To be a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CHAPMAN, Mrs Julie Clare
For services to children and the community
Mrs Julie Chapman has contributed services to the community for more than 20 years.
Mrs Chapman founded the KidsCan Charitable Trust in 2005, which works to support the education of New Zealand children living in poverty by helping them meet their physical and nutritional needs. The Trust currently provides food, clothing, and health item support for more than 60,000 children per annum in 1,100 schools and early childhood centres. She is responsible for the leadership and co-ordination of the Trust’s activities, key partnerships, government relationships and strategy. In 2009, she helped arrange the first New Zealand Telethon in 15 years, raising $1.9 million which enabled the KidsCan Trust to almost double its support to schools. She has worked for other charities including Women’s Refuge, The First Tee, Victim Support and Westpac Rescue Helicopter. She founded Pet Refuge New Zealand in 2017, a charity which provides temporary shelter for family pets affected by domestic violence at its purpose-built shelter. Pet Refuge New Zealand partners with Women’s Refuge and the New Zealand Police caring for family pets until victims of violence find a safe place to live and can be reunited with their pets. Mrs Chapman has been a Trustee of Pet Refuge since establishment.
To be a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
COLLINS, Mrs Nea Ingrid (Ingrid), MNZM
For services to Māori, business and health governance
Mrs Ingrid Collins (Ngāti Porou) has contributed 50 years of governance to Whangara B5 Incorporation and was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007 for her services to Māori.
Mrs Collins has been Chair of the Whangara Farms partnership since inception in 2006. It is regarded as an exemplar of best practice, sustainability and innovation for Māori land development. She has represented Māori land matters in international forums, including the United Nations Indigenous Forum, and through Whangara being the first New Zealand beef farm to join McDonald’s flagship farmers’ scheme in 2018. She was a member of the AgResearch Māori Advisory Committee from 2013 to 2019 and was appointed to the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee from 2013 to 2015. She has also had a career in health governance across a range of roles, including as Chief Executive and owner of Three Rivers Medical from 2005 to 2022, and nine years as Chair of Tairawhiti District Health Board until 2011. She is presently a Trustee of Tairawhiti Whenua Charitable Trust, Matai Medical Research Institute, Ngā Taonga ā Ngā Tama Toa Trust since 2008, and has been a Trustee of Chelsea Private Hospital since 1999. Mrs Collins was a Trustee from 2014 for the building and opening of 28 Māori Battalion C Company Memorial Trust House.
HONOURS
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, New Year 2008
To be a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
KO, Ms Bogyung (Lydia), MNZM
For services to golf
Ms Lydia Ko is New Zealand’s most successful golfer with 30 professional victories, including having won three major championships, 22 LPGA tournaments, and three Olympic medals in her golfing career.
Ms Ko won her first gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, her third Olympic medal in women’s golf. With her bronze medal from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and silver medal from the Rio 2016 Olympics, she attained the complete set of Olympic medals, becoming the first golfer in the modern era to achieve all three medals at three different Olympic Games. Her victory qualified her for the LPGA Hall of Fame, the 35th and youngest inductee at age 27. She was the youngest person ever to win a professional golf tour event and youngest person ever to win an LPGA Tour event. Following several wins on the LPGA Tour in 2015, she became the youngest player ever to be ranked No. 1 in professional golf and was named Halberg Sportswoman of the Year. In 2022 she won three LPGA tournaments, including the CME Group Tour Championship, which saw her win the season's money title, Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average and was awarded the 2022 LPGA Player of the Year. In 2024 she won the AIG Women's Open at St Andrews, her third major championship and the Kroger Queen City Championship. Ms Ko was a player director on the LPGA Board in 2022.
HONOURS
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, New Year 2019