from 2004 to 2009, the National Executive of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand for eight years, the Pharmaceutical Society’s Auckland branch committee for ten years, including as President from 2005 to 2007, and an ethics committee.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
GIBBS, Mrs Joanne Lisa
For services to public health
Mrs Joanne Gibbs was National Director of the COVID-19 Vaccine and Immunisation Programme, playing a key role in New Zealand’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mrs Gibbs’ leadership facilitated the delivery of New Zealand’s most ambitious vaccination and immunisation programme, which reduced the impact of COVID-19 nationally. She led the design, build, implementation and operation of the vaccine and immunisation programme. Her strong collaboration allowed her to work effectively with 20 District Health Boards, 12 Public Health Units and a large network of providers to deliver the programme. She worked to address the challenge of removing barriers to equitable access for some of New Zealand’s high-risk communities. Under her leadership, the Ministry of Health partnered with numerous groups representing more vulnerable population groups such as Māori, Pacific peoples, people in rural or remote areas, ethnic communities, disabled people and seniors, and health and essential workers. From the programme’s launch in February 2021, she took a continuous improvement approach, adapting the programme to address issues as they emerged. She encouraged creative and pragmatic means of reaching remote and resistant communities with information, including the information campaign ‘Super Saturday Vaxathon’. Mrs Gibbs’ efforts facilitated 90 percent of eligible New Zealanders fully vaccinated and many more receiving booster shots.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
JOHNS, Ms Cindy Leigh
For services to people with learning disabilities
Ms Cindy Johns has worked, both voluntarily and professionally, alongside people with a learning disability and their families for more than 30 years.
Ms Johns established the Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association in the 1980s and served on the Association’s national board, two IHC committees, and Kapiti Special Olympics for many years. She is the current chair of Family Networks New Zealand. She was a national advocate for IHC in the 2000s, during which she assisted with establishing People First New Zealand, a disabled persons organisation for people with learning disabilities, where members learn about disability rights and speaking up in their life, community and to government. She has been the National Manager of People First New Zealand since 2009. She has promoted Easy Read, a way of writing in everyday words and images that assist understanding, to be a recognised alternate format. She is a member of the Disabled Persons Organisation Coalition, which works to implement disability rights to improve the lives of disabled people in New Zealand. For the last six years, Ms Johns has assisted Sir Robert Martin to undertake his role as an independent expert on the United Nations committee for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MACEWAN, Mr Ian Keith
For services to addiction services
Mr Ian MacEwan founded DAPAANZ, the Addiction Practitioners’ Association New Zealand, the membership association which represents the professional interests of practitioners working in addiction treatment.
Mr MacEwan formed DAPAANZ to help create a professionalised career pathway and an accountability mechanism which ensured competent ethical practice. Formed in 2003, DAPAANZ has flourished under his leadership to become the main platform for AOD practitioners across New Zealand, with more than 2,000 members today. Earlier, he was significantly involved in the work of the Alcohol Advisory Council and was a member of the group that established the National Addiction Centre in Christchurch. He contributed to the governance of numerous organisations as a board member, providing addiction input to multiple addiction and broader health leadership forums. He was a Director of the Addiction Workforce Development Programme, now Matua Raki, the national addiction workforce development centre, providing important support between government and the sector. He has been coordinating the ‘Cutting Edge’ national addiction conference for 20 years, hosting 300 to 500 attendees with a strong Māori and Pacific presence. He served as Chair of Kina Families and Addictions Trust, promoting family involvement in teaching. Mr MacEwan has provided support to the Rainbow community affected by addiction through individual and group counselling sessions across 30 years.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MASON, Ms Beryl Te Haumihiata (Te Haumihiata)
For services to Māori language education
Ms Te Haumihiata Mason (Tūhoe, Te Arawa, Ngāti Pango) has been contributing to the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori, using her experience growing up in a monolingual Māori community to help pass on knowledge and traditions.
Ms Mason’s upbringing shaped her career as a Te Reo Māori teacher, lecturer, tutor and linguist throughout local and nationwide organisations. She was a Te Reo Māori Lecturer with the University of Waikato between 1989 and 1995, teaching at under-graduate and post-graduate levels. She became the Manager of Māori Language with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori from 1995 to 2000, responsible for translation and interpretations of several published works through the organisation, liaising with officials from government agencies, supporting the Minister of Māori Affairs and attending select committee meetings. She was one of the writers on He Pātaka Kupu, the first monolingual Māori dictionary, meeting with other writers and iwi leaders to help write the dictionary, which launched in 2008. She returned to Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori as a Senior Manager between 2009 and 2014, responsible for all Māori language services and communications, including carrying out the re-translation of the Māori Language Act 1987. Ms Mason has produced a range of Māori language resources through research, writing and translation between 2000 and 2021.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MASON, Mr Waihaere Joseph, MNZM
For services to Māori and education
Mr Waihaere Mason (Ngāti Kuia, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Rangitāne o Wairau, Ngāti Rārua, Te Atiawa o Te Waipounamu) is a long serving member of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kuia, predominantly as Chairperson since 1999, and has influenced developments across a diverse range of entities in social justice, Māori hauora/health, education, local government, conservation and marae wellbeing.
Mr Mason held a leading role within the Kurahaupō Iwi Large Natural Group of Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Rangitāne, and Ngāti Kuia negotiating respective settlements through the Waitangi Tribunal process in 2010, the initial Aquaculture Settlement in 2004 and settlement for Water Space in 2015. He has been a member and supporter of Te Tauihi Komiti including the Māori Rugby Board since 2019, 28th Māori Battalion Pou Mana and Tu Pono – Family Violence. He has been a founding member of Te Putahitanga – Whānau Ora o Te Waipounamu since 2014 and has been Co-Chair of Te Hoiere Project since 2018, a long-term environmental restoration project. He has been a liaison in planning with local councils and organisations such as Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, in an iwi partnership involving Matauranga Ahumara Certification in horticulture to maximise collectively owned Whānau lands. Mr Mason was on the Whakatū Marae Komiti for 15 years, four as Chairperson, a Māori health provider comprising eight Te Tauihu Iwi. Mr Mason was Project Manager for the rebuild of Te Hora Marae in 2016.
HONOURS
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Queen's Birthday 2014
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MATAMUA, Professor Rangiānehu (Rangi)
For services to Māori astronomy
Professor Rangi Matamua (Tūhoe) is regarded as one of New Zealand’s foremost Māori scholars for his contribution to Māori astronomy, star lore and Māori culture.
Professor Matamua has widely written on Matariki, identifying the nine stars Māori perceived in the cluster, in contrast to the seven associated with the Pleiades in European tradition. He has spent two decades researching Māori knowledge and tradition passed down from generations in a range of anthologies. He is a professor at Massey University’s School of Māori Knowledge, and has undertaken significant research in the areas of Māori language revitalisation, Māori culture, and astronomy. He is a board member of Society for Māori Astronomy Research and Traditions. He was the first Māori to win the Prime Minister’s Science Prize in 2019 and is a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. He was appointed the Government’s Chief Advisor Mātauranga Matariki in 2022. He uses his social media platform to engage with a range of audiences, speaking in te Reo Māori and English, educating on astronomy, with more than one million views on his web-series. He gives regular presentations around New Zealand and internationally. Professor Matamua was presented with the Te Apārangi Callaghan Medal in 2020 by the Royal Society of New Zealand.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MAZZOLENI, Ms Anita Jane
For services to corporate governance
Ms Anita Mazzoleni has had an extensive career as a lawyer, chartered accountant, independent company director and corporate finance advisor specialising in the evaluation and funding of investments, particularly in infrastructure.
Ms Mazzoleni held significant roles as Director and Chair of Audit and Risk and Finance committees for major public companies, non-governmental organisations and iwi businesses. She was a Commerce Commissioner for nine years, focusing on telecommunications. She was Corporate Finance Manager for ECNZ and Acting Finance Director and General Counsel for Contact Energy Ltd following its separation from ECNZ. She was on the Board of Civil Aviation Authority and Aviation Security Services from 2010 to 2012 and a Director of ACC from 2014 to 2021. Ms Mazzoleni was a director on the Boards of Ngāti Whatua o Orakei Corporate Ltd, Ngāti Whatua o Orakei Whai Maia Ltd and chaired the commercial arm of Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara, also chairing the Audit Committees of these organisations.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MCKONE, Mr Bernard Joseph (Bernie)
For services to the pharmaceutical sector
Mr Bernie McKone has been contributing to the health and pharmaceutical sector in the lower South Island since 1990.
Mr McKone was appointed to the New Zealand College of Pharmacists Academic Advisory Board from 1990 to 1995 and was a Board Member of the New Zealand Pharmacy Education and Research Foundation from 1993 to 2004. He was appointed a member of the Ministry of Health’s Registering Authority of Pharmacists and the Medicines Classification Committee between 1997 to 2003. He led the Pharmacy Professions Governance implementation of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 and helped set up clinical pharmacist services in general practices in Gore and Invercargill. He contributed to normalising conversation around men’s health by appearing on radio shows and discussing topics including prostate health and blood pressure, running men’s health stalls at events such as Field Days and created the Men’s Health Expert website. He was a Board Member of Gore Hospital from 2002 to 2004, Chair of New Zealand College of Pharmacists from 2000 to 2013, and President of the Pharmaceutical Society from 2000 to 2005. Within his wider community, Mr McKone has been President of Southland Football Referees Association, Chair of Southland Rugby Board and led many projects through Gore Rotary Club.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MORRELL-GUNN, Ms Janine Rania
For services to children's television and the community
Ms Janine Morrell-Gunn (Ngāti Kahungungu) has created and produced several programmes over 35 years which have given a voice to children in New Zealand.
Ms Morrell-Gunn is the co-founder of Christchurch-based WhitebaitMedia studios and facilities, producing content for children and whānau. Since 1998, WhitebaitMedia has produced more than 6,000 hours of homegrown content for kiwi kids. She has helped produce numerous popular children’s television shows for multiple generations, including ‘The Son of a Gunn Show’, ‘The Erin Simpson Show’, ‘Tuhono’, ‘Bumble, and ‘2Kaha’. For the past 18 years, WhitebaitMedia have been the kaitiaki of iconic children’s show ‘What Now’, now in its 42nd year. She was TVNZ’s Executive Producer of Children’s Productions between 1985 and 1998 and has served on the Board of Women in Film and Television and the Screen Producers Guild. She has been Chair of the Cholmondeley Children’s Centre since 2015, which provides planned and emergency respite accommodation and care for children aged three to twelve. She has been a Board member of Canterbury’s Maia Health Foundation, supporting the build of a new mental health facility for children and youth, and Uru Manuka Education Trust supporting digital literacy for children. Ms Morrell-Gunn initiated Adopt-A-Chch Family, raising more than $1million, and erected The White Lights of Hope following the Canterbury Earthquakes.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MORTENSEN, Mr Don Edward
For services to the prevention of sexual harm
Mr Don Mortensen established STOP, an intervention service to end harmful sexual behaviour, which has grown from a small incorporated society in 1988, becoming a Charitable Trust in 1996 and developing its services over more than 30 years.
Mr Mortensen was founding CEO until his retirement in 2021. He delivered strategic leadership and raised resources to build a team of more than 40 skilled clinicians. STOP delivers research-based intervention programmes and he ensured that the clinical teams had training and support to provide interventions based on the latest research. He led the development of numerous regional programmes for males and females across the South Island covering children, adolescents and adults. He initiated and negotiated a national sector relationship, the Trinity Alliance, with Safe Network in the upper North Island and Wellstop in the lower North Island, resulting in a cohesive approach to funding and services, advocacy, support to government, and a shared database for New Zealand-wide research. He was committed to providing services for Māori and Pacific clients and ensured staff undertake development in Te Reo Māori and Māori models of health. Mr Mortensen has presented for STOP at international conferences in Australia, Samoa, and the United States.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
PAPA, Ms Pānia Christine
For services to Māori language education and broadcasting
Ms Pānia Papa (Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura, Ngāti Mahuta) has supported revitalisation of te reo Māori as an award-winning television presenter, Māori language consultant, curriculum and resource designer, translator, and editor for the broadcasting industry and education sector.
Ms Papa has lectured in Māori Studies at Waikato University for 10 years and was a tutor of Te Panekiretanga o te Reo (Institute of Excellence in the Māori Language) from 2004 until 2019. She has been a director of Takatū Associates since 2000, focusing on innovations in Māori language education and broadcasting. She presented and wrote the te reo Māori educational shows ‘Ako’ from 2010 and ‘Ōpaki’ from 2016 on Māori Television and has produced Māori versions of cartoons such as ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ and ‘Dora the Explorer’. She was a panel member reviewing New Zealand’s Māori Language Strategy in 2011 and the group that oversaw translation of the Māori Language Act 2016. She was on the Waikato-Tainui Reo Advisory Group, working to implement the Waikato-Tainui language strategy, and has helped develop language strategies for other iwi including Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura. She has translated 12 children’s books into te reo, composed more than 40 waiata and authored the children’s lullaby anthology ‘Pita Mata’. Ms Papa was a founding Trustee of the charity supporting the Kotahi Rau Pukapuka plan to publish 100 books in Māori over 25 years.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
PHAM, Mr Khoa Dang (Mitchell)
For services to the technology sector and New Zealand-Asia relations
Mr Mitchell Pham has been contributing to the technology sector in New Zealand for 30 years and building New Zealand-Asia relationships for 20 years.
Mr Pham is a business and social entrepreneur in the technology industry. He serves as Director of CodeHQ in New Zealand and Vietnam, through which he has been innovating and leading in building New Zealand’s international capability and resource capacity for scalability and speed-to-market in the technology sector. He is a co-founder of the Kiwi Connection Tech Hub, a platform for technology businesses to accelerate presence and engagement in Southeast Asia. He chaired NZTech and co-founded and launched several industry networks and collaborations including New Zealand Digital Health Association (formerly New Zealand Health IT Cluster), various TechNZ collaborations across education, agriculture and insurance, and the New Zealand ASEAN Business Alliance. He champions the technology industry’s roles in Digital Inclusion and Environment-Social-Governance. As Chair of the Digital Council, he contributed to the government’s Digital Strategy for New Zealand. He is an honorary advisor to the Asia New Zealand Foundation and an Entrepreneur-In-Residence with the University of Auckland. Mr Pham is recognised internationally as a World Class New Zealander by KEA, a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, an Asia 21 Fellow and Global Council Member of the Asia Society.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
PIO, Professor Edwina
For services to ethnic communities
Professor Edwina Pio is an internationally respected management expert in the field of diversity and is New Zealand’s first and only Professor of Diversity at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Business School, where she has impacted policies and practices since 2002.
Professor Pio is Chair of the academic advisory board of Te Kupenga Catholic Theological College. She was involved with the Human Rights Commission in New Zealand to develop guidelines for religion in the workplace. She has published extensively on reconceptualising workplace diversity. Her 2014 book ‘Work and Worship’ investigates the impact of minority religions in the New Zealand workplace and how business leaders welcome this growing community. Her 2008 book ‘Sari’ and 2010 book ‘Longing and Belonging’ encompass the immigration experiences of Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American and African peoples in New Zealand. She has worked with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities and the New Zealand Police and has provided pro-bono services to migrants as a registered counsellor. Professor Pio is a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 terrorist attack on Christchurch mosques.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
ROGAN, Ms Christine Anne
For services to alcohol harm reduction
Ms Christine Rogan is a Health Promotion Advisor at Alcohol Healthwatch and is acknowledged as having contributed to all aspects and progress concerning Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in New Zealand since 1996.
Ms Rogan has worked to ensure that the lifelong disability of FASD is recognised, supported and prevented, often against stigma, blame and prejudice associated with the disorder. She connects service providers, researchers and families through the Fetal Alcohol Network of New Zealand, which she established in 2005. She facilitated the first FASD multi-disciplinary diagnostic team training in New Zealand and supported clinicians to travel to Canada to learn more about FASD diagnosis. She co-established FASD-CAN (Care Action Network) which became an incorporated society in 2013. She hosted the first national FASD Awareness Day in 2013 and has since organised annual activities. To address gaps in FASD-informed practice across sectors, she developed and delivered multiple training sessions to mainstream and iwi-based providers. She organised a 2014 symposium which called for urgent action on FASD, contributing to the development of New Zealand’s first FASD action plan. Ms Rogan led a petition to Parliament in the early 2000s for pregnancy warning labels on alcohol products and continued advocacy until the trans-Tasman regulatory authority FSANZ voted in 2020 to mandate a best practice pregnancy warning label for alcohol products.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SMITH-GUERIN, Ms Nicola Maree
For services to anaesthesiology
Ms Nicola Smith-Guerin has been pivotal to setting up the modern training programme for anaesthesia technology in New Zealand.
Ms Smith-Guerin was a key contributor to the development of the examination and registration process for Anaesthetic Technicians (AT). She has held the voluntary roles of Registration Examiner from 1997, Board member from 2007 and Registration Examination Coordinator since 2014 for the New Zealand Anaesthetic Technicians’ Society (NZATS). She has contributed thousands of voluntary hours to preparing the national registration examination, training and organising examiners, venues and logistics. During the COVID-19 lockdowns she established a means for AT registration examinations to proceed, enabling an extra 50 health professionals to join the registered workforce at a time of need. She has made significant contributions to patient safety, having produced the national machine check guidelines for anaesthetic machines, which are internationally considered the ‘gold standard’ for patient care. She has been Professional Lead for Auckland District Health Board ATs since 2018, having worked as an AT and Charge AT in the Auckland region since 1985. She has helped mitigate skill shortages in the anaesthesia assistance role, leading trips to the United Kingdom to successfully recruit staff for New Zealand’s AT workforce. Ms Smith-Guerin has supported her workforce to be safely flexible, to maximise the number of operations and critical care procedures Auckland DHB can offer.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
TALEMAITOGA, Dr Apisalome Sikaidoka
For services to health and the Pacific community
Dr Apisalome Talemaitoga has contributed to the Pacific community as a Pacific General Practitioner.
Dr Talemaitoga has established two practices, one in Christchurch established 25 years ago and one established in 2015 in the heart of South Auckland, where his patients are predominantly of Māori and Pacific descent. He is a trusted source for the community, explaining complex terms in an understandable way, and promoting long-term health to this vulnerable population. He was the Chief Advisor of Pacific Health with the Ministry of Health between 2008 and 2013 and was on the Board of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners between 2014 and 2017. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he used his influence in the Pacific community to ensure the messaging regarding the pandemic was communicated by appearing on radio shows, television interviews and presenting directly to the community. He worked to connect Pacific GPs to government officials to ensure access to information and support for Pacific communities. Dr Talemaitoga was appointed Co-Chair of the National COVID-19 Response Group and was the lead clinician during zoom fonos organised the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
TAOUMA, Ms Lisa-Jane (Lisa)
For services to Pacific arts and the screen industry
Ms Lisa Taouma is a producer and director of the largest pool of Pacific content on screen in New Zealand, having created the Polyfest series, the longstanding Pacific youth series ‘Fresh’, five award-winning documentaries, the feature film ‘Teine Sa’ and two short films.
Ms Taouma created the ground-breaking site ‘The Coconet TV’, which has connected Pacific peoples across the globe and is recognised as the premium online platform for Pasifika content in New Zealand. Her body of work has been instrumental in building an audience of Pacific peoples who expect and want to see themselves represented on screen, as well as developing strong training models and employing up-and-coming Pacific talent in front of and behind the camera. Her documentary ‘Marks of Mana’ on the female history of tatau (Samoan tattoo) has won awards at international festivals. She has published academically on the arts both nationally and internationally, curated a range of art works and performances, and been a keynote speaker across different disciplines. Ms Taouma has held a range of roles including member of the Pacific Islanders in Film, Television and Online (PIFT) Board, the Pacific Islands Media Association New Zealand, Hawaii Film Association’ ‘Pacific Islanders in Communication’, Creative New Zealand Arts Panel from 2001 to 2019, and Tautai Arts Trust Board Member from 2002 to 2005.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
VEITCH, Mr Charles Richard (Dick)
For services to wildlife conservation
Mr Dick Veitch had a long career with the New Zealand Wildlife Service and the Department of Conservation from the 1960s until retirement in 1998, after which he has continued to contribute to domestic and international programmes of species conservation.
Mr Veitch initially helped save the Chatham Islands black robin and kākāpō from extinction and has worked on safeguarding other species’ populations using islands as safe havens. He has helped increase the number of available pest-free islands by developing and deploying techniques to eradicate predators. This has included the successful eradication of cats from Herekopare and Te Hauturu-o-Toi islands and rats from the Hauraki Gulf islands of Tiritiri Matangi, Motukorea, Te Motu-a-Ihenga and Motukino. Since 2002 he has led the editing of three significant books on island invasive species management, containing papers from hundreds of contributors internationally. Most recently he co-edited ‘Hauturu: the history, flora and fauna of Te Hauturu-o-Toi Little Barrier Island’ (2019). He has volunteered with the South Auckland Branch of Birds New Zealand for 50 years and set up a group to study and tag international migratory wader birds. He has worked on the Eastern United States seaboard to monitor international wader populations. Mr Veitch was involved in the formation of the Pūkorokoro Miranda Naturalists’ Trust, set up to protect shorebird habitats.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WALKER, Dr Kathleen Joy (Kath)
For services to wildlife conservation
Dr Kath Walker has devoted four decades to the welfare of Powelliphanta land snails and more recently the study and protection of Antipodean wandering albatrosses.
As a scientist since 1981 with the Wildlife Service and then the Department of Conservation, Dr Walker initiated establishment of the Rotoiti ‘Mainland Island’ and eradication of rodents on Motuara and Chetwode Islands, now bird sanctuaries. She conducted a nationwide survey of giant carnivorous Powelliphanta snails, providing advice on their protection and raising public awareness of their threatened status. In 2004, she discovered a previously unknown species on the Stockton Plateau which she named Powelliphanta augusta, and after its habitat was destroyed helped DOC for 17 years to keep the snails alive in captivity and spearheaded efforts to have its habitat restored. Her PhD research demonstrated New Zealand has 20 distinct species and 59 subspecies of Powelliphanta, many highly endangered, and she published recovery plans for most. She and her partner have monitored the health of albatross populations in the subantarctic annually since 1991, much of it in their own time. Through this, Dr Walker and her partner discovered both Gibson’s and Antipodean albatross populations were in a critical condition and have worked to alert others and to find solutions.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WALTERS, Mr Peter Muru Edward
For services to touch rugby
Mr Peter Walters (Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri) has been contributing to the growth of touch rugby in New Zealand and globally for more than 35 years.
Mr Walters has coached, played and developed touch rugby all over New Zealand and across 31 countries, raising the profile of the sport and developing skills, knowledge and resources. He is the founder of Galaxy Touch Club, established in Auckland in 1987, which is the largest touch rugby club worldwide with more than 120 teams in 30 cities and 14 countries. He is the most capped player in touch rugby, representing New Zealand in nine World Cups and winning three. He has been a member of 35 winning national championship teams, with 20 consecutive gold medals for Auckland. He received the Coach of the Year award at the Māori Sports Awards in 1999 and the Tohu Motuhake in 2011. Mr Walters received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Touch New Zealand in 2019.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WEROHIA-LLOYD, Ms Paula Mapuna
For services to Māori and business
Ms Paula Werohia-Lloyd (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Arawa, Ngā Puhi) was the first woman elected to the Mangatawa Papamoa Blocks Inc (MPBI) Board and over 31 years has been responsible for the administration of a diverse portfolio of investments, including kiwifruit and avocado orchards, beef farming, a retirement village, social housing and industrial developments.
Ms Werohia-Lloyd was instrumental in 1994 in setting up a native plant nursery at Mangatawa under Taskforce Green, which grew into a successful business supplying plants across New Zealand for recovering native wetlands. She was instrumental in the 2012 joint venture between MPBI and Generus Living Group for the development of Pacific Coast Retirement Village and the creation of Mangatawa papakainga housing initiative. She has held various governance roles over 20 years, including as a Trustee of several Māori Boards and as Chair of the Ranginui No. 12 Trust. She served on the Tauranga Moana Māori Council and is currently on the Board of Te Awanui Huka Pak Ltd, New Zealand’s largest Māori kiwifruit and avocado growers collective. Ms Werohia-Lloyd has contributed to the development of Māori agriculture and horticulture, especially through developing new and expanded export markets in the Pacific and Far East, travelling extensively to promote New Zealand exports, identifying new markets, setting up trials cultivating new export crops, and bringing new thinking and production methods to New Zealand.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WILLIAMS, Mr Kenneth Michael (Mike)
For services to governance and the community
Mr Mike Williams has contributed more than 30 years of service to governance and the community.
Mr Williams has been a Director of KiwiRail Holding Ltd since 2019, a previous Director of Ontrack between 2004 and 2008, and is on the Board of Ritchies Transport Limited. He was the Director of Transit New Zealand, the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Ltd, the Auckland Regional Transport Authority and Auckland Transport. He was a foundation director of Insight Market Research. He became the CEO of the Stellar Trust in 2009, a charity which has raised awareness of the dangers of methamphetamine. He has been the CEO of the Howard League for Penal Reform since 2011, an organisation which advocates for prison reform in New Zealand and provides literacy and numeracy programmes to prisoners to assist with their positive reintegration into communities. Mr Williams served as the President of the New Zealand Labour Party between 1999 and 2009.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WINIATA, Ms Te Puea Pekerangi Eileen
For services to Māori and health
Ms Te Puea Winiata (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngai Tamarawaho, Waikato Tainui) has been dedicated to supporting Māori communities through her work within the social and health sectors.
Ms Winiata was one of the first governance members of Te Rau Matatini, established in 2002 as New Zealand’s first Māori Mental Health Workforce Development Centre. She founded Te Atea Marino, a Waitemata District Health Board-based alcohol and drug service, which provides services to adults living with addiction related harm. She has been the Chief Executive Officer of Turuki Health Care since 2010, focused on creating an integrated health and social service, principled upon Te Ao Māori to ensure access for all within Tāmaki, East Auckland. Through Turuki Health Care, she mobilised her team to ensure support was provided to those that needed it most during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included the provision of holistic health services with traditional healers to more than 100,000 people experiencing anxiety and stress due to the pandemic. She has helped lead and establish several collective provider responses to those within South and East Auckland, including Te Ira which was formed to address the needs of families impacted by imprisonment. Ms Winiata’s organisation was awarded the Supreme Award, the Best Community Health Award, and the Innovation Award at the 2021 ProCare Quality Awards.