To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
ASTILL, Mrs Denise Katherine
For services to the prevention of foetal anticonvulsant syndromes
Mrs Denise Astill founded in 2015 and is CEO of Foetal Anti-Convulsant Syndrome New Zealand (FACSNZ), a not-for-profit organisation that provides support, awareness and prevention services for foetal anticonvulsant syndromes.
In 2016, Mrs Astill helped ACC develop the ACC FACS Prevention Team, which has since circulated prevention booklets for healthcare professionals and consumers. Her role at FACSNZ, which she has undertaken since 2015 in a voluntary capacity, involves attending educational sessions at schools and support groups, arranging conferences, speaking at medical events and attending ACC reviews. She organised the first Australasian FACS conference in 2019 with international speakers. She successfully advocated for warning labels for those pregnant on Epilim boxes in 2017. Working with government agencies and non-government agencies, she has promoted education for the prevention of foetal anticonvulsant syndromes. In 2019 she presented to the World Health Organisation the risks associated with the use of anti-seizure medications in women and girls, which resulted in Fetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder (FVSD) being placed on the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. She has published several articles including co-authoring ‘If it is not safe, it is not care’ (2023) and attended the fifth Global Ministerial Summit in Geneva. Mrs Astill has been a member of Te Whatu Ora’s Whanau Feedback and Engagement Advisory Group since 2024.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
BAGRIE, Mr Carlos Edward James
For services to the food and rural industries
Mr Carlos Bagrie is an entrepreneur and co-founder of My Food Bag, established in 2013, a New Zealand-based food kit delivery service supporting home cooking, and in 2019, he co-founded Royalburn Station, a regenerative paddock-to-plate farm that is committed to ethical and sustainable farming practices.
Royalburn Station focuses on restoring the land, supporting biodiversity, and ensuring the wellbeing of animals. Under Mr Bagrie’s leadership, Royalburn Station won a New Zealand Food Award for its premium lamb, which is supplied to restaurants across the country. Along with his wife Nadia Lim, he starred in three seasons of the television series ‘Nadia’s Farm’ (2022), showcasing the challenges and successes of rural farming on Royalburn Station. He is known for his innovative approach to minimising waste and creating value from excess produce. This includes his collaboration with Garage Project to develop ‘Swifty’, a nationwide beer made from surplus barley. He is currently pioneering McKibbon’s of Royalburn, a retail venture that blends high-quality, ethically farmed produce with a unique supermarket experience. He received the 2024 Nuffield Farming Scholarship and spent six months travelling the world, studying innovative agricultural systems and exploring how New Zealand exporters can position themselves for success in global markets. Through his ventures, Mr Bagrie has been committed to sustainability, ethical farming practices, and creating exceptional consumer experiences.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
BOSWELL, Major General John Raymond, DSD, (Rtd.)
For services to the New Zealand Defence Force
Major General John Boswell joined the New Zealand Army in 1984 as an Infantry Officer and has had a distinguished career with the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) until his retirement in June 2024.
Major General Boswell has had postings to the First and Second Infantry Battalion, including as the Commanding Officer of the 2nd/1st Battalion, and has been deployed on numerous operational missions, including deployments with the United Nations to Angola, the Middle East and Timor-Leste, and as Commander of New Zealand’s Provincial Reconstruction Team to Afghanistan. He served as the Chief of Army between 2018 and 2024, instrumental in shaping the strategic direction, enhancing operational readiness and ensuring the Army is equipped to meet evolving future challenges. Under his leadership, the Army responded to numerous domestic and international crises such as natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies, championed initiatives to modernise equipment and infrastructure, and strengthened partnerships and cooperations with allied nations and international organisations. He is an advocate for The Networked Enabled Army and has worked tirelessly for the welfare and wellbeing of Army personnel. Major General Boswell was the Assistant Chief of Strategic Commitments between 2016 and 2018, leading the NZDF strategy on both domestic and international engagements, and served as the Land Component Commander in 2018.
HONOURS
New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration, New Year 2012
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CAMPBELL, Mr Robert James William (Robin)
For services to farming and governance
Mr Robin Campbell has provided more than 40 years of service to his community through farming and governance.
Mr Campbell was founding Chair of the Sheep Council which established the Focus Farm programme, monitoring and lifting sheep productivity using new technologies. In 1996 he served as inaugural Chair of the Sheep Research Foundation, where representatives from agricultural research, meat and wool industries took responsibility for prioritising the industries’ research needs. As Chair he created a united voice upholding the industries’ case for research funding. He was a Board member of AgResearch, serving two terms, and was a founding Director of Ovita which managed funding to increase New Zealand’s sheep production using genomic technologies. He was a founding Director of Sheep Improvement Limited, the national animal performance recording programme. In 2000 he was voted Agriculture Communicator of the Year. He was Chair of Presbyterian Support Southland for nine years and served as National Chair, earning an Extra Mile Award for his contributions. He served 40 years as a Justice of the Peace. Mr Campbell has served as Chair of several other organisations including Venture Southland, Presbyterian Retirement Villages Limited, Waituna Partners wetland restoration project, and the Community Trust of Southland in 2012.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CHRISTOPHERS, Mrs Marguerite Diane
For services to Para sports
Mrs Marguerite Christophers has dedicated more than 25 years to people with disabilities and Para sport, retiring in 2024.
Mrs Christophers has been the Classification Manager for Paralympics New Zealand since 2009, responsible for the development and implementation of a world leading national classification programme. She shaped and improved classification for athletes with disabilities, helped national sport organisations understand the needs and requirements of classification, trained classifiers and upskilled athletes and coaches. She worked for the Halberg Trust from 2000 until 2012, where she delivered sport opportunities for children with disabilities. During this time, she helped establish and lead the New Zealand Secondary Schools Athletic Classification Programme for young athletes competing at New Zealand Secondary School Athletic Championships. She trained as a Cerebral Palsy, Para cycling and Para triathlon classifier and served as the Head of Classification for World Triathlon from 2010 to 2018, developing a classification system to enable Para triathlon to be included at the Paralympic Games in 2016. In 2023, Mrs Christophers was one of four inaugural recipients of the International Paralympic Committee Classification Recognition Award for her contribution to the growth and development of classification within the Paralympic Movement.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CLEAVE, Dr Peter John
For services to Māori language education
Dr Peter Cleave has been involved with retention and development of Te Reo Māori since the 1970s, holding numerous teaching roles at all levels.
Dr Cleave has written books and co-written dictionaries for teaching Te Reo Māori, including early work collaborating on Māori mathematics in the late 1970s. He was instrumental in driving approval of the first Masters in Māori programme at the University of Waikato in 1975. He taught Te Reo at secondary schools in the 1990s and led a team focused on pre-school education for Māori and Pacific children from 2000 to 2006. He has published academically since 1972 in sociolinguistics and other sociological topics. His professional and academic reputation has made him a leading choice of marker for doctorates and masters in social anthropology, Māori studies and areas such as ethnography and linguistics. He has been broadcasting bilingually or exclusively in Te Reo since 2000 for Kia Ora FM and hosts the solo weekly show ‘Te Ao Whanui’. He wrote the book ‘Iwi Station’ about the development of Māori radio. Dr Cleave has contributed to Rangitaane o Manawatu iwi for more than 20 years in various capacities, from broadcasting to early childhood support, as iwi representative on the Manawatu Community Law Board and the Manawatu People’s Radio Board of Trustees.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
FARRELLY, Professor Trisia Angela
For services to ecology
Professor Trisia Farrelly has developed a strong national and international reputation in the field of political and environmental ecology, particularly plastic pollution.
Professor Farrelly has made a significant contribution towards exposing the social, economic and ecological costs of plastic pollution. She is a leading independent scientific voice in New Zealand amongst international agencies influencing international conventions, regulations and policies regarding the health, biodiversity, socio-economic and climate impacts of plastic pollution. In her multiple roles including as Coordinator of a 400-strong international body of independent plastics scientists and as member of the United Nations Scientific Advisory Committee for Plastics, she has had a leading role informing the future governance of the full life cycle plastics in New Zealand and internationally. Her research has informed Pacific Islands policy and the United Nations Environment global plastic treaty process. Professor Farrelly co-founded the Aotearoa Plastic Pollution Alliance and the New Zealand Product Stewardship Council.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
FERGUSON, Dr Catherine Mary
For services to otolaryngology
Dr Catherine Ferguson worked as an otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat) surgeon in Wellington for more than 30 years.
Dr Ferguson was a pioneer female surgeon of otolaryngology in New Zealand and has contributed significantly to the development of otolaryngology training in New Zealand and Australia. She has held several roles with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) since 1997, including Vice President in 2018. She was the first female Chair of the Aotearoa New Zealand National Committee of RACS in 2006 and chaired several committees of the RACS Council. She is New Zealand Deputy Chair of the Court of Examiners for RACS. She joined the RACS Expert Advisory Group in 2015 to investigate and advise on issues of discrimination, bullying and sexual harassment, resulting in adoption of the 2022 Building Respect and Improving Patient Safety Action Plan. She was pivotal figure in the development of the “Operate with Respect” face-to-face course and is a key facilitator. She has received several awards, including the RACS Colin McRae Medal in 2023, recognising an outstanding contribution to the art and science of surgery and surgical leadership in New Zealand. Dr Ferguson is a member of the New Zealand Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and was President from 2009 to 2010 and 2022 to 2023.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
HUATA, Ms Heke-Turoa Ropine
For services to Māori and education
Ms Heke-Turoa Huata (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa ki Heretaunga, Ngāti Porou) was a foundational member of Te Waka Tapu o Takitimu in 1983, now Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu, and has had roles as a tutor, administrator, national and international tour manager and performer.
Ms Huata established Te Kōhanga Reo (TKR) o Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu in 1991, which has been a high performing flagship model nationally. With 33 years’ involvement, she has been a long serving national and regional manager for Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust and was instrumental in establishing the first teaching certification at degree level for TKR on a national scale. She established Te Kura Kaupapa Māori (TKKM) o Te Wānanga Whare Tapere o Takitimu in 1995, the first TKKM in Hastings, Napier and Te Wairoa, which has expanded to offer a secondary schooling option. She served on Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board from 1996 to 2006. She was a Matauranga Board member of Ngāti Kahungunu iwi incorporated from 2001 to 2012. She was a Trustee of Hukarere Māori Girls College from 2003 to 2021 and President of the Hukarere Old Girls’ Association from 2003 to 2010. Ms Huata was a member of the Eastern Institute of Technology Hawke’s Bay Māori Strategic Advisory Committee from 2014 to 2021 and a Waipatu Marae committee member since 2017.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
IHAKA, Mr Albert Puhirake (Puhirake)
For services to Māori and governance
Mr Puhirake Ihaka (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa) is a long-standing leader of Ngāi te Rangi iwi, Ngāti Tapu hapu, and Waikari Marae.
As Chair of his hapu, Mr Ihaka has represented Ngāti Tapu on Te Rūnanga o Ngāi te Rangi Iwi Trust for 24 years. He undertook extensive research in the preparation of the Ngāi te Rangi Waitangi Tribunal Treaty claims and provided leadership throughout the negotiations process. He was appointed to the Ngāi te Rangi Settlement Trust and the Ngāi te Rangi Fisheries Trust, managing post-treaty settlement resources for the iwi. He is a foundation member of the Tauranga City Council Tangata Whenua Collective and has served as the independent Chair for 12 years. He was instrumental in the establishment of Te Pou Takawaenga, Tauranga City Council’s Māori Relationship Unit. He facilitated the development of partnership policies such as the Strategic Property Acquisitions and Disposal Policy and the establishment of a Māori Ward. Mr Ihaka is co-Chair of Otamataha Trust, a Director of Te Kawai Taumata National Fisheries Appointment Board, past Director of the National Iwi Collective Partnership representing Ngāi Te Rangi Fisheries AHC Ltd., and a member of the Elms Foundation Board of Trustees.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
JHUNJHNUWALA, Mr Sudesh Kumar
For services to the hospitality industry and philanthropy
Mr Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala founded Sudima Hotels in New Zealand, opening the first hotel in Christchurch in 2000.
Under Mr Jhunjhnuwala’s leadership, the chain has grown to eight hotels, along with restaurants and spas, employing around 700 staff and increasing revenue by nearly $50 million from 2010 to 2023. A leader in sustainable and accessible hospitality, Sudima Hotels was the first in New Zealand to achieve the Toitū net carbon-zero certification and joined the Accessibility Tick initiative in 2019 as a foundation member organisation. The company also supports local suppliers using regenerative practices. He is committed to philanthropy, contributing to charities including Invictus New Zealand, NZSAS Trust, StarJam, Be.Accessible, Big Buddy, and Make-A-Wish. Through a partnership with the Ngāti Whakaue Education Endowment Trust Board, he has provided hospitality scholarships for Māori students since 2014. His philanthropic support extends to Counties Manukau Women’s rugby with education grants and clubroom refurbishment. Recognised with Diversity Works’ “Walk the Talk” award in 2018, Sudima Hotels has won numerous accolades for sustainability and employment, including the Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award in 2019. Mr. Jhunjhnuwala’s work reflects his dedication to social responsibility, diversity, and sustainable growth.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
LAMERTON, Mrs Prudence Elizabeth (Prue)
For services to nuclear medicine
Mrs Prue Lamerton has been at the leading edge of advances in the nuclear medicine environment in New Zealand for more than four decades.
In 2002 Mrs Lamerton collaborated on the first delivery in New Zealand of selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) to treat liver tumours, later being recognised by the American Society of Nuclear Medicine in 2005 for her joint publication. She was involved in the implementation of New Zealand’s first PET/CT scanner in 2006, building a relationship with an imaging company and radiopharmaceutical supplier, and convincing stakeholders of the benefits of the scans. In 2009 after relocating to Hawke’s Bay, she worked to improve access for patients to nuclear medicine imaging, advocating for the then District Health Board to establish a new scanner in 2016. In 2021 she undertook the first PSMA scan for prostate cancer, a procedure previously unavailable regionally. She served on the New Zealand Medical Radiation Technologists Board for 11 years. She was actively involved nationally and internationally with the Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine (ANZSNM) for more than 20 years. Mrs Lamerton received the ANZSNM Dr Elizabeth Bailey Lecture Award in 2022 and has dedicated two years to establishing a Molecular Imaging and Therapy Centre in Hawke’s Bay to save patients travelling outside of the region.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
LIM, Ms Nadia Rui-Chi
For services to the food industry
Ms Nadia Lim won MasterChef New Zealand in 2011 and has since contributed nationally as a chef and through business.
Ms Lim has published 12 cookbooks since 2012, including the best-selling ‘Nadia Lim’s Good Food Cookbook’ (2013) which was runner-up at the 2014 International Gourmand Cookbook of the Year awards and ‘Vegful’ (2019) which was runner-up for the Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the World in 2019. In 2013 she co-founded My Food Bag, a New Zealand-based food kit delivery service supporting home cooking. Her show ‘New Zealand with Nadia Lim’, launched in 2014 and reached more than 130 million people globally. During the COVID-19 pandemic she launched ‘Nadia’s Comfort Kitchen’, which focused on cooking during the New Zealand lockdown. Subsequently, she published the show’s recipes into a cookbook of the same title, which raised more than $400,000 for Youthline and Women’s Refuge. She has been a judge of MasterChef New Zealand and My Kitchen Rules New Zealand. She has partnered with several notable New Zealand charities, including Diabetes New Zealand, the Cancer Society, The Blind Foundation, Garden to Table, and Cambodia Charitable Trust. Ms Lim, with her husband Carlos Bagrie have starred in the television series ‘Nadia’s Farm’ (2022), showcasing the challenges and successes of food production on their farm Royalburn Station.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MCILWRAITH, Professor Cyril Wayne (Wayne)
For services to veterinary medicine and the equine industry
Professor Wayne McIlwraith is considered a globally renowned veterinary scholar and practitioner, particularly in equine veterinary surgery and joint disease.
Professor McIlwraith has held multiple roles at Colorado State University in the United States since 1979, conducting cutting-edge research on equine and human joint disease. He pioneered the use of arthroscopic surgery in veterinary medicine, with the technique now being utilised worldwide. He founded the Gail Holmes Orthopaedic Research Center, researching early diagnosis and new treatments for osteoarthritis, and created the C. Wayne McIlwraith Translational Medicine Institute to translate this research into treatments for both animals and humans. He has authored seven textbooks, more than 500 scientific publications and textbook chapters, and delivered more than 700 presentations, seminars and workshops internationally. He has received numerous awards, including being inducted into the International Equine Research Hall of Fame, and has received five honorary doctorates from international universities. He is a Life Member of the New Zealand Equine Veterinary Association. He has retained strong links to New Zealand including as a Visiting Fellow and Adjunct Professor at Massey University’s Veterinary School. Professor McIlwraith has supported the Equine Partnership for Excellence and remains a Trustee of its associated Equine Trust, which works to improve the performance of New Zealand horses and the New Zealand equine industry.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
METCALFE, Mr Matthew Christian
For services to the film industry
Mr Matthew Metcalfe is a leading film producer who over two decades has championed stories of New Zealand people and culture, particularly projects for the Māori and Pacific Island population.
Mr Metcalfe has made more official New Zealand co-productions than any other New Zealand producer, including working with Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Australia, furthering New Zealand’s cultural and business interests internationally. He was instrumental in bringing Ingenious Media, Universal Pictures, XYZ Films and AMC Network’s Shudder into the New Zealand market. His production credits include films and documentaries on iconic New Zealanders, such as ‘Beyond the Edge 3D’ on Sir Edmund Hillary, ‘McLaren’ on Bruce McLaren, ‘Born Racer’ on Scott Dixon and ‘Whina’ on Dame Whina Cooper. Many of the films he has produced have reached global audiences and screened at film festivals such as the Toronto and Sundance Film Festivals. He produced ‘The Dead Lands’, the first action film entirely spoken in te reo Māori, and the follow up television show broadcast in the United States. He produced the 2021 film ‘Dawn Raid’ on the New Zealand/Polynesian record label and the animated feature ‘25 April’ about the Gallipoli landing. Mr Metcalfe has helped directors such as Toa Fraser and Leanne Pooley build their careers and has been a member of several film industry committees.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MURRAY, Mrs Lee Wei-Hahn
For services to literature, particularly speculative literature
Mrs Lee Murray is an independent writer of science fiction, fantasy and horror (speculative fiction collectively), producing works for adults and children with a particular New Zealand focus.
Mrs Murray has written and curated nearly 40 titles since 2007, earning more than 25 national and international awards. Notably, she has received five international Bram Stoker Awards and is the only New Zealander to receive the Shirley Jackson Award for psychological horror. She is a Life Member of Speculative Fiction Writers of New Zealand, and of Tauranga Writers, where she convened the group’s professional development programme from 2018 to 2020. She co-founded and co-facilitated Young New Zealand Writers, a not-for-profit which provided development and publishing opportunities for Year 7 to 13 students from 2012 to 2022, convening two annual writing competitions and curating seven of the organisation’s 16 anthologies. She co-established the Wright-Murray Residency for Speculative Fiction, which ran in 2019 and 2020 before the death of sponsor Chloe Wright. As a volunteer curator-editor, she has championed nine national anthologies to develop emerging writers. As a mentor, Mrs Murray has supported more than 100 writers, including for the international Horror Writers Association, holding several roles since 2016, including co-founding and co-chairing the Wellness Committee, which focuses on improving horror literature portrayals of mental health to reduce stigma and increase understanding.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
NEWLAND, Mr Oliver Michael (Olly)
For services to real estate and the community
Mr Olly Newland was involved in the New Zealand real estate industry from the 1960s until recent years.
Over this period, Mr Newland provided pro bono real estate and financial advice through television, radio, and in person. His early career included providing rent-to-buy homes for people struggling to obtain bank loans. In 1981, he established Landmark Corporation, one of the earliest property investment companies allowing shareholders to obtain direct benefits from commercial property. He authored six books on real estate between 1978 and 2007. He conducted a thorough investigation into the collapse of the BlueChip investments scheme in 2008 and offered advice to investors who had lost their life savings. He was Chairman for many years of the Auckland Jewish Aged Homes Trust Board, which oversaw the major rebuilding of Shalom Court, a rest home and hospital. He was an Auckland City Councillor from 1979 to 1982, serving on the Property and Art Gallery committees. He was a Justice of the Peace for 34 years and has had involvement with Auckland Grammar School as an Old Boy. In 1980, Mr Newland helped found the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra after the collapse of the Auckland Symphonia, and was inaugural President.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
PANAPA, Mrs Christine Rewa, MNZM
For services to Māori
Mrs Christine Panapa (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Tahu, Ngāti Whaoa, Ngāti Pikiao) was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 for her services to sport and Māori.
Mrs Panapa has been a committee member since 1971 and Chairperson since 2000 of Te Mahurehure Cultural Marae Society Inc. Since 2018 she has continued to support Māori housing, economic development and education as a director of Te Kainga Atawhai, a subsidiary of Te Mahurehure Marae. Te Kainga Atawhai has completed a number of capital works projects, including Te Taumata O Kupe complex opened at Te Mahurehure Marae in 2023, dedicated to research and teaching of Māori navigational and exploration traditions. Te Taumata O Kupe won the supreme and best in category awards at the Designers Institute of New Zealand’s annual Best Design Awards. Mrs Panapa helped steer the project to completion over four years through the COVID-19 pandemic and other fiscal and supply chain challenges. She also helped Te Kainga Atawhai complete a 14-unit housing complex at the marae in partnership with Kainga Ora and Te Puni Kōkiri. She was previously President of New Zealand Women’s Rugby League from 1994 to 2013 and Chairperson of Kiwi Ferns Rugby League from 1994 to 2016. Mrs Panapa was Tāmaki Makaurau Treasurer for the Labour Party from 2010 to 2021.
HONOURS
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, New Year 2018
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
PARAI, Dr Te Taku (Taku)
For services to Māori, governance and the community
Dr Taku Parai (Ngāti Toa, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Tama) is a Ngāti Toa kaumatua who has contributed to the Porirua community for more than 50 years, including as mana whenua representative to Porirua City Council since 1999.
Dr Parai has held numerous roles for his iwi, chairing the Ngāti Toa Kaunihera Kaumatua and contributing to preservation of histories and genealogies, wananga waka and wananga reo. He chaired the Board of Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira for six years, overseeing the Treaty settlement and the immediate post-settlement period. He chaired Porirua Council’s Treaty Partnership Group from 2002 to 2010 and has been Council Kaumatua since 2011. He has presided over hundreds of cultural occasions, including blessing the pou and city centre in 2019 when it was renamed Te Manawa as a gift from Ngāti Toa. He has provided leadership on the Te Awarua-o-Porirua Harbour and Catchment Joint Committee since 2013, implementing the Porirua Harbour and Catchment Strategy and Action Plan. He has regularly organised pōwhiri and Māori culture teaching sessions for Council staff and people newly resident in the Porirua area. He has been an advisor and kaumatua for Tu Ora Compass Health for more than 20 years. Dr Parai has held various advisory and committee roles with local organisations including Women's Refuge, Porirua RSA, the Royal New Zealand Police College, sports clubs and various primary and secondary schools.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
PROCTOR, Rear Admiral David Colin, RNZN (Rtd.)
For services to the New Zealand Defence Force
Rear Admiral David Proctor (Ngāti Koroki Kahukura) has been a member of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) since 1987 and was the first Maritime Logistics Officer to be appointed as the Chief of Navy in 2018, retiring in 2024.
Early in his career, Rear Admiral Proctor held a variety of positions in New Zealand ships and in establishments ashore. He deployed operationally to the Solomon Islands, and as the Chief of Logistics, United Nations Mission in support of East Timor. He was the Commander and New Zealand Senior National Officer in Timor-Leste leading the New Zealand Defence Force drawdown on conclusion of operations. He has held numerous senior logistics roles in New Zealand and represented New Zealand overseas in training and leadership roles on numerous occasions. At the Strategic leadership level, he served as the Commander Logistics, Chief of Defence Strategy and Governance, Deputy Commander Joint Operations and Acting Vice Chief of Defence Force. As Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Proctor led the Royal New Zealand Navy following the Whakaari Island eruption, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cyclone Gabrielle Response and other significant maritime and defence events.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
ROBUST, Dr Te Tuhi
For services to Māori and education
Dr Te Tuhi Robust (Ngāpuhi Nui Tonu, Ngāti Porou) has been involved in the education sector for more than 30 years, specialising in Māori education and indigenous studies, and retired as Associate Professor Tai Tokerau at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in 2019.
Dr Robust has had a long involvement in the establishment, audit and review of kaupapa Māori education services from pre-school to tertiary level. Through Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, the Māori Centre of Research Excellence, he had a vital role in bridging cultural gaps within tertiary institutions to create supportive environments for Māori scholars and students. He collaborated with institutions such as the University of British Columbia to share knowledge and experiences on indigenous education internationally. He has been actively involved in governance and management, contributing as a director, general manager, trustee and chair for 14 private and iwi trusts in Auckland and Northland, covering education, health, land, forestry, papakāinga and community development. As Chairperson of Te Parahirahi Ngāwha Waiariki Trust, he provided leadership for the refurbishment of the Te Waiariki Ngāwha Springs complex, ensuring preservation of this culturally significant site. Dr Robust is currently a research historian for the 28th Māori Battalion Association (A Company) and represents them on the Ngarimu Scholarship Fund Board.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SHAW, Mr Anthony John (Tony)
For services to people with intellectual disabilities and the community
Mr Tony Shaw has held a range of leadership roles within IHC since the 1980s.
Mr Shaw began his legal career in 1980 in Timaru, developing advocacy, leadership and advisory skills. He joined the Committee of the IHC South Canterbury Branch in 1982 and went on to join the IHC New Zealand Inc. Board in 1998, serving as New Zealand President from 2003 to 2005. He rejoined the National Board of IHC in 2019 and has been Chair since 2020, helping guide the organisation’s 4,000 people with intellectual disabilities and 4,000 support staff through the COVID-19 pandemic. He has held leadership roles on related boards, including the IHC Foundation Charitable Trust, Accessible Properties New Zealand, IDEA Services and the Donald Beasley Institute Trust. In 2005, he was made a Life Member of the IHC, one of only 11 people to receive this distinction. In his local community, he has been involved in training and mentoring young legal and business professionals through the Law Society and South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. He acted as MC for the Timaru Rotary Club’s Celebrity Auction from 2001 to 2013, which raised between $20,000 and $65,000 each year. Mr Shaw received a Forsyth Barr Commendation Award at the 2022 South Canterbury Ara Business Excellence Awards.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SKINNER, Dr Margot Alison
For services to physiotherapy
Dr Margot Skinner was one of a small group instrumental in physiotherapy gaining university status in 1996 and held several positions with the Otago University School of Physiotherapy from 1996 to 2021, including Deputy Dean.
Dr Skinner has held leadership roles with the New Zealand Society of Physiotherapists at the branch level and nationally and served on the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand from 1994 to 2002. She chaired the Expert Reference Group that advised on the development of the first shared thresholds for physiotherapy practice standards between New Zealand and Australia, released in 2015. She chaired the Asia Western Pacific Region of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT, now World Physiotherapy), was Region Representative on the WCPT Executive Committee from 2007 to 2015, and was Vice President from 2015 to 2019. She has helped World Physiotherapy to establish entry-level physiotherapy education in Asian countries, including ADAPTIVE Project Vietnam from 2018 to 2023, and promoting regulatory standards. She was inaugural Chair of the World Physiotherapy Accreditation Committee from 2014 to 2019. She received the Mildred Elson Award, World Physiotherapy’s highest award in 2023. Dr Skinner has made other significant community contributions including support for University of Otago students at Arana and Carrington Colleges, and as Chairperson of the Columba College Board of Trustees from 1994 to 2015.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SOLLY, Mr Mervyn John (Merv)
For services to the transport industry and business
Mr Merv Solly has been involved in transport, civil construction, quarrying and farming for the past 62 years.
Mr Solly became the Managing Director of his father and grandfather’s truck business, Sollys, at age 31. He took over the company in the late 1980s, overseeing its expansion from a small rural transport operation to a national business with 130 trucks and 180 staff. Sollys acquired marine shipping, farming and coal distribution companies. The company now provides freight services, assists in construction work on building projects, road maintenance and coastal protection, and supplies raw materials from its quarries, supporting New Zealand’s agriculture and infrastructure industries. After purchasing Golden Bay Dolomite in 2007, he commenced soil testing and creating biological fertiliser mixes for farms, vineyards and orchards across New Zealand and overseas. He is a passionate agronomist and advocates for the use of natural nitrogen fixers as an alternative to chemical fertilisers. This increases soil health, productivity and nutrition. His other business interests include DX50, a provider of water treatment chemicals, and Fernbrae Farms. Within the Golden Bay community, he was a Lions Club member, supports the local fire brigade and mentors youth. Mr Solly received a Tasman Community Award and was inducted into the New Zealand Road Transport Hall of Fame in 2016.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SORENSEN, Mrs Debra Mary Delores
For services to Pacific health
Mrs Debra Sorensen is a trained psychiatric nurse who has been a strong voice for Pacific people in the health sector.
Mrs Sorensen has been CEO since 2008 of Pasifika Medical Association Group (PMA), overseeing its growth into a large and effective provider of health services for Pacific people in New Zealand. She has organised fundraising initiatives to fund scholarships for young Pasifika people wanting to study a health programme. She has overseen ongoing support for humanitarian Pacific disaster relief work, including coordinating support for the 2019 measles outbreak in Samoa. She has been CEO of Pasifika Futures, the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, since 2014, and the CEO of Moana Pasifika Super Rugby Franchise. She has been an advisor to several Pacific Health Ministers and chairs the Pacific Expert Advisory Committee to the Minister of Health. She chaired the National Pacific District Health Board Committee and has supported Tongan delegations over 15 years to the World Health Assemblies in Geneva. She helped establish a company to deliver the MFAT programme ‘The New Zealand Medical Treatment Scheme’, delivered in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Tuvalu for 15 years. Mrs Sorensen was inaugural Chair of ‘Make A Wish’ Pacific and was a Trustee of the Fred Hollows Foundation and the Consortium of Tongan Organisations in New Zealand.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SYLVESTER, Ms Kate Elizabeth
For services to the fashion industry
Ms Kate Sylvester is a New Zealand fashion designer who co-founded the label ‘Kate Sylvester’ in 1993, which has elevated New Zealand in the global fashion industry.
Ms Sylvester’s first fashion show was in Sydney in 1999, which launched her international career in fashion, and by 2011 her brands were stocked across Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia and the United States. She has several diffusion lines, Sylvester, Kate Sylvester Eyewear, Accessories and Lingerie. She opened her first standalone store in 1993 in Auckland, growing it to seven retail stores throughout New Zealand and Australia, alongside a strong wholesale presence throughout Australasia including department store David Jones. She has used New Zealand influence in her design, including a seminal collection built around Frances Hodgkins’ textile designs which she brought to life in her 2019 Winter Collection. She has been a guest speaker at numerous seminars, festivals and events including the 2020 Semi Permanent Aotearoa, a festival of creativity and design. She co-founded Mindful Fashion in 2018, a not-for-profit collective of New Zealand designers, fabric suppliers and manufacturers that unites the industry to create a sustainable, circular and thriving future. Mindful Fashion is developing education programmes to address skill shortages and create jobs within the industry. In 2024 Ms Sylvester announced the closure of her fashion label in mid-2025.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
TAYLOR, Mr Iain Clark
For services to education
Mr Iain Taylor is currently Principal of Manurewa Intermediate School, having been a school principal in New Zealand and overseas for more than 30 years.
Mr Taylor was appointed to his first Principal role aged 25 at Lake Rotoma School in the Bay of Plenty. As Principal of Ponsonby Intermediate School from 1994, he lifted the roll from no new Year 7 enrolments in 1995 to its full capacity of 556 students in four years. He was the Foundation Principal for the United College of Southeast Asia Elementary School in Singapore from 1999 to 2002, establishing a roll of 1,500 students. He has been Principal of Manurewa Intermediate School since 2008, a former Decile 1 school in South Auckland with high rates of absenteeism, vandalism and poor facilities. He led transformational change, upgrading learning spaces, increasing staff and student engagement and placing a strong emphasis on achievement. The school now has one of the highest attendance rates nationally and was recognised with a Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Award in 2017. He has been President of several Auckland and national Principals’ Associations and was an executive member for Oceania-Pacific on the International Confederation of Principals from 2016 to 2017. Mr Taylor is a current member of several Ministry of Education advisory groups.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
TILYARD, Emeritus Professor Murray William
For services to health
Emeritus Professor Murray Tilyard was appointed to the Chair of General Practice at the Otago School of Medicine and was Head of Department at Dunedin School of Medicine from 1993 until retiring in 2022.
Professor Tilyard has been a leader in the discipline of General Practice, producing research findings across a range of GP-relevant topics and publishing widely. He established the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) Research Unit in 1981 and was a director until 1993. In 1995 he established South Link Health, initially an Independent Practitioners Association, becoming the South Link Education Trust in 2003. He was the driving force of this development, along with the creation of other organisations including the Best Practice Advocacy Centre (BPACnz), InPractice which provides professional development programmes to medical practitioners, and BPAC Clinical Solutions, which provides innovative electronic decision support tools for Primary Care in New Zealand. He worked for several years to help establish national funding and a partnership with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain to achieve the first publication of the New Zealand Formulary (NZF) in July 2012. Professor Tilyard was the Chief Executive Officer and Clinical Advisor to the NZF from 2011 to 2022 and remains Chair and Chief Clinical Advisor to the group.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WHITELOCK, Mr Samuel Laurence
For services to rugby and the community
Mr Samuel Whitelock is the highest capped All Blacks player, achieving 153 appearances at the conclusion of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, captaining the All Blacks on 18 instances.
Mr Whitelock has been a key member of the All Blacks for 13 years, debuting in 2010, and was awarded the Kelvin R. Tremain Memorial Trophy in 2017 as New Zealand Player of the Year. He was named in the 2022 Men’s Dream Team of the Year by World Rugby and was a member of the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup winning All Blacks team. He served as the Captain of the Crusaders team between 2017 and 2019, contributing to the team’s seven consecutive Super Rugby titles. He has been an Ambassador for Farmstrong, a nationwide wellbeing programme for the rural community to help farm better. Travelling across New Zealand he has supported schools and youth communities with his story, motivating them to continue supporting their communities. He has contributed philanthropically to Feilding High School’s basketball department which enabled several students to travel to the United States of America on basketball tours and has donated items for auctioning. Mr Whitelock contributed to the mana and leadership of the All Blacks across 13 years, retiring from rugby in 2023.
To be an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WILKINSON, Dr Bryce Derek
For services to economics
Dr Bryce Wilkinson is one of New Zealand’s leading economists, who has contributed significantly to public policy formation.
Dr Wilkinson contributed to The Treasury’s Economic Management briefing in 1984 as then director of The Treasury’s Economics I Division. He was a consultant on public policy issues for the Business Roundtable think tank from 1997 to 2010 and has consulted similarly for The New Zealand Initiative since 2012. He contributed to three government taskforces, namely the Regulatory Responsibility Taskforce, the ACC Stocktake Steering Group, and the 2025 Taskforce. He has published and presented on a wide range of public policy topics throughout his career, including proposals for improving fiscal discipline and regulatory quality. He worked in the financial services sector from 1985 to 1997, contributing to macro-economic assessments and financial research, including applying portfolio optimisation theory in New Zealand, the adoption of new analytical tools, capital markets development, and establishing New Zealand’s first government bond and money market return indices. Dr Wilkinson has been a New Zealand Harkness Fellow, was President of the New Zealand Law and Economics Association from 2003 to 2005, is a Fellow of that association, and is a member of the editorial board of the United Kingdom Journal ‘Economic Affairs’.
To be an Honorary Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
HUTCHINSON-DE RANITZ, Ms Clara Elisabeth (Clare)
For services to midwifery
Mrs Clare Hutchinson-de Ranitz has been championing support for whānau in midwifery in Hamilton for more than 40 years.
Mrs Hutchinson-de Ranitz was a founding member of the New Zealand College of Midwives (NZCOM) in 1990 and became the inaugural Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) in the Waikato region, following the Nurses Amendment Act 1991. As the LMC from 1991 until 2022, she delivered more than 5,000 babies and provided feedback and advice to the NZCOM to document her and her colleagues’ experiences. She helped establish River Ridge Birth Centre (RRBC) in 1997 at Southern Cross Hospital to provide an alternative birthing option for whānau, other than hospital or home births. When RRBC closed in 2002, she initiated the establishment of River Ridge East Birth Centre (RREBC), a purpose-built Primary Birthing Facility. She has overseen the operations of RREBC since 2002, which has since seen more than 11,000 babies born. To provide lactation consultant services for free, she helped create the Hamilton Breastfeeding Trust, with ongoing funding support secured from supporters and organisations. As a member of the Waikato Maternity Quality and Safety Committee since 2009 she has been contributing to ongoing quality improvements to the development of maternity-specific services. Mrs Hutchinson-de Ranitz supported Single Parent Services Waikato from 2004 to 2023, providing food, clothing and other support.