The Queen’s Service Medal:
BAKER-WENLEY, Mrs Naomi Ruth
For services to opera
Mrs Naomi Baker-Wenley has been contributing to opera in New Zealand for several decades.
Mrs Baker-Wenley founded the Hawke’s Bay Opera in 1986, holding positions of Chairperson, administrator and taking part of the staged opera. She played several leading roles including in ‘La Traviata’. She engaged nationally and internationally renowned artists to perform in the operas, receiving praise from media globally. She established the James Baker Scholarship, named after her late husband, which encourages local singers, stage and lighting crew to gain experience and knowledge. She was made a life member of Hawke’s Bay Opera in 1997 and was recipient of a Hastings District Civic Honour for voluntary service in arts and culture in 1997. Mrs Baker-Wenley founded the Mary Doyle Choir in 2018 and is currently a soloist.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BOURKE, Mrs Margaret Anne
For services to the community
Mrs Margaret Bourke has been involved in the Wairarapa community for more than 40 years.
Mrs Bourke has been involved in education institutions since 1976, including with Lansdowne Kindergarten, Wairarapa Free Kindergarten Association, Chanel College, Wairarapa Secondary School’s Board and School Trustees Association (STA), as President, Vice-President, Chair, Parent Representative and delegate. She was a community board member and Early Childhood and STA representative with the Wairarapa Rural Education Activities Programme between 1986 and 2011. She was the Board Secretary of Wairarapa Citizens Advice Bureau for four years and volunteers with Aratoi Museum of Art and History. She was a Parish Council member of the Catholic Parish of Wairarapa between 2018 and 2019 and has been a Lay Reader and church cleaner for more than 30 years. She has held various positions with Wairarapa Plunket Branch since 1980 including President from 2003 to 2007 and as President of the Wellington Area Society. She was a member of the organising committee for the Wairarapa Bride of the Year Contest, which ran for 50 years until 2019, raising money for Wairarapa mothers and children. Mrs Bourke coordinated for the design and build of a new building for the amalgamated Plunket services in the area completed in 2015 and is currently organiser of the baby knitting fundraiser.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BRICKLAND, Mr Rodger Henry
For services to athletics
Mr Rodger Brickland has been President of the Eastern Athletic Club since 1990, contributing to the growth of Athletics in Auckland.
Mr Brickland was a key driver for the establishment of the Eastern Athletic Club and as President has overseen increased membership from an initial 120 in 1990 to at times more than 700. He coached the harrier section at Auckland City Athletics for six years and was President and Vice President of New Zealand Children’s Athletic Association between 2007 and 2011. He is a highly qualified Athletics Technical Official, officiating throughout the country at meets and mentoring and educating the upcoming officials. He was a manager and selector for a number of 12/13 age group interprovincial teams in the 1990s and 2000s. He chaired the organising North Island Committee for the 2003, 2006, 2011 and 2018 Colgate Games. He has been Auckland team selector for annual children’s competitions between Auckland and New South Wales since 1997 and has chaired the Trans-Tasman Tour Committee since 2005. He was made a Life Member of Eastern Athletic Club in 2000, New Zealand Children’s Athletic Association in 2011 and Athletics Auckland in 2016. Mr Brickland has been a member of the New Zealand Children’s Athletic Association administration committee since 2007 and an executive delegate to the Association since 1995.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
BUTLER, Mr Brendan Sean
For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Mr Brendan Butler has volunteered with the Tikokino Fire Brigade since 1972, holding every role from recruit to Station Chief.
Mr Butler was Chief Fire Officer from 1998 to 2001 and has been Senior Station Officer from 2001 until the present. He has attended more than 2,000 emergency callouts to date and is recognised within the Brigade for being regularly “first in and last out”. He lives a long way from the station and therefore misses the departure of the fire appliance when called out, making his own way in his personal vehicle to support the Brigade, travelling thousands of kilometres at his own cost. He has spent many hours fixing and maintaining equipment and looking after the station facilities and grounds. He has fundraised for the Brigade, notably for the purchase of a new tanker vital to fire control, especially during dry Central Hawke’s Bay summers. He has remained committed to training and upskilling in firefighting techniques and knowledge and has upskilled to a Fire and Emergency medical First Responder. He has attended weekly training for more than 50 years. Mr Butler was made an Honorary Life Member of the Brigade in 1997.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
CLEWS, Mr Geoffrey Denis
For services to the arts and the community
Mr Geoffrey Clews has been involved in the governance of arts and community organisations in Auckland and nationally for many years.
As President of Company Theatre, Mr Clews was instrumental in establishing The Rose Centre Community Theatre in Belmont, Auckland. As Chair of the North Shore Theatre and Conference Centre Trust from 1984 to 1996, he led the campaign to fund and build the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna, and chaired the Centre’s Board for 12 years. He helped establish Q Theatre in Central Auckland, steering the organisation through the final stages of construction, the opening and first five years in business. He was a Trustee of the Auckland Foundation from 2011 and Chair from 2014 to 2018. During his tenure the foundation grew and is now granting in excess of $1 million per annum. He was a director of Regional Facilities Auckland from 2013 to 2019 and Chair of Arts Advocates Auckland. He chairs the Sir George Elliot Charitable Trust, which provides tertiary education scholarships for students facing adverse life circumstances. He is on the Advisory Board of Te Kiwi Māia Charitable Trust, which provides rehabilitation, recovery and respite to New Zealand Defence personnel and first responders. As a lawyer, Mr Clews has acted pro-bono for the Ex-Vietnam Services Association of New Zealand and other organisations.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
COWIE, Mr Maurice James
For services to Search and Rescue
Mr Maurice Cowie has been a member of Omarama Search and Rescue (SAR) since 1998 and played a key role in revitalising the organisation from a membership of two, recruiting new members, organising sponsorship and regular training.
Mr Cowie has held roles including field member, team leader and incident management team member. Due to his knowledge, he is the first point of contact for Police in the event of a Search and Rescue operation. He was recognised as part of the Omarama SAR group that received the LandSAR Supreme Award in 2012 for a significant operation in Ahuriri Valley that located a missing tramper after 14 days. He has volunteered to assist in searches in other regions including Owaka, Lawrence and Dunedin. He contributed his time and donated materials to the renovation of the Omarama SAR base. He constructed a stretcher trailer for towing behind an ATV to allow for rescue of injured persons from the Alps to Ocean cycle trail, given the difficulties in effecting rescues due to the length of the trail. He is a member of the local work group that stands in for a Civil Defence group for Omarama in the case of a natural disaster. Mr Cowie has also been involved with rural and urban fire brigades for 50 years.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
CROSBIE, Mr Trevor Michael (Mike), JP
For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand
Mr Mike Crosbie was appointed Chief Fire Officer of the Te Akau Voluntary Rural Fire Force soon after its establishment in 1997 and has led the Fire Force until the present.
Mr Crosbie played a key role in instigating the Te Akau Voluntary Rural Fire Force in 1996, noting the fire risk in the area with the nearest firefighting assistance more than 60 kilometres away. He was instrumental in the acquisition and ongoing maintenance of the Fire Force’s two buildings and three vehicles. As owner of Te Akau Garage, he has maintained the vehicles free of charge for 25 years. He has led his team of volunteer firefighters away to courses to improve their skills. The Te Akau Rural Fire Force is frequently called out to assist fire services from Raglan, Huntly and Ngaruawahia to fight scrub or similar fires, assist with rescue helicopter landings or vehicle accidents. He is a Life Member of Te Akau Waingaro Community Complex for his services to the community. Mr Crosbie has been a Justice of the Peace since 2004.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
ENSOR, Mrs Rosemary Jane
For services to the community
Mrs Rosemary Ensor has contributed to the Hanmer Springs community since 1964.
Mrs Ensor became the President of the local Plunket Group in 1964, holding this position for 13 years. She was Secretary of the Hanmer Springs School’s Committee from 1972 until 1984, contributing to school activities, events and fundraisers. She was a member of the Board of Trustees of Amuri Area School and an elected member of the Canterbury Education Board. She was President of the Hanmer Springs Pony Club for 17 years, later becoming the District Commissioner for the Hurunui Pony Club and Canterbury Representative on the New Zealand Pony Club committee of management for several years. She wrote articles for the Horse and Pony Magazine for four years. She was an instigator of the Hanmer Springs Community Trust, serving as Chair for 28 consecutive years and overseeing the Trust‘s process of purchasing and managing the Hanmer Springs Health Centre. She was elected as Chair of the Hanmer Springs Community Board in 2007, later serving as Deputy Chair before stepping down in 2019 after four terms. She has been the Chair of the Hanmer Springs Forest Camp Trust since 1987. Mrs Ensor was awarded a Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year award in 2017.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
EWELS, Mrs Kinaua Bauriri
For services to the Kiribati community
Mrs Kinaua Ewels has been supporting the Kiribati community since migrating to New Zealand.
Mrs Ewels published her first children’s educational book in 2007 titled ‘I want to read and speak Kiribati’ to give an opportunity for children to be able to converse in both English and Kiribati. Her most recent work ‘Konenerio and the Flag Master’ is based on the faith of her grandfather and the pivotal role of I-Kiribati people during the second World War. She contributed to the Kiribati Educational Resources Project in 2021, producing various resources of poems, rhymes, songs and a grammar book. She has been an integral member of the Marewen Kiribati Community Group since 2006, providing a voice for the Kiribati minority amongst other larger Pacific country representatives. She initiated Te Wakauea Play Group in 2008 to introduce the Kiribati language through an education outlet for Kiribati children and mothers based in Auckland. She was the primary lead and project manager for the New Zealand Kiribati National Council to organise Kiribati Language Week festivities and events. She used her role as a community leader to promote best practices to protect against COVID-19 and pushed for higher vaccination rates amongst the Pacific community. Mrs Ewels represents the New Zealand Kiribati National Council on the Pacific Leadership Forum.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
FARRY, Mrs Lynore Ann
For services to the community
Mrs Lynore Farry has contributed to the Dunedin community for more than 30 years.
Mrs Farry served as Chair of the Anderson Bay Kindergarten in 1978 and became inaugural Chair of the Board of Trustees of St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School in 1989. Following the amalgamation of Moreau and St Paul’s College, she became a member of the organising committee of the newly formed Kavanagh College, holding responsibility for the design of the school uniform, still in use today. She took a leadership role in Kavanagh sports in several ways, as coordinator, coach, administrator, selector of netball and served as selector of Otago age group and Under-19 Netball Teams. She was Club President of Zonta in Dunedin in 1999 and has chaired several committees within the branch. She was the driver of the ‘Zonta Extraordinary Fashion’ event, which raised more than $200,000 for charity in the nine years she was Chair. She became national coordinator of the highly successful schools anti-bullying programme ‘Loves Me – Loves Me Not’ on behalf of Zonta New Zealand between 2014 and 2018. She has been a Club Member of Zonta Club of Metropolitan Dunedin since 1997, being named a National Woman of Prominence from this organisation in 2016. Mrs Farry has been an Advisory Board Member of Dunedin School of Art Foundation since 2011.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
FLAVELL, Mr George Rafton
For services to Māori culture and heritage preservation
Mr George Flavell (Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua) has dedicated more than 20 years to the protection and preservation of Māori cultural sites and significant places within Ngāti Te Ata iwi ancestral lands.
Mr Flavell’s work has consisted of identifying, recording and documenting sites which are of special significance to Ngāti Te Ata, protecting and ensuring the appropriate management of the cultural sites and taonga from any impact that compromises their integrity, and providing educational resources for the iwi and future generations. He also educates and informs property owners, councils and the general public of the importance of Māori cultural sites, exploring methods that can protect them in the future. He has worked with the Franklin, Auckland and Waikato District Councils to provide guidance and advice on cultural significance. He was involved in the Mahanihani restoration at the tip of the Awhitu Peninsula, negotiating with the landowner to create significant environmental restoration and historic story telling through carved pou. Mr Flavell has documented significant historical sites across the whole of the Awhitu Peninsula, adding to local history.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
FROST, Mr Matthew Vincent (Matt)
For services to people with autism
Mr Matt Frost has been an advocate for the rights of disabled people, particularly people with autism, for more than 15 years.
Mr Frost began his service with CCS Disability Action Nelson-Marlborough in 2006. He was invited to Chair the Implementation Advisory Group for the New Zealand Autism Spectrum Disorder Guideline in 2008. This Guideline was the first in the World to take a whole-of-life view of Autism and how to support autistic people to live lives in the community. He was the Deputy Chair of the Living Guideline Group, a technical advisory group which updates the evidence in the Guideline until 2020. Mr Frost was a Policy and Information Researcher for Autism New Zealand for three years and regularly gives his time to meet with teachers and families to ensure they have an understanding of the lived experience of autism.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
GALUMALEMANA, Mr Galumalemana Fetaiaimauso Marion
For services to the Pacific community
Mr Galumalemana Galumalemana has been supporting the Pacific community for more than 10 years through cultural aspects, business and sports.
Mr Galumalemana has hosted an array of annual celebrations which bring the community together since 2014, including for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and White Sunday, an initiative to give back to the community through gifts and care vouchers for families in need. He has been supporting the development of Pacific youth education and sports through the Marist Old Pupils Association Samoa New Zealand, with the most recent 70th anniversary celebrations raising funds to supply to Samoan schools in 2020. He has utilised his experience in running GMANA Car Dealership to help bridge connections with local businesses and youth, to provide support on new business ventures that can offer communities low-cost services. He has supported and contributed to several organisations including fundraising for Radio Samoa in 2016, supported Samoan band OZKI on tour in New Zealand and contributed to the sponsorship of several school sports uniforms in New Zealand and Samoa. Between 2017 and 2021, he led fundraising events for the national rugby team of Samoa, raising $10,000 at each event and raising the profile of the team. Mr Galumalemana has been using his radio channel to raise awareness of COVID-19 and the importance of vaccinations.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
GORDON, Mr James William (Jimmy)
For services to the community
Mr Jimmy Gordon has been a member of the Hokitika Lions Club for more than 20 years.
Mr Gordon has held various positions within the organisation over the 20 years and has been a longstanding member of the Lions Wood Cutting Team, who meet weekly to cut thousands of loads of wood and deliver to locals, with money collected for fundraisers. Within the Lions, he is the Alomar, holding responsibility for the mental, physical and spiritual support of the members. He has been making poppy bowls, one for every Returned and Services Association and marae in New Zealand, totalling 270 in two years. Each bowl is adorned with locally sourced pounamu that is affiliated with the 28 Māori Battalion throughout New Zealand, carrying the same polish as pounamu which was used in the ‘Wall of Tears’ at the Waiouru Military War Memorial Museum. He installed a park bench and plaque at a local park to mark ANZAC Day in 2022 and to commemorate the centennial of the first poppy sold in New Zealand following WWI. With his family, he has been organising a Community Christmas Dinner for a decade, welcoming community members and visitors in Hokitika with meals, music, dance and decorations. Mr Gordon received the 2021 ‘Westlander of the Year’ award from the Westland District Council.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
HALALELE, Ms Hana Melania
For services to Pacific health
Ms Hana Halalele became the first Pacific Councillor of Waitaki District Council in 2019 and is Manager for Oamaru Pacific Island Community Group (OPICG), advocating for the needs of the Pacific, migrant and wider community.
Ms Halalele has supported her Pacific community since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a frontline team with OPICG to share information and guidelines across the community. She advocated for support and resources from the Southern District Health Board and Well South to run a vaccination clinic. She led her team to create their own community outreach vaccination workforce, deliver drive-through testing stations and vaccination clinics across the Waitaki District. She worked with community groups and volunteers to promote vaccination efforts amongst the wider community. She and her team also provided COVID-19 welfare response including food parcels, food vouchers, health navigation support and advocacy for digital devices during lockdown and isolation periods. She has been an influential advocate at regional and national forums for the diverse needs of her community. Ms Halalele was the establishment Chair for Talanga ‘a Waitaki, facilitating a community-led initiative for Pacific parents to deliver the Talanoa Ako education programme for her community.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
HAMILTON, Mr Clyde Harris
For services to the community and heritage preservation
Mr Clyde Hamilton has been involved in the Waiuku community since the 1970s, contributing to preserve the history of the region.
Mr Hamilton was a member of Waiuku Museum Committee from 1970, serving as President from 1995 until 2009. As President, he oversaw community preservation projects such as leading the Jane Gifford Restoration Committee, which raised one million dollars to restore the vessel. He spearheaded establishment of the Manukau Lighthouse Trust to reposition the prism from the Waiuku Museum and the dome to a new facility, becoming an active tourist attraction in the area. He has been member of Awhitu Peninsula Historical Society since 2009, creating booklets and family activities based on the history of the region. He is an Ordained Elder of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand and the Patron of the Waiuku Museum Society since 2017. He was a member of the Waiuku College Board of Trustees from 1965 to 1988. Following his retirement, Mr Hamilton was made Life Member of Awhitu Peninsula Historical Society in 2020.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
HARRIS, Mrs Afife Skafi
For services to migrant communities
Mrs Afife Harris has been supporting Syrian refugees resettling in Dunedin for several years.
Mrs Harris has used her experience of migrating to New Zealand from Lebanon to help guide others in resettling, particularly those from the Syrian community. She has sourced employment and accompanied people to interviews to offer support and acted as an interpreter at medical appointments and driving lessons. She has highlighted the importance of knowing English and has introduced and accompanied many migrants to English language providers. She is a former President of the Dunedin Multi-Ethnic Council and created the ‘Chai and Chat’ programme to help women from different cultures come together in a safe space to meet New Zealand women over a cup of tea. She organised car boot sales to help pay for driving lessons for refugee women and served as a committee member of the Cedars of Lebanon Club for more than a decade. She set up a migrant market to help new arrivals sell their crafts and share food, bringing together people from all cultures to help break down barriers. She has hosted Lebanese cooking classes and catering to help with fundraising efforts for schools and organisations. Mrs Harris was the 2019 recipient of the ASB Good as Gold award for her contribution to the Dunedin community.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
HARVEY-THAWLEY, Mrs Eileen Margaret Jean
For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community
Mrs Eileen Harvey-Thawley has volunteered with the Mapua Volunteer Fire Brigade since the mid-1990s, including as Operational Support Officer since 2004 and Treasurer since 2006.
Mrs Harvey-Thawley continues to respond to emergency callouts at age 83, providing operational support at the station and waiting until crews return. She helps with Mapua Brigade’s risk reduction activities and has led efforts for the preservation and housing of a 1948 heritage fire appliance, which was Mapua’s first fire truck and is used by the brigade at community events. She has received two Tasman District Council civic awards, most recently in 2021, recognising her community contributions in the region over 30 years. This has included the obtaining and restoration of a settler’s cob house and its ongoing preservation and collating the enlistments for World War One in Nelson province. She has been a Board member of Moutere Hills Cemetery since 1990, helping with the recognition of sites of historical significance in Mapua and Moutere. She and her husband donated a significant parcel of land at the entrance to Mapua to the QEII Trust for local ecological preservation. Mrs Harvey-Thawley has helped organise historical displays at Mapua Wharf and in Upper Moutere.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
HIGHAM, Mr James Richard Strachan (Richard)
For services to rugby and education
Mr Richard Higham teaches on the Graduate School of Business MBA at the University of Otago and has been a member of the Otago University Rugby Football Club (OURFC) since 1973, including time as Club Captain, Vice-President and President between 1978 and 1995.
Mr Higham coached several teams for OURFC in the 1970s. He has convened the Clubrooms subcommittee and helped organise the 125th Anniversary Celebrations in 2009. He has been a member and Secretary of the OURFC Rugby Foundation Trust since 2009. He was integral in fundraising for new clubrooms in the mid-2000s, travelling New Zealand to host events and encouraging peer-to-peer fundraising. Since 2016 he has created and self-published the OURFC ‘Blooz Nooz’ e-newsletter covering history and current events, with more than 245 editions to date. He has been on the management committee of the OURFC Light Blues Association for alumni since 1986 and was President in 2004/2005. He has been on the Executive of the University of the Third Age (U3A) Dunedin and has volunteered with the University Club since 2000, which facilitates business, city council and university relationships. Mr Higham has been active with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra Friends, chairing the group from 2011 to 2019 and organising collaborations with other Dunedin arts organisations, presentations and successful fundraising.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
JEFFRIES, Mrs Barbara Noeline (Noeline)
For services to equestrian sport and war commemoration
Mrs Noeline Jeffries has long been active in New Zealand’s equestrian community and drove efforts to commemorate New Zealand’s war horses.
Mrs Jeffries helped drive the establishment of the Waikato Combined Equestrian Centre in the 1980s, securing land at Pukete to ensure there was a community space for equestrian events and services in Hamilton. As an active rider, instructor and judge of competitions, she has long advocated for the care of horses and health and safety of riders. She has volunteered her time to serve in leadership positions of the Waikato Combined Equestrian Centre, HORSE Club and New Zealand Riding Clubs and Bridleways. During the First World War Centenary, she founded the War Horse Memorial Trust, resulting in the erection of a sculpture in Hamilton’s Memorial Park to recognise the 10,000 horses that served in the Great War. Beginning 2015, she initiated annual war horse memorial marches on Anzac Day and Armistice Day. She used surplus funds from the Trust to establish the War Horse Learn to Ride school holiday programme with free tuition for local children who would otherwise not have the opportunity. Mrs Jefferies supports the work of the Kaimanawa Heritage Horses organisation, helping to re-home mustered horses and fundraising to create a Kaimanawa horse sculpture in Waiōuru.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
JOHNSON, Mrs Judith Ann, JP
For services as a Justice of the Peace
Mrs Judith Johnson has volunteered as a Judicial Justice of the Peace for more than four decades.
Mrs Johnson was appointed as a Justice of the Peace in 1977 for the South Canterbury JP Association. In 1980 she was invited to become a Judicial Justice of the Peace, a role she held until 2021. In this voluntary role, she presided over traffic court, deposition hearings and remands when resident Judges were unavailable, and issued search warrants and production orders. She wrote a manual for the Timaru District Court Traffic Court, which is still in use. For 10 years she also served as Acting Coroner and was Court rosterer from 1987 to 2008. Her services have been relied on at any time of the day or night, and during weekends and public holidays. While mostly serving in South Canterbury, she also supported the mid-Canterbury and West Coast communities when needed. A valued mentor to younger JPs, she has held leadership roles on the South Canterbury JP Association since 1987, including President from 1995 to 1997, and was made a Life Member in 1995. She was on the organising committee for two regional and one national Justices’ Association conferences held in Timaru. Mrs Johnson continues her community work in Timaru through the Altrusa and Probus organisations.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
KEKENA, Mrs Teurukura Tia
For services to the Cook Islands and Pacific communities
Mrs Teurukura Kekena has been involved with the Cook Islands community since migrating to New Zealand in the early 1970s.
Mrs Kekena was instrumental in the establishment of the Pacific Islands Presbyterian Church in Newtown, Wellington in the 1970s, before settling in Porirua and launching the Porirua Pacific Islands Presbyterian Church. She became the Church’s session clerk and serves as the ‘Maine Akatere Au’ or Church Leader, coordinating activities for the congregation, facilitating between the main Church body and engagement with the wider community and was the lead in the transition of the Porirua Pacific Islands Presbyterian Church to the Cook Islands Presbyterian Church. She helped establish the Porirua Cook Islands Association, where she served as Secretary for several years, before becoming President in 2016. With the Association, Mrs Kekena helped with the establishment of the Te Akapuanga Kuki Airani Hall, which today hosts community gatherings for the Pacific communities in the Wellington region.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MARTIN, Mrs Carol Anne
For services to the community and netball
Mrs Carol Martin has volunteered in the Hokitika community in a range of capacities across several organisations.
Mrs Martin was Acting Secretary and committee member for Hokitika Free Kindergarten, a Trustee for Kaniere School from 2000 to 2004, and for Westland High School from 2005 to 2019. When Westland High School was significantly damaged by fire in 2016, the Board worked with the Principal and Ministry of Education to secure funding for new facilities, including a hall, offices and dance and drama suites. She was instrumental in gaining support to also construct an all-weather facility covering the existing netball courts to provide a multi-purpose year-round venue. She has been involved with Hokitika Netball since 1983 as a player, committee member, Secretary, Treasurer and President. She was a player, Treasurer and President of the Buller Westland Netball Union. She coached several Age Group representative teams before committing to umpiring, travelling with representative teams and assisting junior and senior developing umpires. She was Treasurer of the 4th Westland Boys Brigade from 2005 to 2013. As an employee since 1978, Mrs Martin has represented ASB Bank as a volunteer at community events, including fundraising for organisations, organising the ASB float for the Christmas parade, and organising a team of volunteers for the National Children’s Day event.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MCCOMB, Mr Kevin James
For services to cycling
Mr Kevin McComb has promoted cycling in the eastern Bay of Plenty as President of the Whakatāne Cycling Club for 32 years.
Mr McComb has had a long interest in road and track cycling, having competed in New Zealand’s track cycling team at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. In the 1980s, he took over ownership of a cycling store in Whakatāne. In 1987 he set up the Whakatāne Cycling Club, serving as its President until 2019. As President, he was responsible for the club’s administration, race calendar, safety management, race handicapping, refereeing, coaching, publicity and prizegiving. He organised events to promote cycling in his community and helped launch many sporting careers. On several occasions he initiated significant club events and trophies in honour of recently deceased cyclists. Through his fundraising efforts in the eastern Bay of Plenty, he secured sponsorship for elite athletes, bikes and equipment for newcomers and a simulator for a severely injured club member. For decades he promoted the achievements of cyclists in a weekly column in the Whakatāne Beacon. On his retirement from cycling in 2021 the Whakatāne Cycling Club awarded Mr McComb life membership.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MCSHANE, Ms Agnes McCulloch (Nancy)
For services to women and pay equity
Ms Nancy McShane has been a delegate for the Public Service Association for more than 12 years, leading pay equity collective action for her colleagues.
Ms McShane was a key figure in the negotiating team that reached a gender pay settlement with the District Health Boards for 10,000 administration staff, with some staff receiving a 40 percent pay rise. This was one of the first settlements under the new Equal Pay Act, with significant impacts for South Island staff who were significantly underpaid compared to North Island staff. Administration roles are generally female dominated and her advocacy for better working conditions and pay, directly impacted women across New Zealand. She became the co-convenor of the Women’s Network within the Public Service Association, and advocates for other social issues relevant to women on a national level including the effect of unstable and under-paid employment on women and their ability to live free from dependence or domestic violence.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MORRIS, Mrs Karen Anne
For services to the community
Mrs Karen Morris has led and coordinated the Mainly Music programme in Hamilton from 1997, Taupō from 2005 and Cambridge since 2010.
Mainly Music provides a nationally regarded music and movement, socialisation, learning and development programme for babies and pre-schoolers, as well as building support networks for parents and caregivers. Weekly sessions have been held for up to 60 pre-schoolers and 40 caregivers at a time. Mrs Morris introduced Mainly Music as a new programme in Taupō and Cambridge, building volunteer teams to deliver the programme. She was a Board member and inaugural Trustee of the National Board and New Zealand Trust of Mainly Music from 2000 to 2009. Since 2002 she and her husband Ken have managed the catering for the annual Baptist Youth Ministries Northern Easter Camp, which involves coordinating a team of volunteers to provision four days of meals for up to 5,500 teenagers. She and her husband have managed Festival One’s General Store since 2016, with all profits supporting the running of this non-commercial youth and family-oriented festival, which attracts 6,500 attendees annually. Mr and Mrs Morris manage a team of volunteers and have expanded their efforts to run a real fruit ice cream stall and undertake crew catering for the festival.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MORRIS, Mr Kenneth Michael (Ken)
For services to the community
Mr Ken Morris has been National Treasurer of Boys’ Brigade New Zealand since 2014, serving on the Executive Committee and as a member of the Executive Management Team.
Mr Morris played a key role in guiding Boys’ Brigade through funding challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and has made significant contributions in addressing critical financial situations, complex legal and staffing issues, health and safety requirements and recruitment procedures. He has been Waipā District Council’s Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive. He has voluntarily chaired the Waikato Local Authority Shared Services Insurance Advisory Group and the Shared Valuation Database Service Advisory Group. He has been Treasurer of the Waipā Community Trust since 2010 and held various church and para-church treasurer and governance roles. Since 2002 he and his wife Karen have managed the catering for the annual Baptist Youth Ministries Northern Easter Camp, which involves coordinating a team of volunteers to provision four days of meals for up to 5,500 teenagers. He and his wife have managed Festival One’s General Store since 2016, with all profits supporting the running of this non-commercial youth and family-oriented festival, which attracts 6,500 attendees annually. Mr and Mrs Morris manage a team of volunteers and have expanded their efforts to run a real fruit ice cream stall and undertake crew catering for the festival.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MUAAU, Mr Nanai Pati
For services to Pacific health
Mr Nanai Muaau helped establish and is the Executive Director of Pacific Health Service Hutt Valley (PHSHV), a Pacific health provider in Wellington, established in 1999.
Mr Muaau through PHSHV, provides mobile community health services and social welfare services, to more than 12,000 Pacific community members in the Hutt Valley. He has introduced countless initiatives and projects including Anofale Fa’atupu Ola Pasifika, a programme providing support to young parents and access to childbirth services, ante-natal and post-natal education programmes, to ensure the baby and parents have the best start possible. He established Pasifika Choice Project, an obesity prevention programme, focused on supporting children in the region to develop healthy habits. This led to the establishment of the Pasifika Choice Annual Touch Tournament in 2016, which attracts more than 100 teams. In partnership with local Pacific Churches, he initiated Faith Led, a successful wellbeing service focussing on the seven dimensions of wellbeing and has impacted hundreds of Pacific families. Through PHSHV, he established vaccination centres, testing stations, vaccination festivals for Pacific people and has used radio to disseminate accurate and updated information on COVID-19. Due to his leadership of PHSHV, Pacific people reached 90 percent double vaccinated by December 2021 through both the Hutt Valley District Health Board and the Capital and Coast District Health Board. Mr Muaau is a member and Treasurer of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
MURRELL, Mr Euon Graham, JP
For services to the community
Mr Euon Murrell has been an active volunteer, community worker, advocate and fundraiser in the Wellington Region for almost 50 years.
Mr Murrell’s community service began in the 1960s with the Lower Hutt Samaritans, serving as a committee member for five years. Since 1992 he has been a Justice of the Peace and established a nominated witness programme in Porirua in 2002. As a youth justice advocate, he has been called on to assist young people at all hours if they find themselves without family support when arrested. A Porirua businessman since the 1980s, he has actively sponsored local primary schools and community groups, spearheaded significant fundraising events and mentored local business owners. He joined the Rotary Clubs of Hutt Valley in 1994 and Plimmerton in 2014. He spearheaded Rotary fundraising events, raising more than $50,000 for the Himalayan Trust. He was President of the Wellington District Committee of the Real Estate Institute and was made a Life Member in 2020. A strong advocate for his community, he served as a councillor on the Porirua City Council from 2004 to 2022, including a term as Deputy Mayor. Mr Murrell has served as Chair of the Pātaka Foundation since 2016, helping promote Māori and Pacific artists in the Porirua area.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
NAM, Reverend Woo Taek
For services to the Korean community
Reverend Woo Taek Nam emigrated to New Zealand from Korea and pioneered the Hanouri Church in 1991, where he has been Senior Pastor for 30 years.
The church’s congregation has grown to more than 1,500 members under Reverend Nam’s leadership, now the largest Korean church in New Zealand. Over 20 years he has led the church in providing a range of services, social groups and classes. He initiated a mother and baby programme to support mothers with childcare education and to provide social support to alleviate isolation and mental health issues. These gatherings are attended by more than 80 mothers. He runs a weekly class for senior Koreans, many of whom came to New Zealand late in life, facilitating social engagement with those in similar circumstances. The church provides a transport service for seniors to participate in this group. The church also provides services for couples to work on family and relationship issues. He is involved with educational programmes for Korean children, including English, art, music and physical education. He has helped Korean immigrants settle into New Zealand life and has supported Korean international students with food and helping them obtain work. Reverend Nam supports a range of community organisations including food banks, residential homes and medical residences for seniors, and SHAKTI refuge services for Asian women.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
NANISENI, Mr Lomia Kaipati Semaia
For services to the Tokelau community
Mr Lomia Naniseni is a respected leader amongst the Tokelau community and has been empowering others to embrace their culture, language and traditional practices of Tokelau.
Mr Naniseni is well-known for his handicrafts within the community, particularly his work with the ‘Mother of Pearl’ shell, producing countless earrings, necklaces and head pieces made of ‘Mother of Pearl’. He is recognised for his craftmanship of ‘Pa’, a highly significant emblem in the Tokelauan culture, originally used as a fishing hook, now worn as necklaces by women and often gifted on significant events. His wide array of Tokelauan jewellery is worn across the South Pacific including Fiji, Samoa, and Hawaii. He has crafted brooches and religious shell necklaces for Pastors and Ministers and often has home visits of people wanting to curate jewellery for their private occasions. He does not charge for the work and gifts these pieces to his customers to uphold the significance of the Pa which is regarded as priceless. He practices and teaches fatele, traditional Tokelauan dance and has composed many of his own songs which are still in use today. Mr Naniseni grows hundreds of Gardenias in his garden each year, for the Pacific community to use to make traditional flower garlands for important events and occasions.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
NGAREWA, Mr James Allan (Hemi), JP
For services to the community and education
Matua Hemi Ngarewa (Ngāti Ruanui, Nga Ruahine, Nga Rauru, Pakakohe, Tangahoe) has been Educational Grants officer for Te Runanga o Ngati Ruanui Trust since 2012, a voluntary role in which he supports the provision of educational opportunities to those in need of financial assistance for their learning.
Mr Ngarewa has been Chair of the Board at Patea Primary School, eventually becoming a teacher and Head of the Department of Māori studies. He assumed the voluntary position of Careers Officer and has worked to ensure that Māori children in the community can reach their full potential. He has been Chair of the Trustees of Pariroa Pa since 1994. He has been an iwi liaison officer for Taranaki Police since 2009 and has made himself available 24/7 to assist with tikanga around sensitive cases. He is frequently called upon in his role as a Justice of the Peace and has given 12 years of service assisting members of the judiciary at the Hawera District Court. He is a member of the Executive of the South Taranaki Justice of the Peace Association. He has been a lay minister for the Patea Māori Methodist Church on a voluntary basis since 2000. In 2018 Mr Ngarewa was the recipient of the South Taranaki District Council Citizens Award in recognition of his contributions.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
NICOL, Mr Gavin Russell Alan
For services to veterans
Mr Gavin Nicol has supported Returned and Services Association (RSA) veterans and their families for 40 years.
Mr Nicol is Local and District Support Advisor for the RSA in Whakatane and Opotiki, leading a small group of volunteers helping veterans and their families in need. He and his team deliver presentations across the Bay of Plenty and East Coast to veterans and their families every two to three months. He undertakes personal support for veterans on a one-on-one basis weekly at Whakatane and Opotiki RSAs. He delivers training at the district level for new local support advisors. He has previously supported RSA veterans in Tokoroa, Rotorua and Whanganui. He is recognised domestically for his work and has been sought out for support by veterans residing in the Cook Islands, Samoa and Australia. He is a committee and Life Member of Opotiki RSA and has previously been President. Within the wider community, he has been on the Parish Council of St Johns Church Opotiki, Chairman of Chaplaincy at Whakatane Hospital, and a Cadet Officer for New Zealand Cadet Forces. Mr Nicol has been involved with Lions International’s Youth Camp initiative for 13 years and been President of Rotorua and Opotiki Lions Clubs.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
PARK, Mrs Yong Rahn
For services to the Korean community
Mrs Yong Rahn Park has been active in New Zealand’s Korean community for more than 10 years and has worked on promoting Korean culture to the wider community and assisting Korean families to settle and integrate.
Mrs Park established the Korean Positive Aging Charitable Trust (KPACT) in 2012, which represents the Korean community, especially seniors, in engaging with government agencies and welfare organisations. KPACT was established as a Korean community hub and operates valuable community projects in collaboration with partner agencies empowering Korean residents to participate in local elections, censuses, and events. KPACT also offers educational opportunities for lifelong learning as well as Korean traditional dance and music, and organises initiatives such as local sports, Marae visits and presentations of Māori culture, and visits to location attractions. She led KPACT to make Kimchi, a Korean food staple, and held an event to distribute Kimchi to 100 underprivileged households, as well as holding a workshop on how to make Kimchi. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mrs Park helped provide various support services to the Korean community, including a helpline for Korean migrants, translation of information, helping individuals get vaccinated, provision of emergency food support for isolating individuals and those in need, social outreach for seniors, and English education services including over Zoom during lockdowns.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
RUTLAND, Ms Linda Susan
For services to the community
Ms Linda Rutland has been an active community leader in Christchurch for 25 years, helping the community to recover following the 2011 earthquakes.
Ms Rutland was a member of the Hagley/Ferrymead Community Board from 1998 to 2004 and briefly a Christchurch City Councillor. She held a variety of leadership and liaison roles on the Mount Pleasant Memorial Community Centre and Residents’ Association from 1998 to 2016, helping to establish the first annual Estuary Fest event. She was made a Life Member of the Association in 2020 and still volunteers at its events. Following the Canterbury earthquakes in 2011, she helped promote a sense of social connection by instigating opportunities for the community to come together and by ensuring support and responses were available to residents. She led the establishment of a temporary community facility, assisted with the setup of a famers’ market, organised public meetings for insurance claimants and social gatherings for the elderly and helped rebuild the Mt Pleasant War Memorial Community Centre. She was the inaugural Chair of the Christchurch Coastal Pathway Group, helping to establish a combined walkway and cycleway along the edge of the estuary. Since 2016 Ms Rutland has been involved with the rebuilding of Linwood College Te Aratai, helping it to reconnect with its diverse local community.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SAGALA, Mr Ma'a Brian
For services to Pacific communities
Mr Ma’a Brian Sagala has been a producer and presenter of 531pi with the Pacific Media Network since 2015 and has used his profile to support various causes within Pacific communities.
Mr Sagala has been a facilitator of the South Auckland Community Fono since 2010 and for the Pacific Health Advisory since 2012. He has been facilitator of The Cause Collective since 2016. In this capacity, he has helped host community fono with Pacific church leaders on health and wellbeing issues, and helped convene Pacific practitioners from around New Zealand to discuss family and sexual violence. He has supported fashion and social services industries as a sought-after presenter and master of ceremonies. He was MC of Pasifika Festival from 2011 to 2019 and the Miss Samoa Pageant from 2011 to 2016. He has helped the Northern District Health Board with the Prepare Pacific COVID-19 Campaign to communicate with harder to reach segments of the Pacific population during the pandemic, relaying key messaging to the community. While travelling in the Pacific region for work, Mr Sagala has performed outreach work in local communities in his own time.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SAGAPOLUTELE, Ms Mamaitaloa
For services to education and the Pacific community
Ms Mamaitaloa Sagapolutele has contributed to the Pacific Island community in Christchurch for 20 years, particularly youth.
Ms Sagapolutele was an Early Childhood Education lecturer in 1996, teaching Pacific early childhood teachers to professionalise language nests and had opened a Samoan preschool based at Sydenham Primary School in Christchurch. She was a teacher at Rowley School for more than 20 years, teaching Samoan and was instrumental in the establishment of the school’s first Samoan Bilingual Unit. She also introduced Samoan speech competitions, with her class going onto represent the South Island in several age level competitions. She has set up homework clubs ranging from Year One to Year 13, to create an environment where students can be confident and have fun learning. She has been a member of FAGASA for more than 20 years, holding roles such as Treasurer, Secretary and Administrator and translated education materials into Samoan. Upon retirement, she dedicated her time to the Rowley Resource Centre, offering free ESOL classes for adult learners. She co-established the Vae Tupu’anga Dance and Music Class for all children. Ms Sagapolutele is a current elected member of the Hillmorton High Board of Trustees and has been a representative on the Christchurch Pacific Advisory Board for the Ministry of Education.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SMITH, Mr Ian Rankin, JP
For services to civil defence and the community
Mr Ian Smith has been involved with various community organisations within Te Karaka and the Waikohu area of Tairawhiti, while managing his vineyard and citrus orchard.
Since 2000, Mr Smith has been the Civil Defence Community Link Area Coordinator responsible for 13 communities across a large rural area, including Te Karaka township. As Te Karaka is vulnerable to being isolated in a flood event, he engages with the Emergency Coordination Centre in Gisborne and emergency services to inform decision making and actions during adverse events. He has supported the Gisborne Civil Defence team during multiple heavy rain events, which have impacted the Waikohu and Waiapoa Rivers. He drove the acquisition of two-way radios to ensure communication when telecommunications have been less reliable during flooding events and was instrumental in setting up a shipping container of basic necessities for an evacuation scenario. He volunteers as a radio operator for the Gisborne Coast Guard. He received a Citizen’s Civic Award for Community Service and Leadership from Gisborne District Council in 2006 for his involvement with the Waikohu Civil Defence Organisation. Mr Smith has been a member of Te Karaka Community Health Committee since 2005 and served on the Gisborne Justice of the Peace Board in 2003 and 2011.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
SMITH, Mrs Patricia Isabel
For services to the community
Mrs Patricia Smith has contributed to community organisations in the Wairarapa for more than 30 years.
Mrs Smith is a Life Member of the Harlequin Theatre, was Front of House Manager for more than 30 years and served terms on the executive and as Vice-President. She has been a member of Rotary Carterton for 27 years and was President in 1998 and 1999. She was a member of the Rotary New Zealand-Australia Student Exchange (RANZSE) from 2008 to 2021, helping select students for the exchange and establish matches. She has been on the RANZSE committee and travelled to schools to promote the programme. She was a voluntary driver for the Cancer Society from 1994 until 2021, transporting patients to Wellington or Palmerston North for treatment and providing a meal and ensuring they were comfortable on their return home. She has been a member of the Carterton Plunket, serving as President for a number of years. She was Wairarapa district representative on the New Zealand Plunket Society national committee. Mrs Smith has been a member of the Carterton District Community Trust.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
THOMAS, Mr Donald Bruce (Don)
For services to the community and the legal profession
Mr Don Thomas has had a career as a lawyer since the 1970s and has contributed to various community organisations.
Mr Thomas was on the Auckland District Law Society Council from 1979 to 1985. He has been a member of the New Zealand Society of Notaries Council since 2014. He was an early promoter and adapter of technology in legal practices, including facsimile settlement and the New Zealand document exchange (DX) system. He has volunteered with Avondale and New Lynn Citizens Advice Bureaux since 1974, rostering the fortnightly Legal Clinics and providing legal advice. He was a Governor of Kelston Boys High School from 1978 to 1989 and Trustee of Avondale College from 1981 to 1995. He has been a member of the Avondale Community Sports Stadium and Trust, overseeing the school and community’s use of the facility. He has chaired the management committee of Cox’s Bay Sea Scouts in Auckland and is an active scout leader and boatmaster. He has refereed rugby and touch rugby with the Auckland Rugby Union as a member of the Auckland Referees Association since 1976. Mr Thomas been a blood donor for 60 continuous years.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
TONDI, Mrs Muriel Patricia (Pat)
For services to the Italian community and language education
Mrs Pat Tondi initiated the Amici D’Italia (Friends of Italy) club in Hawke’s Bay in 2004 for people interested in learning and sharing all things Italian and has continued as patron until the present.
Mrs Tondi has sought out regular opportunities to impart knowledge of Italian language and culture. She lived in Naples for 13 years before returning to New Zealand in 1980 and establishing Italian language night classes for adults at Tamatea High School. When funding for community education was removed, she continued conducting lessons from her home and has continued teaching from her home after relocating to Mount Maunganui in 2021. She helped bring the Italian Film Festival to Hawke’s Bay and promoted the festival through various media. She has run Amici D’Italia’s library of Italian films for club members to access and has led two trips by the club to Italy. In 2019 Amici D’Italia worked with local iwi to bring the Italian ambassador to Kohupātiki marae at Clive, commemorating the Māori Battalion’s contribution to the Italian community during World War Two. She has assisted Italian families and individuals visiting New Zealand with translation, legal and immigration issues. Mrs Tondi has helped Italian people settling in New Zealand with job applications and accommodation and has hosted Italian students studying on exchange.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
TWEEDIE, Mrs Mavis Emlen
For services to the community
Mrs Mavis Tweedie has been a hands-on volunteer with church and pipe band organisations in the Hastings community.
Mrs Tweedie is a Life Member and Patron of the Hastings City Pipe Band, now Hawke’s Bay Caledonian. She held several roles on the committee and was Treasurer from 1988 to 2017, solely responsible for the band’s finances during this time, as well as coordinating fundraising. She has supported the catering and planning for band trips to concerts and competitions. She is an elder with St Andrews Presbyterian Church in Hastings and served on the Parish Session and Board of Managers from 1980 to 2015. She has volunteered each week in the kitchens, transporting people to church, producing floral arrangements for weddings and funerals, and managing the accounting and banking of collection funds. She has volunteered as a hospital visitor, helping take patients to church services, and providing floral arrangements for people in rest homes. Mrs Tweedie has organised collectors for fundraising appeals for various causes, including for Presbyterian Support and The Parkinson’s Society.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
WATKINS, Mr Kevin Victor
For services to the community and New Zealand-China relations
Mr Kevin Watkins has been contributing to the Hastings and Hawke’s Bay community for several decades.
Mr Watkins has been building floats for the annual Hastings Blossom Parade and Christmas Parade since 1957, having built 46 floats over the years. He built the Hastings Father Christmas float for the city in 2000, which consists of several life-sized reindeer, a sleigh and a live Santa, ensuring there is lollies for the children and enough fuel for the float to be driven around the whole city. He has been a Hastings District Councillor since 2001, continuing to contribute to the diverse community, including creating the Chinese Lantern Festival, which attracts 15,000 people annually. He has been a key driver of the Sister-City friendship between Hastings and Guilin, China, and created the 2015 and 2017 Amazing China Face Races, connecting Hastings secondary school students with their Chinese counterparts across 23 Chinese provinces. He presented an opening address to international invitees at China’s Hen Shui High School opening in 2018 and created the ‘Year of Tourism’, which launched at the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing in 2019. Mr Watkins was awarded The Ambassador of Friendship of Shandon Province for his efforts.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
WHITTAKER, Ms Helen
For services to art and the community
Ms Helen Whittaker has been a dedicated volunteer with the Hundertwasser Arts Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery in Whangārei for five years.
Ms Whittaker created a Hundertwasser inspired wooden chair that she donated to the organisation as a fundraiser, which led to her involvement in the project. Together with her husband, she began fundraising efforts to help the Whangārei and Northland community, beginning with co-ordinating the raising of $22.5 million for the building of the Hundertwasser Art Centre and painting a 200-metre mural along the front fence of the Whangārei Primary School. She painted 50 recycled lawn bowls with intricate Hundertwasser style patterns to be used as gifts. She raised more than $500,000 to restore Hundertwasser’s former 1,000-acre property in the Bay of Islands, with restoration now underway. With a background in law, she has helped several organisations with fundraising efforts and legal advice, including the Wairau Māori Art Gallery and other community projects. Ms Whittaker has been helping with fine-detail work in setting up the Hundertwasser art exhibition in the newly opened Hundertwasser Art Centre.
The Queen’s Service Medal:
YOUNG, Mr Robin
For services to the community
Mr Robin Young has been a member of Mangere Rotary Club since 1979 and was President from 1986 to 1987, 2006 to 2007, and 2017 to 2018.
Mr Young owns a petrol station in Mangere where he sells firewood for Rotary with 100 percent of the proceeds going back into the community, selling more than $100,000 worth of firewood since 2005. Through his fundraising and involvement in Rotary projects, he has supported Starship Hospital Burns Unit, Cure Kids, local schools, Women’s Refuge, Riding for the Disabled and Mangere Budgeting Service among other community causes. He supports the Mangere Historical Society, providing promotion for the Society and a platform to sell their books via his store. He has supported Mangere Bridge Volunteer Community Patrol with maintenance and petrol for the patrol vehicle. He helped instigate the Mangere Bridge combined Probus club, where he has organised a number of outings and events. Mr Young served on the Mangere local community board from 1998 to 2001.
Honorary Queen’s Service Medal:
KIRIFI-ALAI, Mrs Tofilau Nina
For services to education and the Pacific community
Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai has been advocating for the advancement of Pacific developments in New Zealand and the Pacific region for several years.
Mrs Kirifi-Alai was the Pacific Manager of the University of Otago for more than 20 years, focusing on engagement and success of Pacific students, exploring the spaces where there are gaps in services to support the students and staff. She is involved in supporting any community ethnic event, celebrations, and fundraising campaigns. She helped establish a homework programme through a Samoan Church community in Auckland, which allowed for support in different subject areas including math, art, science and technology. As Manager of External Engagements for the University of Otago, she has led developments for the University of Otago to support Pacific tertiary institutions in the region and assisted the setup of scholarships for staff from universities in Samoa and Fiji to undertake professional developments at the University. These have resulted in many staff obtaining their Masters and Doctoral degrees, contributing to the enhancement of tertiary education in the Pacific region. Mrs Kirifi-Alai hosts the Samoan Programme on the National Pacific Media Network radio after-hours and was Chair of the Association of Pasefika Staff in Tertiary Education from 2020 to 2022.
Honorary Queen’s Service Medal:
LAFAELE, Tuifa'asisina Kasileta Maria
For services to Pacific health
Tuifa’asisina Maria Lafaele’s background in health and Pacific governance roles has helped her promote and shape vaccination outcomes within Auckland’s Pacific community.
Ms Lafaele works with the Auckland and Waitemata District Health Boards as a Project Manager for planning, funding and outcomes. She has been the Pacific Careers Consultant for the University of Auckland. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was a voice and leader for the Pacific health response in New Zealand. She led operational, policy and service delivery problem-solving for the Pacific vaccination programme. She disseminated messaging on the virus and health guidelines through Pacific-led podcasts and radio stations, helping Pacific communities remain well informed with reliable information. She is recognised as a trusted advisor to church and faith leaders, health experts, Pacific health providers, community and youth groups, which helped to leverage partnerships and promote community capacity building. Her work in the Pacific vaccination programme helped ensure accessibility for vulnerable and vaccine-hesitant communities, designing an outreach that was culturally appropriate, accessible and dignified, accounting for the experiences and realities of Pacific communities. Ms Lafaele is now Interim-Director of the National Office of the Pacific Health Director, championing pathways for Pasifika and for Pacific women representation at top strategic levels.
Honorary Queen’s Service Medal:
VUCAGO, Mrs Nemai Divuluki
For services to Fijian and Pacific communities
Mrs Nemai Vucago has been a producer and presenter of the Radio 531pi Fijian Language Programme since 2003 and has supported Fijian and Pacific communities in Auckland.
Mrs Vucago has been an Executive Board Member for the Auckland Fiji Community since 1991. She has been Secretary for the Fijian Methodist Church Tovata Confederacy and Manurewa Bible Group since 2010, as well as Secretary for the New Zealand Fijian Advisory Council since 2019. She has been the Pasefika Festival Fiji Village Stage Manager and MC since 2011. Since 2020, she has been one of the Fijian representative committee members on the Pacific Leadership Forum. She has been a Committee Member for Fijian Language Week in Auckland since 2008. She volunteered with Treaty Times Thirty, overseeing the translation of Te Tiriti O Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi into Fijian, as part of the project to translate the Treaty into 30 Pacific languages. She has been a Fijian translator, interpreter and presenter for community messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mrs Vucago was Board Chairperson for Glenbrae Primary School in Auckland from 2001 to 2004.
Honorary Queen’s Service Medal:
YUN, Mrs Kyo Jin (Kyojin)
For services to the Korean community
Mrs Kyojin Yun is involved with supporting the Korean community in Christchurch on a voluntary basis for more than 15 years.
Mrs Yun was President of the Christchurch Korean Society from 2011 to 2015 and again from 2019 to 2021, having been a member for more than 15 years and Cultural Event Manager from 2009 to 2011. Through the Korean Society she has been involved with the staging of the Korean Day culture festival, SarangBang elder care programme, recovery support following the 2011 earthquake, and as an advisor and teacher since 2015 at the Christchurch Korean School, which delivers language, dance and cultural education for young Korean New Zealanders. She has been a member of the Christchurch and SongpaGu Sister City Committee. She has delivered seminars to help Koreans settle in New Zealand, covering immigration, business, education, career pathways and health and safety. She has helped support the Christchurch Korean War Veterans Community. Mrs Yun is well regarded for her engagement with leaders from other ethnic communities in Christchurch, as well as building working relationships with individuals at all levels within the Korean community.