To be a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
FRANCE, The Honourable Ellen Dolour
For services to the judiciary
The Honourable Justice Ellen France has been President of the Court of Appeal since September 2014.
Justice France was appointed a High Court Judge in 2002 and a Judge of the Court of Appeal in 2006. She commenced legal practice in Auckland in 1981, before taking up a role as senior legal adviser in the Department of Justice Law Reform Division. In 1992 Justice France joined the Crown Law Office as Crown Counsel, becoming a Team Leader and subsequently Deputy Solicitor General (Public Law) in 1998.
To be a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SEWELL, Ms Karen Margaret, QSO
For services to education
Ms Karen Sewell has had a career in education that has spanned 50 years, most recently contributing as a consultant to a number of education and governance activities.
Ms Sewell has been Chief Executive of the Ministry of Education and Secretary for Education, the Chief Executive and Chief Review Officer for the Education Review Office and Acting Chief Executive for the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. She is the only New Zealander to have held all these roles in the education sector. She has been chairperson of the Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu Correspondence Board since 2012 and a board member of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government since 2014. She was also a member of the Board of the New Zealand Teachers’ Council. In 2013 she was the representative for the Minister of Education for the rebuilding of education in the Christchurch school sector. From 2012 to 2014 she was a ministerial appointee on the establishment Board of Wanganui Collegiate School and continues to guide the school. She was previously President of the Auckland Secondary Schools Principals’ Association and Chair of the Principals’ Council of New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association. Ms Sewell led the implementation of National Standards, a new national curriculum and Youth Guarantee.
HONOURS
Companion of the Queen’s Service Order, New Year 2012