King's Birthday Honours 2024 - Citations for Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit (2024)

To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

BANFIELD, Mrs Jeanette Mary (Jenny)

For services to philately

Mrs Jenny Banfield was President of the New Zealand Philatelic Federation from 2004 to 2007 and Trustee and Convenor of the New Zealand National Philatelic Trust from 2004 to 2018, and is involved with exhibiting and judging nationally and internationally.

Mrs Banfield became an Accredited National Judge in 2006 and National Philatelic Literature Judge in 2007. She judged several New Zealand national exhibitions between 2007 and 2022 and judged overseas in Australia in 2008 and Qatar in 2015. She was New Zealand Commissioner to International Philatelic Federation (FIP) and Federation of Inter-Asian Philately (FIAP) exhibitions between 2008 and 2022. She has represented New Zealand on two FIP technical committees and has been Secretary from 2012 to 2016 and Chairperson from 2016 to 2022 of the Maximaphily Commission, the first New Zealander to head a Commission. She simplified the exhibiting and judging guidelines for the Maximaphily classification, which were adopted world-wide by FIP, and procedures for handling exhibits at exhibitions adopted by FIP and FIAP. She was previously involved with the Kapiti Gymnastic Club from the late 1970s, holding roles as Head Coach and Club President and helping fundraise for the club’s gymnasium. Mrs Banfield coached national level gymnasts and became a national judge, including Assistant Judge Gymnastics at the 1990 Commonwealth Games.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

BARTLETT, Mrs Karen Lee

For services to the community and social services

Mrs Karen Bartlett (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) has worked for the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) since 1995 and since 2021 has been Regional Commissioner for MSD East Coast and Regional Public Service Commissioner East Coast Region.

Mrs Bartlett is well regarded for her leadership and work across government and with iwi and communities and is seen as a bridge between grass roots community and national policy. She was committed to ensuring community and individual needs were met throughout the East Coast response to the COVID-19 pandemic and Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. Following Cyclone Gabrielle, she convened a response and coordination group of available public service leaders in Hastings to provide support and practical leadership for the immediate response. She has personally led and influenced joint outcomes involving employers, councils, agencies, iwi and community, including a partnership with Te Whatu Ora since 2021 providing cadetships for MSD clients and with Topline Academy, supporting the most at-risk clients into employment. She initiated a development programme within the Hawke’s Bay community to upskill and provide a larger pool of locals to recruit from for the Whakarongorau Telehealth Lines at Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga Call Centre. Mrs Bartlett is providing leadership with the Tēnēi Tamaiti, Tēnēi Whānau project, involving ten public sector agencies, to address the decline in student attendance and engagement in education.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

BLACKWELL, Dr Suzanne Joy Yerex

For services to clinical and forensic psychology and the law

Dr Suzanne Blackwell has made significant and lasting contributions to the practice of psychology and the law for 50 years, particularly in the areas of child sexual abuse and professional ethics.

Dr Blackwell has worked as a psychologist practitioner in the criminal justice and mental health systems. She is highly regarded as an expert witness within the Family and criminal courts, including providing specialist psychological reports and supervising and mentoring others in the field. She undertook research on misconceptions about sexual abuse that can influence decision making in the courts, and pioneered the use of expert counterintuitive evidence to educate jury members about the behaviour of children who have been sexually abused. She has frequently chaired professional conduct committees for the New Zealand Board of Psychologists and co-founded the Family Court Psychologists’ Specialist Report Writers Association. She was appointed as a member of the Ministry of Justice Family Court Review Expert Reference Group from 2011 to 2012. She has been an active researcher, publishing within New Zealand and internationally, and has been editor and contributor to ‘Psychology and the Law in Aotearoa New Zealand’. Dr Blackwell was awarded the Ballin Award for Contribution to Clinical Psychology in 2011 by the New Zealand Psychological Society.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

BROWN, Mr Barry James Britten

For services to structural engineering

Mr Barry Brown is a recognised expert in the field of structural engineering with more than 40 years’ experience in the design of buildings and industrial structures in earthquake-prone areas.

Mr Brown, with others, founded Structural Engineering Society New Zealand (SESOC) in 1988, now one of the largest engineering technical societies in New Zealand and recognised as a major contributor to structural engineering in New Zealand. He served as the inaugural Chair until 1990 and has remained as a regular contributor to SESOC’s journal for 30 years. He was Director of Fraser Thomas, an engineering firm in Papatoetoe for 13 years from 1994 and held the position of Managing Director for a further two years after. He was the Chair of New Zealand’s Building Industry Authority between 2001 and 2004, involved in the nationwide investigation into weathertightness issues, and helped draft national codes of practice for building inspections and consents. The preventative leaky building standards were released in 2004, following this work. He helped write the Department of Building and Housing’s standards for fixing and rebuilding homes following the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. Mr Brown was appointed by the Republic of Singapore’s Minister of National Development as a member of panel of international experts assisting Singapore’s Building Control Authority in developing a policy framework, following the 2004 Nicol Highway embankment collapse.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

CARTWRIGHT, Ms Jane Caroline

For services to health governance

Ms Jane Cartwright has served the Canterbury community for many years as an experienced chair and director in health, disability and education, in both paid and unpaid roles, prioritising people on the margins who find it difficult to access health services.

Ms Cartwright is a respected senior leader in Non-Government Organisations, District Health Boards, Primary Health Organisations and local government. While with Healthlink South CHE in the 1990s she oversaw the commencement of the closure of Sunnyside Hospital and opening of Hillmorton Hospital, providing specialist psychiatric/mental health services. She oversaw the 1999 closure of Templeton Hospital, and the movement of residents into the community or into Brackenridge Estate. As Board Chair of Brackenridge Services from 2013, she has led significant improvement in services provided to people with intellectual disabilities. She created and funded several new Health Manager roles for Consumers, Māori, Pacific and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities. As Chief Executive of Partnership Health Canterbury PHO, she led the merger with Pegasus Health Charitable Ltd. As a Director of Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology/Ara Institute of Canterbury she was actively involved in the rebuild post the Canterbury earthquakes and lifting Māori and Pacific student enrolment. As Executive Officer of the New Zealand Breastfeeding Alliance since 2017, Ms Cartwright has led the Alliance in becoming more effective national advocates.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

CHAPMAN, Mr Frank Philip (Philip)

For services to health

Mr Philip Chapman has been promoting better healthcare for men and their families, predominantly sexual abuse survivors in Nelson for more than 30 years.

Mr Chapman has been the Chair of Male Survivors Aotearoa since 2013, seeking pathways to bring recovery to individuals affected by trauma. He has been the Director of the Male Room Trust for 20 years, developing male health services and wellbeing, supporting during difficult times. He was Chair of two MenzSheds, a Community Manager of IHC for three years and Manager of the Nelson Neighbourhood Centre for ten years. He has previously been an Ambassador for the Movember campaign and a Justice of the Peace. He has been advocating for men to seek support and assistance and helping government agencies and organisations recognise men as victims of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. He has been a men’s health promoter for the District Health Board for 10 years. Mr Chapman has been a Consumer Board Representative on the Federation of Primary Health since 2020, as well as a Board member of Nelson Primary Health Organisation for nine years.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

CHEN, Ms I-Hua (Eva)

For services to the Asian community

Ms Eva Chen has been supporting and championing the parenting needs of Asian and migrant women to government agencies since 2010 and has organised culturally and linguistically tailored parenting workshops, particularly on positive parenting and family harm.

Ms Chen has led the Happy Toddlers, a free parenting workshop for Chinese and migrant mothers facing cultural and language barriers, enabling first-time mothers to learn, share experiences and creating a support network of more than 1,000 members through social media to exchange information and advice. She referred many mothers experiencing domestic abuse and harm to mental health crisis services and law enforcement and provided education on family harm and the available resources. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-founded the Mt Roskill Collective and collaborated with the Ministry for Ethnic Communities to deliver translated information to non-English speakers and distributed free food parcels and essentials to migrant and refugee communities in need. With the Ministry of Social Development’s Think Differently team, she hosted a radio programme in 2014 to address the stigma of disability in the Chinese community and in 2020 supported the IHC Foundation in supporting parents of children with intellectual disabilities. Ms Chen co-founded The Hawaiki Project in 2017, an exchange programme between Taiwanese and Māori youth to encourage indigenous youth to immerse themselves in other cultures.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

CHING CHUEN LAM, Mr Phillip (Phillip Lam)

For services to martial arts

Mr Phillip Lam was an early introducer of kung fu into New Zealand in 1975, training students in Central Auckland, before introducing Muay Thai/Thai boxing and expanding training centres in Auckland and later nationally.

Mr Lam founded Lee Gar Kung Fu and Lee Gar Thai Boxing and was pivotal in bringing martial arts into the mainstream, gathering a national following and leading development training for young men and women to compete on the world stage. He is credited with developing Muay Thai without sponsorship, bringing trainers out from Thailand and personally funding training camps, publicity, training gear, travel costs and clothing. He has personally funded tournaments across New Zealand and tours to tournaments internationally to gain recognition for the sport. He has supported students facing hardship, offering accommodation, food and financial support in order to foster talent. In addition to competing at high levels, many of his students have also become trainers themselves, with intergenerational transmission of knowledge over five generations. Mr Lam’s teaching and influence has positively impacted the lives of many young men and women, not just in self-defence fitness and fighting skill, but also instilling core values of respect, family, honesty, integrity, helpfulness and discipline. These values have encouraged camaraderie and a sense of belonging and self-worth in the youth attending these schools.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

CLARK, Ms Christine Margaret (Chris)

For services to alcohol and drug harm reduction

Ms Chris Clark played a key role in identifying a need for and founding a dedicated Drug and Alcohol Service in the Mid-Canterbury District in the late 1980s, establishing a community board and over time expanding it to offer youth mental health services, public health services and a community connector role.

Ms Clark was a founding Board member of Ashburton Community Alcohol and Drug Services (ACADS) from 1987 to 1992, before being employed in the roles of Health Promoter, Service Manager, and as CEO until the present. As CEO, she has driven the growth and development of ACADS to become a well-respected service within the AoD/Community services sector and the Mid-Canterbury community. She has built a strong network over 35 years of regional and national contacts working on alcohol harm reduction, service improvements, professional development and policy. This knowledge has been implemented locally, with a strong commitment to working alongside the community, from volunteers developing alcohol management plans for events, sustaining the local ACCORD licensed premises group, or developing peer support training. From 1989 to 1990, Ms Clark chaired the committee that protested to save the Ashburton Hospital from closure.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

COLLINS, Professor John Patrick Vincent

For services to surgical education and breast cancer management

Professor John Collins has contributed nationally and internationally to general surgery, breast cancer care, and surgical education for more than 40 years.

Professor Collins worked as a general surgeon in South Auckland for 30 years, becoming Head of General Surgery at Middlemore Hospital from 1993 to 1996. After a hand injury forced him to give up clinical surgery, he turned to surgical education, where he has played a significant role in altering the concepts and direction of surgical training in Australia and New Zealand, and personally mentoring many students. He established a Masters of Surgical Education qualification at the University of Melbourne and was appointed Foundation Dean of Education for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. In 2014 he was the inaugural recipient of the Sir Alan Newton Medal for distinguished and substantial contribution to surgical education. He was the foundation director of the South Auckland Breast Service from 1997 to 2004, the first “complete” breast clinic in New Zealand where patients receive clinical, diagnostic, management advice and wellbeing support in one visit. Professor Collins served on the National Cancer Control Strategy Steering Group from 1998 to 2005, and the National Guidelines Group from 1996 to 2003, during which he published National Guidelines for the Surgical Management of Breast Cancer in New Zealand.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

CORBETT, Mrs Fleur Barbara

For services to conservation

Mrs Fleur Corbett was a founding member and served as Chair of the Guardians of the Bay of Islands from 2007 until 2022.

Together with mana whenua and DOC, the Guardians spearheaded Project Island Song which has worked to restore seven islands of Ipipiri in the eastern Bay of Islands by eradicating pests from the islands, keeping them pest free, restoring habitat and reintroducing native species to the island sanctuaries. Mrs Corbett has worked alongside kaitiaki with mana whenua of the Ipipiri islands Ngāti Kuta and Patukeha hapu from Te Rawhiti to support leadership roles from within the hapu in all aspects of the project. She ensured Project Island Song had a well-established learning programme in collaboration with local schools, with opportunities for rangatahi to participate in conservation work. She was critical in establishing and maintaining an extensive network of pest control on the mainland coastline adjacent to the pest free islands, collaborating with local landowners. Her leadership has led to an active volunteer base dedicated to preserving the Bay of Islands’ natural heritage. Her contribution has led her to become a sought-after mentor, advisor and advocate for best practices in community-led conservation throughout New Zealand. Mrs Corbett continues to work in conservation in and around the Bay of Islands.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

COYLE, Mr Thomas Leslie John

For services to the New Zealand Police, Disaster Victim Identification and theatre

Mr Thomas Coyle worked for the Metropolitan Police in London from 1988 to 2004 in forensic roles, before holding senior forensic roles with the New Zealand Police in Auckland from 2004 to 2017.

Mr Coyle has been a Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) expert at many events including the 2004 Asian Boxing Day Tsunami, the 2010 Fox Glacier air crash and the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. He has been instrumental in the implementation of new finger/palm print recovery techniques in New Zealand including his published research into the use of Acid Violet in examining major crime scenes. His business Forensic Insight Ltd., established in 2019, provides the public insight into the Crime Scene Investigation process. He has taught forensic science nationally for the Ministry of Education and has provided forensic exhibit courses for the Auckland District Law Society. He has volunteered in Auckland’s performing arts sector. He has co-managed Centrestage Youth Theatre, supporting workshops for ages five to seventeen. He was a judge for the Northern Area Performance Theatre Awards from 2015 to 2017. He has been stage manager for several major theatre productions including ‘The Producers’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Kids on Broadway’ and ‘Hair’. Mr Coyle has held numerous other behind the scenes roles for productions at Auckland theatres since 2008.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

CROMPTON, Mr Mark Bryan

For services to meteorology and the community

Mr Mark Crompton has dedicated his career to meteorological observations and voluntary scientific research in some of the most isolated environments in New Zealand.

Mr Crompton worked for the Meteorological Service of New Zealand as a weather observer from 1967 to 2012. His career was focused on expeditions to remote Campbell and Raoul Islands where he spent a total of 11 years living in isolation while undertaking surface and upper air observations. Weather reports from these stations are a critical part of New Zealand’s meteorological network. While on sub-Antarctic Campbell Island he volunteered his off-duty time to carry-out fieldwork with the albatrosses and penguins, as well as effecting botanical and microclimatological projects at the island. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Hokitika and a long-standing volunteer as a mentor with Big Brother Big Sister Westland. Mr Crompton also provided ground services for nighttime medivacs at Hokitika Airport for eight years.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

DEEHAN, Detective Niall Patrick

For services to the New Zealand Police

Detective Niall Deehan has been involved with the Family Harm Intervention Team within New Zealand Police for more than 12 years.

Detective Deehan is an experienced Family Liaison Officer with more than 40 years’ experience in the field across the United Kingdom and New Zealand. He was instrumental in the development and formalisation of the Family Liaison Officer (FLO) role within Police, which was completed in 2021. He has served as a National Coordinator of a new team of 55 FLO’s nationwide and is a mentor to all. He has worked on numerous homicides and mass fatalities with the FLO team including the Whakaari White Island eruption, the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attacks, the Carterton balloon crash, and the 2023 Loafers lodge fire where five people were killed. He was involved with providing support to families who lost loved ones to the MH17 plane crash, providing ongoing support for nine years. He was awarded an Australian Federal Police Commissioner’s Commendation for his efforts in that investigation. He has been New Zealand Police Liaison for the family of Sergeant Matthew Ratana who was murdered in a London police station. Detective Deehan also served with New Scotland Yard’s ‘Racial and Violent Crime Task Force’ for several years, investigating hate crime and high-profile murders which were racially motivated.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

DOY, Mr James Alexander

For services to theatre, particularly youth theatre

Mr James Doy has made significant contributions to developing children and youth through the arts, particularly as Chief Executive of the National Youth Theatre (NYT).

As a professional musician, composer and performer Mr Doy has played for many local and international touring productions in musical theatre including ‘Les Miserables’, ‘Matilda’ and ‘Wicked’. He composed the full-length musical ‘Peter Pan’ in 2017. He was Musical Director of the New Zealand Opening Ceremony for the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, putting together a showcase for the music from each of the 14 participating nations. He has received several music awards, including 2014 Musician of the Year from the Variety Artists Club. He has worked with youth theatre since the 1990s and helped found NYT in 2004, which offers workshops and rehearsals to young performers leading up to large-scale productions. NYT has produced 36 musicals over 15 years and more than 200 workshops and holiday programmes, with more than 10,000 participants. Many alumni of the programmes have gone into performing arts careers. As Chief Executive since 2012, he has overseen NYT become the resident youth theatre in Auckland Live, performing twice annually at the Aotea Centre and Civic Theatre. Mr Doy established NYT’s Outreach Programme in 2014, offering free performances to schools and scholarships for young performers.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

DREAVER, Mr Anthony John

For services to the community

Mr Anthony Dreaver has been contributing to his community through historical preservation with various organisations for more than 40 years.

Mr Dreaver, a teacher by profession, taught history at various schools including Horowhenua College and The Correspondence School. While Editor of the Ōtaki Historical Society Journal he contributed essays and articles on the region’s history. He has been involved in various heritage organisations including the Horowhenua Historical Society, the Paekākariki Station Precinct Trust, the Kapiti United States Marines Trust, and the Friends of Ōtaki Rotunda. He helped with the installation of ‘A Friend in Need’ exhibition about the Marines’ encampment in Paekākariki in 2011, the upgrade of the US Marines Memorial at Queen Elizabeth Park in 2012 and the restoration of a 1942 US Marines Hut into a storytelling centre in 2017. He was Chair of the Friends of Kapiti Library and a member for more than 20 years. He has helped record the history of Levin and the Horowhenua District and has worked on the development of the Kapiti heritage trail since 2000. Mr Dreaver helped with the design and build of the Camp Paekakariki Memorial Wall that opened in 2022.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

FLETCHER, Mr Reid

For services to the wine industry

Mr Reid Fletcher has dedicated himself to the Gisborne region’s grape growing and wine industry for almost 50 years.

Since Mr Fletcher and his wife planted their first grapes at Patutahi in 1974, he has represented Gisborne growers on boards and committees, provided mentorship and supported others in the industry. In 1975 he became Secretary of the Gisborne Produce Grower’s Association and served on the region’s Grape-Growers Association committee between 1977 and 2005. As a member of the New Zealand Grape Growers Council, he was instrumental in its 2002 amalgamation with NZ Winemakers to form New Zealand Winegrowers (now known as New Zealand Wine). For his role in this work, he was recognised as one of two inaugural Fellows of New Zealand Winegrowers in 2006. As a co-founder and Chairman for 20 years of GisVin and through his roles on viticultural industry bodies, mentoring and advocacy for technological advancement, he has helped to improve the sustainability of the Gisborne wine industry and New Zealand wine industry as a whole. For his community roles on the Patutahi School Board, Patutahi Reserves Board and Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union Judicial Committee, Mr Fletcher received civic awards from the Gisborne District Council in 2008.

FOLEY, Mr Brian George

For services to the plumbing industry and the community

Mr Brian Foley has been a leader in the plumbing industry, bringing on more than 150 apprentices over 60 years in business.

Mr Foley has served 20 years on the National Executive of Master Plumbers, including as President from 1996 to 1997, and on the Executive of the Otago Master Plumbers Association, including as President from 1975 to 1977. He was made a Life Member of Master Plumbers in 2020. He has worked with EnableNZ, a healthcare provider with Te Whatu Ora, to provide house alterations involving plumbing for clients who have physical needs at home. He has used his contacts and expertise to ensure these necessary changes are made rapidly to support the individuals in their homes. This has included home haemodialysis installations, integral to the home dialysis model of care, prioritising these jobs often to the cost of his plumbing firm for the patient’s benefit. He has been a Dunedin Rotary member for more than 45 years and was President in 1988/1989. Through Rotary he arranged the club’s meals-on-wheels delivery service for seniors and disabled people in South Dunedin for 20 years, coordinating drivers and undertaking deliveries himself. Mr Foley has donated use of his business assets such as vehicles for club projects and has been involved with all club committees over the years.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

GODFREY, Mr Ian Edward

For services to surf lifesaving and water safety education

Mr Ian Godfrey has been a surf lifesaver and advocate for drowning prevention and water safety in the Auckland region for more than 50 years.

Mr Godfrey joined the Waipu Cove Surf Life Saving Club as a lifeguard in 1971, aged 14. He has held numerous positions on the Club’s board including Patrol Captain and Secretary. He was President from 2001 to 2010 and has been the Club’s Registrar since 2005. There have been no drownings at Waipu Cove during his time as a member. From 2010 to 2016 he was a Director of Water Safe Auckland, leading several initiatives to promote greater awareness of drowning prevention and water safety in the region. These included Pools2Schools, a programme for primary schools to facilitate water safety training and the Your Pool Your Responsibility project, an Auckland-wide initiative that significantly reduced drownings of children under five in home pools. He served on the New Zealand Standards Committees for Swimming Pool Construction and Swimming Pool Fencing in 2006 and 2008 respectively. As Chair of the Surf Lifesaving Northern Region Board (SLSNR) from 2015 to 2018, he spearheaded a Capital Works funding programme to re-establish several lifesaving clubs. Mr Godfrey has been a member of the Regional Honours and Awards Committee of the SLSNR since 2019. AWARDSSurf Life Saving New Zealand 50-year Service Recognition Award, 2021

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

GORDON, Mr Keith Raymond

For services to diving and maritime history

Mr Keith Gordon helped found the New Zealand Underwater Heritage Group (NZUHG) in 2006, since serving as Vice President or President, and has contributed to New Zealand diving and maritime history, publishing several books and regular contributions to diving magazines.

Mr Gordon’s publications include ‘Deep Water Gold – The Story of RMS Niagara’ (2005) and ‘SS Ventnor Ghost Ship of the Hokianga’ (2022). He helped discover the SS Ventnor in 2012, which sank in 1902 carrying the remains of 499 Chinese miners. He was on a volunteer team in 2020 which discovered the bulk of the remains to return to the families. Through NZUHG, he has led efforts to uncover and preserve shipwrecks and maritime heritage using archaeological methods and modern technology. He pioneered use of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and side scan sonar in New Zealand in the late 1980s. He has organised technical dives on shipwrecks and donated items from shipwrecks for museum displays. He has restored historic diving equipment. He has provided expertise and equipment to several international expeditions searching for historic shipwrecks. He has advocated for marine conservation, championing the recovery of leaking bunker oil from deep wrecks. Mr Gordon was a founding member of the Canterbury Underwater Club in 1954 and is an International Fellow of The Explorers Club.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

GRACE, Inspector Freda Anne

For services to the New Zealand Police

Inspector Freda Grace has served 40 years with the New Zealand Police and has been providing safety support to staff.

Inspector Grace has been a supporter of women on specialist squads and has provided support and resources to help them reach their potential. This has resulted in the number of women in specialist squads increasing from fewer than ten in 2017 to 35. She has also developed several business cases to acquire safety equipment, to greatly increase the safety of all staff. This has included individualised night vision equipment for all Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) members, in replacement of the two to three antiquated sets of equipment per team. This has resulted in every AOS member having full awareness of activity when deployed at night. She established the Critical Incident Liaison Officer programme, to provide support to AOS members who have responded to traumatic incidents, implementing sponsorship to ensure its future success. While the programme was being developed, she travelled to locations immediately after critical incidents to provide support to AOS members. She has led the subsequent reintegration programme, which slowly reintroduces staff to work situations they may encounter following exposure to traumatic incidents. Inspector Grace helped coordinate fundraising efforts for a Sergeant who required $100,000 for lifesaving surgery in Germany, fundraising more than the target.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

GREIVE, Mrs Elizabeth Mary (Liz)

For services to child poverty reduction

Mrs Liz Greive is founder of Share My Super, established in 2020, a charity which assists New Zealanders with surplus superannuation to donate the funds to causes focused on alleviating child poverty.

Mrs Greive has helped hundreds of superannuants to donate almost $2 million to 11 organisations including the Women’s Refuge, First Foundation, Child Poverty Action Group, Te Pā and Kids Can, amongst others. She funds the operational costs of the organisation which means all donations are distributed to the 11 organisations. She has also used the organisation to promote events and community gatherings, which encourages collaboration between these charities. Mrs Greive has endowed a Foundation that will fund Share My Super's operations in perpetuity.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

HALDANE, Mr John Warner (Warner)

For services to arts administration, particularly music

Mr Warner Haldane has volunteered with a variety of arts organisations at local, regional and national levels since 1974.

Mr Haldane has held roles with several arts governance councils, from gallery and museum associations in the 1970s and 1980s, to the New Zealand Choral Federation and New Zealand Organ Association (NZOA) from the late 1980s and 1990s. He was National Secretary of the NZOA from 2002 to 2014, edited the ‘NZ Organ News’ from 2006 to 2018, and has been President since 2017. He donated $50,000 to establish the New Zealand Organ Music Foundation in 2022 and is a Trustee and Secretary. He has been President of the Bay of Plenty Music School Board since 2008, leading several initiatives to keep the organisation well maintained. He has held roles with numerous local music, arts and community organisations in Whakatane and previously in Dunedin and Gisborne. He was on the committees of the Gisborne Community Arts Council, the Gisborne Music Society, Unity Theatre, and Chairman of the Gisborne Theatres Management Board. He was inaugural President of the Whakatane Community Orchestra from 2009 to 2013, instrumental in developing the organisation’s constitution. He is current Vice President and former President of Whakatane Music Society. Mr Haldane has organised concerts locally featuring national and international organists.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

HARRISON, Mr Grant Arthur

For services to volleyball

Mr Grant Harrison has been contributing to the development of volleyball for more than 40 years.

Mr Harrison led Te Puke High School’s Senior Girls’ team to three national championships in the 1980s which led to his appointment as the Coach for the Under-19 New Zealand Junior Women’s Volleyball team. He served as Head Coach for the New Zealand Senior Women’s National team between 1991 and 1996, through which he developed and led a restructure of the National Development Programme for junior and senior women to grow volleyball nationwide. He became the Regional Sport Director of Sport Northland in 1994, holding the position for 26 years, implementing processes to increase participation in volleyball, develop coaches and provide opportunities for selection of players in national teams. He implemented player development camps, and club programmes, and has been Chair of the Northland Volleyball Association since 1995. Through Volleyball New Zealand he has been a member of the National Coaching Developer Network to help coaches achieve coaching qualifications. He oversees the development of Beach Volleyball, assisting with the National Beach Volleyball circuit, and coaches the Under-17 and Under-19 Northland Inter-Provincial teams, providing opportunities for player selection for national camps. Mr Harrison was awarded the ‘Champion of School Sport’ award in 2018 by Sport New Zealand.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

HENSHAW, Mr David (Dave)

For services to archery

Mr Dave Henshaw has been involved with archery as a competitor, coach, judge and administrator for 50 years.

Mr Henshaw has been New Zealand’s leading Olympic Archery coach since 1980, guiding competitors to achieve Commonwealth, international, national, South Island and local titles and to compete at the Olympic level. He coached New Zealand’s only Commonwealth Games gold medallist archer Neroli Fairhall from 1980 to 1987, multiple national champions, and Youth Olympian Bex Jones from 2015 to 2023. He has held coaching courses domestically and internationally for World Archery and World Archery Oceania. He was involved in developing the World Archery Level One Coaching Manual in the early 2000s. He has been a member of the Christchurch Archery Club for 50 years and was Club President from 1988 to 2003 and again since 2013. He was South Island District Archery Association President from 1996 to 2006, the longest serving South Island President in the Association’s history. He was Archery New Zealand National Secretary from 1996 to 1998 and served on committees for athletes and coaching. As a judge, he has officiated at many New Zealand Championships, district championships and club events, including the World Wheelchair Games 1998 and the 2002 World Firefighter Games. Mr Henshaw is a Life Member of Christchurch Archery Club and Archery New Zealand.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

HOCHSTEIN, Dr Barbara Eva

For services to radiology and education

Dr Barbara Hochstein has been a consultant radiologist at Rotorua Hospital since 1999, one of the longest serving radiologists nationally, and was Clinical Director for Breastscreen Aotearoa in Bay of Plenty from 1999 to 2016.

Prior to moving to Rotorua, Dr Hochstein was the inaugural Medical Advisor to the Breast Cancer Foundation. She founded Aratika Cancer Trust in 2011 and was Chairperson until 2019. She is now Patron and medical advisor, supporting cancer patients with empowering information on evidence-based complementary therapies and organising and facilitating multiple workshops for the Trust. She is Director Registrar of Radiology Training at Rotorua Hospital for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR), a RANZCR Fellow since 1990 and Fellowship Examiner. She has been a clinical teacher of radiology of second year medical students for the University of Auckland and has received 15 awards as best guest lecturer. Dr Hochstein has been convenor of Australasian and New Zealand radiological conferences and has had a focus on growing the critical medical workforce of ultrasonographers, who work with radiologists. The 2023 conference focused on using obstetric ultrasound consultations as a context for screening for family violence.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

HODSON, Ms Jolie

For services to business, governance and women

Ms Jolie Hodson (Ngāpuhi, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Kahungungu) has been CEO and Executive Director of Spark New Zealand since 2019, having held other executive roles, including CFO, from 2013.

During Ms Hodson’s tenure, Spark has continued to grow and transform into a digital services company and has led the way among NZX-listed gender-diverse boards, prioritising diversity and equity. She helped co-found On Being Bold in 2017, alongside a collective of other prominent New Zealand businesswomen, aiming to inspire and empower women to succeed in business. On Being Bold delivers an annual conference of business leaders to inspire women at all stages of their careers, with profits from the event going towards free leadership development events for Year 13 girls. She became Convenor of the Climate Leaders Coalition in 2022, encouraging New Zealand businesses that account for nearly a third of Aotearoa’s GDP to raise the bar on business leadership on climate action. She chaired the Digital Boost Alliance during its inaugural year, a joint public-private initiative supporting the uptake of digital tools for small businesses and communities. She has been an activator with SheEO since its inception in 2017, supporting women and non-binary entrepreneurs with start-ups. Ms Hodson was named Deloitte Top 200’s Chief Executive of the Year in 2022, having been Chief Financial Officer of the Year in 2016.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

HOPPER, Mr Leigh Allen

For services to property development and philanthropy

Mr Leigh Hopper has been Managing Director of the residential development company Hopper Developments since 1987.

Mr Hopper has led Hopper Developments from a small family operation to a business employing more than 200 people. While developing unique high amenity residential communities with integrated commercial and retail services including retirement villages, his developments focus on the long-term public and private good that they will bring. Through this work he has donated land or supported the building of a range of public facilities such as sports fields, concert parks, boat ramps, marinas, and beaches. Some of the developments built by Hoppers include residential canals with high public and private waterfront amenity. Hoppers Maygrove retirement village in Orewa received a Best Retirement Village Award in 2019 from Aged Advisor. He sponsored the Mercury Bay Area School’s aircraft build programme, for the import of a kitset plane for students to construct, successfully completed in November 2023. Mr Hopper is a regular contributor and supporter of local charities and events, including the annual summer concert in Whitianga.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

HUDSON, Mr Kerry Noel Henry

For services to land management

Mr Kerry Hudson has worked in land management on the East Coast for more than 42 years and has overseen a strong team at Gisborne District Council to ensure continued support for sustainable land management going forwards.

Mr Hudson has had a long-term focus on soil conservation on the East Coast and, coupled with his technical knowledge, he has built trusted relationships with farmers who have followed his advice, contributing to reduced erosion from hills regionally. His knowledge has been invaluable as the region has navigated cyclones, severe weather events and forestry damage over the years. He became Senior Water Conservator in 2009 and was a conduit between Council and iwi to tackle the outfall problem in Gisborne’s rivers, finding a successful solution for both parties. He was pivotal in the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Eastland Wood Council and Gisborne District Council in 2023, to address woody debris in waterways following extreme weather events. He has held committee roles including with Te Wherowhero Lagoon Restoration Trust, New Zealand Farm Forestry Association, and as President of the New Zealand Association of Resource Management. Outside of land management, Mr Hudson has been involved with Gisborne Land Search and Rescue since 2015 and has held several leadership roles with Scouts regionally between 1995 and 2023.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

HUTA, The Venerable Joseph Anthony

For services to the Anglican Church, Māori and the community

The Venerable Joseph Huta (Mātaatua, Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Pikiao, Tūhourangi) has served his community through roles with the Anglican Church since 1992, notably as Archdeacon at St Marks, Rotorua since 2003.

The Venerable Huta has been District Missioner in Waiariki for Te Hui Amorangi o Te Manawa o Te Wheke episcopal region within the Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia. He is well-regarded for his dedication and commitment beyond his position to provide service and support for the church, his marae and iwi, impacting families and communities across the region. He worked with the Māori Land Courts from 2006 to 2016 and has been Chairman of Puparuhe Marae Reservation since 2000, Whare Karakia Restoration, Tarewa Lands Trust, Whānau Lands Trust, and a Māori Lands Trust consultant and advisor. He has provided mentorship or taught programmes in various contexts for positive outcomes, including for staff within the Ministry of Justice, church-based training and liturgy craft, Ministry-based training programmes, community pastoral care programmes, and Māori Land Court seminars. The Venerable Huta has engaged with local organisations to address issues of poverty, homelessness, addiction and mental health, establishing partnerships to coordinate volunteer programmes and advocate for resources to support those in need.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

JOHN, Mrs Dianne Patricia

For services to ornithology

Mrs Dianne John has been dedicated to wildlife conservation for more than 20 years, helping build knowledge on bird population in Marlborough.

Mrs John has been a member of the Ornithological Society of New Zealand (now BirdsNZ) for several years as a core member of her local branch and former committee member between 2005 and 2016. She helped with the Society’s monthly bird counts on Lake Grasmere, supplying the data for the national count. She was the Regional Recorder for more than 15 years, collecting and collating data and entering it into the national databases. She helped with river surveys, helping count shorebirds on the Wairau, Awatere, Clarence, Kowhai, Hapuka and Kahutara rivers. She has helped with various bird banding projects between 2004 and 2022 including passerines, black-billed gulls, black-backed gulls, fluttering shearwaters and black-fronted terns. The banding projects involved camping with other volunteers, capturing data which was used in scientific publications. She was a member of the team who monitored the success of the Maud Island fluttering shearwater translocation, which involved bi-annual visits to the Island where she assisted with bird monitoring exercises. Through Wildlife Management International, Mrs John has assisted with several monitoring and banding projects and has been involved with translocations of Huttons shearwater at Kaikoura and Chatham Island albatross on Chatham Island.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

JONES, Mr Keith

For services to metrology

Mr Keith Jones has been contributing to metrology, the science of measurement, for 45 years.

Mr Jones joined the Measurement Standards Laboratory of New Zealand (MSL) in 1979 as a scientist, maintaining electrical standards and establishing a standard for capacitance for New Zealand to serve the needs of industry sectors including aviation. With his international counterparts, he confirmed the material-independence of the quantum Hall effect, laying the foundation for the application of quantum standards for electrical resistance measurement. Subsequently, he developed New Zealand’s first quantum Hall resistance standard and led the Electrical Standards team for ten years. He was key in the creation of Part 10 of the Electricity Industry Participation Code and the MARIA Codes of Practice, describing the technical requirements for electricity metering, following deregulation of the electricity supply in New Zealand in the 1990s. He co-authored and delivered training courses for the Test House technical staff who are essential in ensuring the number of units charged to consumer power bills accurately represent the energy consumed. He was the Chief Metrologist and Director of MSL between 2000 and 2008 and was ISO 17025 accredited by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. Mr Jones has been a Distinguished Research Scientist since 2008, supporting Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, and Chile in reviewing their metrology-related programmes.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

KAFKA, Mr Stephen Emil

For services to conservation and wildlife research

Mr Stephen Kafka has transported New Zealand conservation workers and researchers to remote sub-Antarctic islands for more than 25 years on his ship Evohe.

Mr Kafka has extensive knowledge of the sub-Antarctic islands in the “furious fifties” latitudes, containing New Zealand’s Subantarctic World Heritage Area, and the specific challenges of navigation and landing expeditioners safely. He was instrumental in the Antipodes Island Mouse eradication, the largest successful mouse eradication globally, delivering teams and extensive equipment loads to islands accessible only by boat. He is well regarded for going out of his way to support teams on the islands, maintaining a position off the islands for extended periods, for his provisioning of teams often on the islands for months at a time, and for accommodating tight budgets to ensure competition of quality work. He is the only current provider to the Department of Conservation for transport to the Bounty and Antipodes Islands. He has supported numerous wildlife conservation and research programmes, including the long-term Southern right whale/Tohora research programme by the University of Auckland for 25 years, albatross researchers on the Antipodes and Adams Islands, penguin censuses, other surveys, and feasibility studies. Mr Kafka has hosted various conservation and wildlife filming crews from international networks and has supported other transport operators to work in the sub-Antarctic.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

KAURAKA, Mrs Bridget Piu

For services to the Cook Islands community

Mrs Bridget Kauraka has been instrumental in Te Punanga O Te Reo Kūki ‘Āirani Incorporated for more than 30 years, a pioneering institution founded in 1983 to address the decline of the Cook Islands Māori language and childcare accessibility.

Mrs Kauraka’s roles have varied from community engagement to Early Childhood Education (ECE), demonstrating enduring dedication and leadership. In addition to her work with Te Punanga, she has actively participated in the Wellington Cook Islands Society, the Pacific Islands Presbyterian Church in Newtown, where she serves as a deacon, and the Wellington branch of the PACIFICA Women’s Cultural Group, supporting various community initiatives. Her commitment extends to preserving Cook Islands cultural heritage through the revitalisation of traditional crafts including tivaevae, a hand-stitched patchwork, and ei making, a traditional Pacific adornment worn for special occasions, typically made of flowers or leaves. Notably, Mrs Kauraka’s crocheted masterpiece, ‘Kapu-tiare taviri’ia,’ is prominently displayed at Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

KERR, Mr Rex

For services to the community and rugby

Mr Rex Kerr’s contribution to education and the community has spanned 60 years until retirement in 2023.

Mr Kerr was a teacher at Colenso High School and at Wairoa College from 1963 and after 21 years as Principal of Ōtaki College, he retired in 1997. As Principal he was active in the sports of the college, particularly with rugby, coaching various teams including the First XV He authored five books between 2001 and 2016 which celebrate the history of the Ōtaki and Horowhenua-Kapiti region. He held various positions with the New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby Union, including as President, Chair, Secretary and the New Zealand Team Manager between 1978 and 2013. He served as the Chair of the Hurricanes Youth Council between 2000 and 2012 and as President of the Rāhui Football and Sports Association for 13 years. He is a life member of the Horowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Football Union, the Hurricanes Youth Rugby Council, the Manawatu Secondary Schools Athletics Association, the New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby Union and of the Rāhui Football and Sports Association. Mr Kerr served as an Executive Board member of the Hurricanes Youth Council for 11 years until retirement in 2023, representing the Horowhenua-Kapiti Rugby Football Union.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

KING, Mr Murray Grant

For services to the dairy industry

LEWIS, Mr Frederick James (Fred)

For services to philanthropy and sport

Mr Fred Lewis established and has led Enterprise Motor Group since 1970, through which he has sponsored numerous community organisations and initiatives, locally and nationally for more than 50 years.

Mr Lewis was a founding member of the Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club and has been Patron since 2005, sponsoring several major community fishing tournaments. He helped facilitate the club’s move into Gisborne and the club is now one of the biggest, most successful fishing clubs nationally. He has sponsored satellite tags to track migration of marlin within the Pacific, assisting with research. In recent years, he has funded research by the Mātai Medical Research Institute into methamphetamine and brain injury recoveries. He donated towards the amalgamation of the Gisborne Marist Rugby Club with the Gisborne Old Boys Club in the 1980s and has sponsored East Coast Ngati Porou Rugby and Poverty Bay Rugby. He was a key funder of the Enterprise Pool, an all-seasons pool available to the community and the Enterprise Swim Team. He sponsors the Enterprise Community Centre, which hosts major combined school and other competitive fixtures. Mr Lewis has sponsored three Tairawhiti golf courses and major tournaments over 20 years, recently funding installation of a golf simulator.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

LEWIS, Mr Samuel (Sam)

For services to business and the community

Mr Sam Lewis has been involved with farming and various community organisations in the Waikato/King Country since the 1970s.

Mr Lewis owns a dry-stock farm in the Waikato region and previously in the King Country. He was Treasurer of Waikato Federated Framers for nine years, coinciding with economic reforms ushered in during the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. During this time, he acted as a key support person and mentor for several vulnerable farmers, assisting them in successfully restructuring their business activities and ensuring that their mental wellbeing needs were supported. He has chaired AFFCO New Zealand Ltd since 1999, which is a leading meat processor with 12 plants around New Zealand, exporting products to more than 80 countries. He is Director of Open Country New Zealand and is a former Director of FMG Insurance. He was instrumental in fundraising $2 million for a building project for Gracelands Community Trust (now Enrich+), which supports and enables young people and adults with disabilities to engage in employment or contribute to their communities. Mr Lewis has supported Commsafe, a charitable trust based in Te Awamutu, through AFFCO and Open Country Sponsorship to support people working together to build a safer and healthier community.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

LIM, Mr HunKuk

For services to the Korean community

Mr HunKuk Lim has supported the Korean community, particularly the veteran community through economic and cultural initiatives for several years.

Mr Lim is the owner of ‘Hi Well’, a business venture that has seen the growth of New Zealand trade to South Korea through major tourism focused products. He established the Hi Well Charitable Foundation in 2013, which has assisted people in need, several charitable organisations and schools and supported hundreds of scholarships for students in the Auckland region and throughout New Zealand. He has supported Auckland’s Korean War veteran community by covering welfare costs and leading commemorative occasions to recognise the contribution of veterans to New Zealand’s war efforts. Since 2012 he has been one of the lead organisers for the annual New Year Seniors Gala, supporting many of the elderly Korean community to participate in cultural celebrations which acknowledge their heritage through music, cuisine and performances. Mr Lim has been the Director of Good Store NZ Limited since 2013, promoting New Zealand products to an international audience through the Korean New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

LIM, Ms Jee Chin (Venerable Abbess Manshin)

For services to the community

Venerable Abbess Manshin is a member of the Fo Guang Shan (FGS) Buddhist Order and in 2003 led the construction of two Buddhist Temples in Auckland and Christchurch, since dedicating herself to serving these communities.

Abbess Manshin established the 3G4G Festival of Cultural Sharing, a free educational programme which, over 10 years, has had more than 33,000 participating students from 63 schools in Auckland and Christchurch. The education programme focuses on instilling the values of the Three Acts of Goodness: “Do Good Deeds, Say Good Words and Think Good Thoughts”. In addition, as the curator of Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery NZ, she supports local artists by providing a platform to present their artworks, through which more than 300 artists have promoted art and shared harmonious messages with the community. She has initiated celebration events such as the Lunar New Year and Coffee Chocolatte Festival to celebrate diversity and bring people together. She has led the team in a cooperative relationship with the Red Cross Meals on Wheels service since 1997. She opened the Temple to provide shelter and meals for the impacted community following the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Abbess Manshin coordinated the distribution of 15,000 Rapid Antigen Tests to 97 Auckland and Christchurch schools over four days in 2022.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

MACGREGOR, Mr Allister Morrison

For services to pipe bands

Mr Allister Macgregor was a Board member from 2012 to 2023 and President from 2014 to 2018 of the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands Association (RNZBPA).

Mr Macgregor drove the growth in youth participation in pipe bands via an education programme and the National Youth Band of New Zealand. He introduced livestreaming of the New Zealand Pipe Band Championships, receiving international attention for New Zealand’s pipe bands. To revive the diminished state of pipe bands in Southland, he donated his own money and time towards establishing the Southland Piping and Drumming Development Trust in 2007, chairing it until 2014 and since serving as Treasurer and Secretary. Through the Trust two internationally recognised teachers were hired, beginning a world-class community-focused teaching programme in Southland. This helped revive the City of Invercargill Caledonian Pipe Band, the oldest civilian pipe band in the Southern hemisphere. The Trust continues to provide music tuition in Southland schools and through the Invercargill band, which now comprises five bands across all grades including a premier grade one band. He established the New Zealand Piping Centre in Otago in 2017, which has created a teaching programme in Dunedin. He became President of the Otago Centre of the RNZBPA in 2023. Mr Macgregor organised an inaugural pipe band competition in Queenstown in 2024.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

MCCAW, Mr Allan John (Allen)

For services to the apiculture industry

Mr Allen McCaw has made a significant contribution to New Zealand’s beekeeping industry over 48 years.

Mr McCaw and his wife have co-owned their Otago beekeeping and honey packing business since 1977. He has worked to support and promote the marketing of New Zealand honey, including the growth of the fledgling mānuka honey industry in the 1980s and 1990s. He has helped foster collaboration and formalise the apiary industry’s planning through a variety of leadership roles, including in the New Zealand Honey Packers and Exporters Association, Honey Industry Trusts, and Executive of the National Beekeepers Association, of which he was made a Life Member in 2007. As a member of the Bee Products Standards Council between 2005 and 2016, he assisted in developing agreed industry procedures for food safety and exporting standards, including monofloral mānuka. He also volunteered on the Apicultural Industry Unification Project in 2015 and 2016, which brought beekeepers together in a new organisation, Apiculture New Zealand. He invented an innovative honey drip tray pallet to store honey supers during the extraction process. A sought-after speaker at industry conferences, field days and seminars, Mr McCaw has received multiple awards in the ApiNZ National Honey Competition, including the Supreme Champion Award in 2016.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

MCGOVERN, Mr Anthony William (Tony)

For services to the racing industry

Mr Tony McGovern has had a 50-year career in the thoroughbred racing industry as a Chief Starter in both New Zealand and Hong Kong.

Mr McGovern started his career in the New Zealand horse racing industry in 1972 initially as a starting gates barrier attendant and then from 1990 as a Chief Starter. As Chief Stater for Upper North Island he officiated all race meetings, including Group One races, including the New Zealand Derby, Auckland Cup, and the Karaka Millions7. In 2003 he was appointed Chief Starter by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, where for the next 13 years until his retirement in 2016, he oversaw all their races days, at two courses, where over 700 races are run each season. Since 2020 he has provided advisory services to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing on starting procedures for races, mentored a new generation of industry participants, and continues the role of Chief Starter for a number of race meetings each year. Mr McGovern is a member of Cambridge Jockey Club.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

MCKENZIE, Mr John Trevlyn

For services to education

Mr John McKenzie was until recently principal of North East Valley Normal School, Dunedin where he worked for 15 years.

Mr McKenzie worked with the staff and community to reverse the declining roll while also opening the school to the community by helping to establish an award-winning community garden, a community centre, and a bi-lingual unit, all on the school site. He introduced the Living Wage to the school, the first school in the country to do so and set up an education council with the surrounding schools. He helped establish the North East Valley Community Project, which addresses issues of neighbourliness and healthier living in the community. These now thriving projects were all built on a sustainable model. He has sat on several executive committees including the NZEI Principals' Council, the Otago Primary Principals’ Association, the New Zealand Area Schools’ Association, the External Advisory Committee of Otago University’s College of Education, and the Dunedin City Council’s Social Wellbeing Advisory Group. He chaired the New Zealand Normal Schools’ Association for eight years. He worked on the formation of He Ao Hou, a trust aiming to address problems facing children and youth in North Dunedin. Mr McKenzie currently works for Evaluation Associates, providing services to beginning principals as well as other work in the sector.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

MENTZ, Ms Lorraine Cranmer

For services to education and philanthropy

Ms Lorraine Mentz led the committee of civic leadership programme Future Auckland Leaders for 13 years and was the co-founder and Chief Executive of the Springboard Trust from 2003 to 2019.

Springboard Trust works within the education sector to transform schools by developing individuals' and teams' strategic leadership, bringing together leaders from the education, private, public and philanthropic sectors. Through Springboard programmes, principals and leaders receive voluntary coaching from private and public sector leaders. More than 500 school leaders have since benefitted from the strategic coaching, resulting in better educational outcomes for thousands of learners nationwide. The Springboard Trust initially focused on low-income area primary schools and has since expanded to both primary and secondary schools nationally. In the early days of the Trust, Ms Mentz was the only paid staff member, often working in her spare time. She was pivotal in attracting longer term, sustainable funding from various foundations and building partnerships between schools and the private sector. She is currently Chief Executive of the Hugh Green Foundation and established the Education Partnership and Innovation Trust, bringing together philanthropic funders with social impact organisations and schools to tackle inequity in education. Ms Mentz also supports education initiatives on the Board of Te Kete Hono and as Chair of the Brian Wilkinson Charitable Trust.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

MITCHELL, Mrs Ereti Paku

For services to New Zealand - United Kingdom relations

Mrs Ereti Mitchell (Ngāti Porou) has made a long-term contribution to relations between New Zealand and Scotland, where she has been living since 1975.

In 1997 Mrs Mitchell co-founded the New Zealand Society Scotland and has served as its President since 2005. In 1998 she organised a commemoration of the Scottish settlement of Otago in the village of Scone, which was attended by 300 people. She has helped establish an annual Scottish Hangi, Waitangi Day dinner and ANZAC ceremony, as well as initiating the laying of a memorial plaque for New Zealand Airmen in 2002. In 2005 she played a key role in negotiating the repatriation of kōiwi tangata and Toi moko which were previously held in the Perth (Scotland) and Aberdeen museums. She has regularly taught Māori songs and culture in local primary schools, and leads the ‘Scaories’ (or Scottish Māori), a group of mostly Scottish women who perform Māori action songs. She has helped fundraise following disaster including for the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the 2016 cyclone in Fiji and the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attacks. She has also helped bring Scottish culture to New Zealand, including helping a Scottish youth brass band to tour the country. Mrs Mitchell presented at the 2023 Dundee Women’s Festival on Women and Māori Culture.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

MORRIS, Ms Maureen Shirley

For services to nursing

Ms Maureen Morris served the Northland and Auckland communities as a nurse until her retirement in 2023, with a particular focus on the care of cancer patients.

Since she began nursing in 1966, Ms Morris has contributed to the effectiveness of Whangārei and Auckland hospitals and the capabilities of the national nursing profession. In her voluntary capacity, she has been involved at regional and national levels with organisations devoted to the support of cancer patients and their families, palliative care, those dealing with loss and grief, the establishment of specialist care clinical standards, and the professional development of nurses. She was heavily involved with the creation and expansion of the Cancer Nurses Section of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation, and instrumental in establishing the Cancer Nurses Knowledge and Skills Framework. As a foundation member of the Jim Carney Cancer Treatment Centre in 2014, she helped establish and maintain an effective colorectal cancer service in Whangārei. She has held several volunteer roles within the Northland Hospice Society, the Breast Cancer Support Service, the Child Cancer Foundation, the National Association for Loss and Grief, and Blind Low Vision New Zealand. Ms Morris received the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Cancer Nursing Innovation and Excellence Award and was made a Fellow of the New Zealand College of Nurses Aotearoa.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

NAYLOR, Ms Vivian Warburton

For services to people with disabilities

Ms Vivian Naylor has been advocating and working to improve accessibility for those living with disabilities for more than 40 years.

Ms Naylor requires a wheelchair for mobility due to an incident which resulted in a spinal injury. She was an adviser on transport and public access for people with disabilities with the Auckland Regional Authority in the 1970s. She has been part of the Crippled Children Society (now CCS Disability Action) since 1979 and helped establish the information arm of the new Independent Living Centre in Auckland. She established the Attendant Care Scheme for those with disabilities and became the Community Liaison Coordinator and Barrier Free Adviser and Educator. She helped establish the disability service Dial a Ride Transport in 1983, which ran until 2016 when it became fully funded and independent. She has been a founding Trustee of Barrier Free Trust New Zealand for 12 years, delivering training to Territorial Authorities and other bodies. She is a member of Auckland Transport’s Public Transport and Capital Projects Accessibility Groups and was a member of the Building Code Review in 2007. She has been a member of multiple panels including Fire Safety Reviews and the Disability Access Review in 2014. Ms Naylor has presented at conferences and seminars and offers advice on Universal Access and Design.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

NELSON, Mrs Linda Rosemary, JP

For services to people with intellectual disabilities

Mrs Linda Nelson led the establishment of the Ranfurly Care Society in 1991 which provides a caring and supportive environment for 41 residents with profound intellectual and physical disabilities.

Mrs Nelson has been the manager of the society and a fundraiser, a volunteer, family advocate, and advisor on the activities of the society and disabled community since her daughter was born with cerebral Palsy 50 years ago. She has worked on changing the focus of the residential services to become more of a family care home and the Activity Centre Day service to offer comprehensive learning choices by introducing art, drama classes, and computer studies, for residents and the 30 community students. She has overseen the growth of the Society, which now has three homes. Mrs Nelson has also been involved with the New Zealand Disability Support Network, providing advice and guidance to other providers of disability services throughout New Zealand.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

OAKES, Mrs Frances Mary Latu, JP

For services to mental health and the Pacific community

Mrs Frances Oakes has been contributing to mental health in the Waitaki District for more than 30 years.

Mrs Oakes has played a critical role in providing critical crisis intervention, grief support, triage and case management services in the region. She helped establish the Counselling Centre (now Waitaki Community Mental Health Service) a key organisation providing essential mental health support to the region. She founded the Oamaru Pacific Island Community group in 1998, a community-led Pacific provider which has become a cornerstone for fostering unity and support for Pacific communities. She has led the Friday Cultural Programme for the Oamaru Pacific Island Community group, which advocate the preservation pf Pacific languages and cultures. She co-founded the Suicide Prevention group within the Waitaki Mental Health Service which provides families with support. In her capacity as Chair of the Oamaru Pacific Island Network she supported the delivery of the Talanoa Ako programme in 2018, a community engagement model which highlights the effectiveness of culturally responsive initiatives. She has led the Le Va mental health training in the community, to provide valuable training to the professionals and community members. Mrs Oakes was recipient of the Waitaki Citizens Award in 2023 for her contributions.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

PATERSON, Ms Julie Leslie

For services to women and sport

Ms Julie Paterson co-founded Women in Sport Aotearoa in 2016, an organisation that advocates for women and girls to gain equity of opportunity to participate, compete, and build careers in sport and active recreation.

Ms Paterson co-chaired the successful bid to deliver the 2018-2022 International Working Group on Women and Sport and 8th World Conference on Women and Sport, the world’s largest gathering for gender equity in sport. The event held in 2022 hosted 1,850 participants online and in-person. As Chief Executive of Tennis New Zealand since 2017, she has led significant growth for the representation of women and girls, particularly in coaching and management roles, with the Wahine Coaching Scholarship programme winning an international award. She has been a member of the International Tennis Federation’s global committee for Gender Equality in Tennis. She was CEO of Netball Southland and the Southern Sting and Southern Steel franchises from 2005 to 2012, then CEO of Netball Northern Zone until 2017. She contributed to the growth of coaches and umpires delivering local grass roots netball as well as an Elite Performance Pathway, providing resources to bring promising athletes from high school into the pre-elite arena and franchise space. Ms Paterson chaired Auckland Badminton from 2014 to 2017, during a period of facility upgrades to host the World Masters Games.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

PAVIHI, Miss Leitualaalemalietoa Lynn Lolokini

For services to Pacific education

Miss Leitualaalemalietoa Pavihi has been contributing to education for 19 years and was integral in the establishment of the first Niue language bilingual unit which opened in 2021 at Favona School in Auckland.

Miss Pavihi has been an Associate Principal of Favona School since 2020 and has driven the Niue bilingual unit to ensure it continues its aim of revitalisation of the language for the Niue community. She has been a tutor and facilitator for Niue language classes run by the Centre for Pacific Languages and has advocated for students with different learning journeys, encouraging all to reconnect with their cultural heritage. She has hosted a weekly Niue radio programme on the Pacific Media Network, providing the Niue community with education and informative tools. She has helped translate, peer review numerous documents and present important information for the Niue community, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been the Niue representative Board member of The Fono since 2022. She is the Niue Trustee for the Pasifika Festival Tataki Auckland. She is a member of the Pacific Island Presbyterian Church, helping establish the church’s social media to connect with those who are unable to make it to church via livestream. Miss Pavihi has been a committee member for Niue Auckland Rugby Union for six years.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

PETREY, Mrs Catherine Gabrielle

For services to the New Zealand Police, arms control and the community

Mrs Catherine Petrey worked in the agricultural and fisheries sectors of New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea from the 1970s and since 2006 has held several senior policy roles with New Zealand Police.

Mrs Petrey has been central in providing advice to Ministers of Police and the government for amendments to the Arms Act 1983 to improve the safety of New Zealanders and frontline police officers. She contributed a high level of technical expertise to the development of the Arms (Military Style Semi-automatic Firearms [MSSAs] and Import Controls) Amendment Bill, passed in 2012. She established in 2012 and was inaugural Chair for five years of the Police-led Firearms Community Advisory Forum. She was Police lead in submissions to the 2016 Law and Order Select Committee ‘Inquiry into issues relating to the illegal possession of firearms in New Zealand’, later writing briefings to lawmakers highlighting gaps being exploited. Following the 15 March 2019 masjidain terror attack, she and her team applied their expertise to enable the enactment of reformed firearms legislation to prohibit MSSAs 26 days after the Christchurch attack, with subsequent involvement in developing and passing further related legislation until 2022. She actively contributed to the establishment of the Independent Police Conduct Authority. Within the community, Mrs Petrey has volunteered more than 35 years to dog training organisations.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

ROBIE, Dr David Telfer

For services to journalism and Asia-Pacific media education

Dr David Robie has contributed to journalism in New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region for more than 50 years.

Dr Robie began his career with The Dominion in 1965 and worked as an international journalist and correspondent for agencies from Johannesburg to Paris. He has won several journalism awards, including the 1985 Media Peace Prize for his coverage of the Rainbow Warrior bombing. He was Head of Journalism at the University of Papua New Guinea from 1993 to 1997 and the University of the South Pacific in Suva from 1998 to 2002. He founded the Pacific Media Centre in 2007 while Professor of Journalism and Communications at Auckland University of Technology. He developed four award-winning community publications as student training outlets. He pioneered special internships for Pacific students in partnership with media and the University of the South Pacific. He has organised scholarships with the Asia New Zealand Foundation for student journalists to China, Indonesia and the Philippines. He was founding editor of Pacific Journalism Review journal in 1994 and in 1996 he established the Pacific Media Watch, working as convenor with students to campaign for media freedom in the Pacific. He has authored 10 books on Asia-Pacific media and politics. Dr Robie co-founded and is Deputy Chair of the Asia Pacific Media Network/Te Koakoa NGO.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

RUMMEL, Dr Louise Gladys

For services to nursing education

Dr Louise Rummel has contributed to nursing as a clinician and educator for more than 60 years.

Dr Rummel began her involvement at the Manukau Institute of Technology’s (MIT) School of Nursing in 1984, where she has since held roles from tutor through to Deputy Head of Department and Principal Lecturer. She completed her PhD in Nursing in 2001 and held the first Research Academic Lead position within the MIT School of Nursing. She was the catalyst for the transition of the established MIT nursing diploma programme to become a comprehensive Bachelor of Nursing degree. She went on to establish undergraduate research papers for MIT nursing students. She was lead author of the book ‘What Jan Began’ (2015), a history of the Department of Nursing and Health Studies. She has contributed to the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) Kai Tiaki Nursing Research journal and is on the review panel. She was previously on the NZNO Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee and Secretary of the Nursing Research Section. She was made an honorary member of the NZNO in 2004. She was the lead investigator of the most recent tranche of the longitudinal Nursing Oral History Project, completed in 2023. Dr Rummel set up and ran the first Occupational Health clinic for New Zealand railways employees from 1962 to 1967.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

SANDERSON, Mr Merrick Clifford

For services to orthopaedic surgery

Mr Merrick Sanderson has been involved with orthopaedic surgery and the Northland community for more than 50 years.

Mr Sanderson was one of two surgeons serving the Northland region from 1976 and had a key role in the Orthopaedic Department at Whangārei Base Hospital until 2017, growing the department, building a collaborative team and mentoring junior surgeons. He retired from clinical practice in 2021. He was a pioneer of arthroscopy in New Zealand and was instrumental in bringing this new technology to Northland. He campaigned for high standards in operating theatre conditions, including pushing for the introduction of laminar flow technology to reduce surgical infection rates. He was involved in the development of Kensington Hospital to improve access for patients eligible for ACC treatment. He co-developed the Northland Orthopaedic Centre and later added the Day Surgical Centre, enhancing opportunities for clinicians in the region and encouraging mentorship. He chaired the Northland branches of the New Zealand Arthritis Foundation and the New Zealand Sports Medicine Foundation in the 1980s. He was President of the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association from 1999 to 2000 and represented New Zealand at international meetings. Mr Sanderson was a member of the Northland District Health Board between 2001 and 2016 and Deputy Chair from 2007 to 2010.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

SCOTTER, Dr Emma Louise

For services to Motor Neuron Disease research

Dr Emma Scotter is a Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland and Head of the Motor Neuron Disease Research Lab at the Centre for Brain Research, leading world-renowned research into Motor Neuron Disease (MND) within the past 10 years.

Dr Scotter and her team showed that New Zealand has one of the highest mortality rates from MND in the world. They are using a range of methods and working with people with lived experiences of the disease to contribute to knowledge of the epidemiology of MND. Dr Scotter helped establish the New Zealand Motor Neuron Disease Research Network and has been Director/Primary Investigator since inception in 2017. She is an adviser to New Zealand’s first MND register that enables people living with MND to participate in research and global clinical trials. She initiated and co-leads the New Zealand MND Genetics Study, investigating the genetic causes of MND, while also providing access to genetic testing for those not eligible through the public health service. In one case, this has enabled pre-implantation genetic testing so that the grandchild of a participant with MND could be born without the MND-causing gene mutation. Dr Scotter has formed strong research and professional links with the international MND research effort, making key contributions to several Australasian and international projects.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

SMALLEY, Ms Rachel Jane

For services to broadcasting and health advocacy

Ms Rachel Smalley has worked for more than 25 years as a presenter and journalist in television, radio, digital and print media.

Ms Smalley spent the majority of her career in broadcasting where she worked as a Programme Host, Foreign Correspondent, News and Current Affairs Anchor, and Executive Producer for both international and domestic television channels. She later anchored radio programmes on NewstalkZB and TodayFM. In 2015, she travelled to the Middle East and Europe to report on the Syrian refugee crisis and was a frontline spokesperson for ‘Forgotten Millions’, a year-long fundraising campaign for World Vision which raised more than $2 million in donations from New Zealanders. In 2020, she formed The Medicine Gap, a website and storytelling platform which gave a collective voice to New Zealanders seeking access to life-enabling or life-saving medicines. Ms Smalley’s advocacy has contributed to some patients receiving medicines which were not previously funded, and she continues to advocate today for better access to modern medicines for New Zealanders.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

SMITH, Mrs Akinihi Miraka

For services to Māori and the Anglican Church

Mrs Akinihi Smith (Ngāti Kuri, Te Aupōuri, Ngāi Takoto, Ngāti Kahu, Te Paatu, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahungunu) is a revered kuia of Ngāi Takoto, Ngāti Kuri and Te Paatu, the most senior elder of her marae in Waimanoni, Awanui, and a senior elder of several other Far North marae.

Mrs Smith has served her hapu, iwi, marae and the community of St Joseph’s Māori Anglican Church in Awanui. She is highly respected for her knowledge of iwi customs and traditions and has been involved with kohanga reo and kura kaupapa, youth and sports groups. She has managed various marae and church fundraising efforts. She has organised maintenance of St Joseph’s church and cemetery. She was a senior member of the Auckland Anglican Māori Mission from the 1960s through to the 1990s, when she moved to Kaitaia. She has represented her far north pastorate at every gathering of the Hui Amorangi, the Māori Anglican Diocesan Synod, since 1963, making her the longest serving representative of the Māori Anglican community. She is well regarded for her leading knowledge of Te Rawiri (the 1662 Anglican Book of Common Prayer and Hymnal). Mrs Smith is an active member of the Mother’s Union and is a Board member of her church’s local residential care unit.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

SMITH, Mr Graham Frederick

For services to horticulture

Mr Graham Smith has led the development of Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust Garden as a garden of international significance and collaborated on Rhododendron research and conservation nationally and internationally.

Mr Smith joined Pukeiti in 1969 as Curator, later becoming Horticultural Director in 1991 and then Director from 1995 to 2008. He built a specialised and internationally recognised Rhododendron collection, importing many specimens and establishing links with leading gardens in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. He led plant collecting expeditions to countries of origin, creating a significant global collection that plays a role in the conservation of a range of threatened species. He is known internationally for his extensive knowledge of Rhododendron, and he has published widely. He has served as Vice President of the International Rhododendron Union, has lectured internationally, and was fundamental to the development of the Massey University ‘ex-situ’ Rhododendron conservation project. He was the inaugural chair of the Taranaki Garden Festival. Since his retirement from Pukeiti in 2008, Mr Smith has continued as an active member of the Trust’s Gardens Advisory Group, working with Taranaki Regional Council since 2010, and takes guided walks through the gardens on members days and festival days.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

TAMAYO MORTERA, Ms Orquidea Nallely Gabriela

For services to diversional and recreational therapy and education

Ms Orquidea Tamayo Mortera has helped develop the diversional and recreational therapy profession in New Zealand since the late 2000s, supporting a better quality of life for people in the aged care, disability and mental health sectors.

Ms Tamayo Mortera has chaired the New Zealand Society of Diversional and Recreational Therapy since 2018, leading growth to more than 1,000 members. She has organised national conferences and implemented support groups, training seminars and coaching. She was instrumental in getting NZQA approval of the New Zealand Diploma in Diversional and Recreational Therapy and a bachelor’s Degree in Diversional and Recreational Therapy. She has provided pro bono group and individual education for more than 1,000 diversional and recreational therapists nationally. She provides free education for communities and families, particularly in Māori and Pacific communities. As co-chair of Allied Health Aotearoa, she was key to all nationally registered diversional therapists becoming Allied Health Professionals. She has received multiple awards, including the International NAAP Director’s Award of Excellence in 2022 from the United States National Association of Activity Professionals, for her global contributions in bringing together therapeutic recreation organisation leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic to share resources. Since 2016, Ms Tamayo Mortera has volunteered as an advisor, trustee, trainer or office holder with various recreational therapy, aged care, mental health and multicultural organisations.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

TANGITU, Mrs Amohaere Judith

For services to Māori health

Mrs Amohaere Tangitu (Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Maniapoto) spent 36 years of her career in the health sector advocating for cultural awareness and safety.

Mrs Tangitu was the Bicultural Parent Liaison Officer at Princess Mary Hospital, fostering relationships with kaumātua in Auckland through the establishment of Te Kāhui Kaumātua Council. She became the Manager of Māori Health in 1989, helped establish the Princess Mary Hospital Whānau House for families to stay in, and was involved in the planning and design of Starship Hospital. This initiative led to the launch of the Ronald McDonald House which opened in 1994. She was a member of the National body of Whānau Āwhina Plunket from 2015 to 2021 and provided advice as a Cultural Consultant to New Zealand Red Cross and Alzheimer’s New Zealand. In 1994 she became the Iwi consultant in Rotorua Hospital where she implemented cultural processes alongside the hospital treatments. In 1999 she became Senior Manager Māori Health of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board where she formed the Māori Health Rūnanga, representing 18 Māori tribes across the region within one forum. Mrs Tangitu was the Director of Regional Māori Health Services from 2010 following the amalgamation of Te Whānau o Irakewa and Te Puna Hauora, providing health services for 22 tribes across the region, until retirement in 2018.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

TEAL, Mr Glenn Lindsay

For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the community

Mr Glenn Teal has been Chief Fire Officer of the Auckland Operational Support Unit (OSU) since 2010, having joined the preceding Auckland Volunteer Fire Police Corps in 1979.

The Auckland Operational Support Unit (OSU) comprises 60 volunteer members and provides 24/7 support to Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) personnel and other emergency services across Auckland. Mr Teal’s leadership has ensured the seamless operation of the unit across the wide and diverse Super City region. He helped formulate FENZ’s first comprehensive basic training and progression system for Operational Support personnel in 2011, still in use today. He was on the committee which instigated a national standard for FENZ Operational Support personnel apparel. He established an Observer Programme to drive recruitment, introducing potential recruits to the unit’s in-field activities. He led projects to upgrade the unit’s stand-alone radio network, refurbish OSU premises, and replace brigade vehicles in 2023. He mobilised OSU resources to directly assist following the 2010 Christchurch earthquake and during the 2019 Marlborough wildfires. He oversaw measures to ensure the Auckland OSU could continue to provide full support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Teal has applied his property and investment expertise in voluntary and professional capacities to charities, including the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle Trust Board for 36 years and Laidlaw College Foundation for 18 years.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

TODD, Mrs Allison Jane (Ally)

For services to equestrian coaching and water safety

Mrs Ally Todd is a swim coach with more than 37 years of experience and 14 years as an equestrian coach.

Mrs Todd has coached children of all levels across swimming, water polo, triathlon, kayaking and lifeguarding. She has coached swim teams at a national level as well as internationally. She holds various positions with the New Zealand Pony Club (NZPCA), including Branch Head Coach for ten years, District Commissioner of the Wellington Pony Club, and the NZPCA Education and Development Committee Chair. She is a qualified equestrian coach and examiner and has coached many others to become qualified through the Equestrian Coaches Training Programme. As a qualified examiner she is able to examine and help coaches gain their qualifications in both horse management and riding. She developed the Swimming Teaching and Coaching Qualifications Framework in line with the National Coaching Strategy (Sport New Zealand). She has worked with Water Safety New Zealand to develop an infant and preschool swimming programme to help reinforce the importance of water safety. As National Education Manager of Swimming New Zealand, Mrs Todd established the swim school’s initiative to set the standards for swim schools, with 35 schools meeting this standard today.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

TYNAN, Ms Kristine Ellen (Kris)

For services to people with long-term conditions and older adults

Ms Kris Tynan has worked for more than 40 years as a health and fitness professional in the United Kingdom and New Zealand, specialising in supporting people who live with long-term medical conditions to exercise.

Ms Tynan co-established the Exercise as Medicine charity in New Zealand to support this work. She has written several online training courses for exercise professionals in the areas of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, diabetes and obesity, prostate and breast cancer, Parkinson’s and stroke, and respiratory conditions. She has authored the books ‘Leading Older Adults in Functional Fitness Activity’ and ‘Interactive Instructor’, which is used worldwide as a course textbook and reference for health and physical activity providers. She is the national trainer for Prost-FIT, the nationwide programme for men with prostate cancer, and is a regular presenter at conferences and workshops throughout New Zealand as well as featuring in publications in the United Kingdom. Ms Tynan delivers the Ronnie Gardner Method (RGM), a multi-sensory practise stimulating cognitive and motor skills, and is a member of the RGM Aotearoa tutoring team training others in the method.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

URBAHN, Mrs Jocelyn Isobel (Joss)

For services to surf lifesaving and squash

Mrs Joss Urbahn has contributed significantly as a volunteer office holder with surf lifesaving and squash at local, regional and national levels for more than 40 years.

Mrs Urbahn has been involved with surf lifesaving since 1986, initially in Palmerston North and with Foxton Surf Lifesaving Club since 2003, holding various offices including committee member, Club Captain, team manager and President. Her organisational skills have had a significant contribution in keeping these clubs operational. At the regional level she has been a committee member, regional team manager for six years and competition secretary. She continues to volunteer as a New Zealand competition official. In 2023 she served as Head of Event Management for six national, five regional and seven local surf lifesaving competitions. She has been involved with squash since 1979 as a player, club captain and president, and tournament director. She has held various roles for the Central zone over 35 years and at the national level she has been Director of Rules and Refereeing from 1994 to 2001 and 2009 to 2011. Mrs Urbahn has won several refereeing awards and has been tournament referee for the Women’s World Teams competition, World Junior Squash Championships, New Zealand Squash National Championships and most recently the 2023 World Men’s Teams event.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

WALKER, Mrs Sally Ann

For services to health advocacy

Mrs Sally Walker is an advocate who has helped drive fundamental change in the health care sector by raising awareness around the use of surgical mesh to treat urinary incontinence in women and the impact of severe surgical mesh injuries.

With more than 64 complaints of injuries from the use of surgical mesh for stress urinary incontinence over the past decade, and having faced significant complications from her own surgical mesh implants, Mrs Walker has influenced health professionals, government entities, and NGOs to prioritise patient safety and wellbeing. Through sharing her personal journey, she has also helped others avoid similar complications. She initiated a petition in 2022, calling for the suspension of the surgical mesh procedure for stress urinary incontinence. Her advocacy helped lead to the 2023 announcement that mesh surgeries in New Zealand would be paused because of safety concerns, allowing steps to be put in place to reduce harms linked to the procedure. Mrs Walker voluntarily manages a health and disability support network, supporting more than 110 women who have faced similar health challenges, as well as managing ACC support, and was appointed as a Consumer Advisor to the New Zealand Female Pelvic Mesh Service by Te Whatu Ora in February 2024.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

WARNER, Detective Inspector Lewis Robert

For services to the New Zealand Police and the community

Detective Inspector Lewis Warner has been a member of the New Zealand Police since 1983 and has been involved in a variety of operational and leadership roles within Police and the community.

Detective Inspector Warner is the District Crime Manager for Bay of Plenty, providing oversight and direction for response to all serious crimes in the region. He has led dozens of serious investigations including Operation Assembly in 2017, Operation Omanawa in 2020, Operation Skerion and Operation Ubertas in 2018. As District Manager of the Child Protection Teams, he has provided support to the service and delivery in support of young victims and worked with Oranga Tamariki, Ministry of Health and Crown prosecutors. He was Officer in Charge of Workplace Assessment Teams between 2007 and 2010, leading hundreds of Probation Constables in the Bay of Plenty region, and training more than 700 Police staff on new interviewing models. He was Officer in Charge of the Tauranga Police Station where he worked with the Merivale Community Centre, Blue Light, Community Patrols and iwi between 2010 and 2013. He has received a Gold Merit Award and Commissioner Commendation from the Police Commissioner and has received several District Commander awards. Detective Inspector Warner was the Officer in Charge of the Adult Sexual Assault Teams.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

WHITTLE, Ms Lisa Anne

For services to wildlife conservation

Ms Lisa Whittle has been instrumental in the return of native bird species to parts of Wellington, through hands-on and executive conservation roles.

Ms Whittle has volunteered with Ruahine Whio Protectors since 2012, helping save whio and brown kiwi in the Ruahine Forest Park, seeing their numbers increase and stabilise. More than half of the 76,000 hectares of the park is now protected by a network of traplines run by a collection of community-led groups, in which she plays a pivotal role. She has been a Trustee of Manaaki Ruahine Trust since 2020. She co-founded and has led the Wellington volunteer group Ngā Kaimanaaki o Te Waimapihi since 2013, caring for the Waimapihi Reserve neighbouring the Zealandia eco-sanctuary. She has played a key role in pioneering a new form of urban conservation that has seen Wellington become an international benchmark, inspiring offshoot conservation projects nationally. She has actively supported the increase in volunteer-driven predator control across Wellington’s urban reserves, thereby allowing the spillover from Zealandia of taonga species such as kākā and tīeke to successfully nest and breed in Waimapihi Reserve. She was employed as Capability Development Manager with the Department of Conservation from 2010 to 2019. Ms Whittle strengthened DOC’s Trainee Ranger Programme for rangatahi and enabled members of the public to access specialist DOC training.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

WILSON, Ms Adine Rachel

For services to netball

Ms Adine Wilson captained the Silver Ferns from 2005 to 2007, making her debut with the national team in 1999 following captaining the New Zealand U21 netball team.

Ms Wilson was part of the Silver Ferns squad that won the Netball World Cup in 2003 before captaining the team to their historic first Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2006. She retired from international play in 2007, following 79 test appearances. She was a Board member of the New Zealand Netball Players’ Association (NZNPA) from 2007 to 2023, chairing the Board from 2017 to 2023, with time as interim Executive Manager in 2015 and 2021. She was prominent in establishing the NZNPA, eventuating in netballers having a collective voice as the sport headed into the semi-professional era. She was a Board member of Auckland Netball from 2012 to 2022. Domestically, she played for Southern Sting from 2001 to 2007 and captained Southern Steel in 2009. She has been an athlete mentor for the Tania Dalton Foundation since 2018, which supports young women in sport through a range of programmes and is a current Trustee. She has been a SKY sports presenter and commentator since 2013 and has contributed to other popular netball media. Ms Wilson is a member of the Integrity in Sport and Recreation Establishment Board.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

WILSON, Ms Nicola Jane (Nicki)

For services to mental health advocacy, particularly disordered eating

Ms Nicki Wilson has advocated for improved care for people affected by eating disorders.

Ms Wilson has been a driving force behind the work of the Eating Disorders Association of New Zealand (EDANZ), a non-profit organisation which advocates for greater support and resources for families and caregivers of those with eating disorders. She has been a Board member since 2011 and was President from 2013 to 2023. Under her leadership, the charity’s scope of work extended nationwide, providing support, education and advocacy to improve access to evidence-based treatment and outcomes for people affected by eating disorders. She successfully advocated for increased funding and awareness for eating disorders, and the establishment of an External Advisory Group designed to bring lived experience and individual perspective to the design and delivery of services for children and young people. She has advocated for further research into eating disorders and spoken to a range of audiences to raise awareness and understanding of disordered eating, including in schools and medical settings. She has facilitated international experts to speak at training events in New Zealand and presented at overseas conferences. Ms Wilson was a Board member and Chair of Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment for Eating Disorders from 2013 to 2023, an international non-profit organisation and global community supporting families affected by eating disorders.

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To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

YOR, Mr Abann Kamyay Ajak

For services to ethnic and migrant communities

Mr Abann Yor has contributed to ethnic communities across New Zealand, particularly in the resettlement sector, drawing on his forced migration experiences of arriving in New Zealand from South Sudan in 2005.

Mr Yor volunteered as a community leader with the Auckland South Sudanese Community in 2006 and has since contributed through various leadership roles, advocating, and educating within several migrant and former refugee organisations. He has been Chief Executive of the Aotearoa Resettled Community Coalition (ARCC) since 2014, a collective voice of migrant communities working at all levels to progress resettlement, integration and thriving of migrants. He has grown ARCC from a room at Avondale Community Centre to larger premises with a formal structure, governance and management. He has overseen ARCC’s expansion as an umbrella organisation for 26 coalition member organisations from various ethnic backgrounds. He contributed signiﬁcantly to developing the ‘Tūmanako – Table of Hope’ model for ARCC, inspired by traditional Māori community practices. His initiatives to support resettled migrants have included a social hub for seniors, a youth leadership forum, a women’s leadership network and an annual soccer tournament. He has published four books and ﬁve articles on his own experiences and is Chief Editor of the ‘New Resident Magazine’. Mr Yor has represented ARCC at international forums, community events, and in the media.

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To be an Honorary Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:

DANZEISEN, Ms Allyn Sue (Aliya)

For services to the Muslim community and women

Ms Aliya Danzeisen is a teacher, mentor, community leader, spokesperson and advocate for New Zealand’s Muslim community.

Ms Danzeisen has been National Coordinator of the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand (IWCNZ) since 2020, having been an active member for more than 10 years and Assistant National coordinator for five years. She currently holds the IWCNZ government engagement portfolio. She helped found and has been Coordinator of the Women’s Organisation of the Waikato Muslim Association (WOWMA) since 2008. She established a programme for Muslim girls and women aged 14 to 25 to help them integrate into New Zealand society and culture, while also preserving their own identity and faith. She organised various activities including camps, sports, outdoor adventures, and educational sessions and initiated a leadership group for the girls to run the programme themselves. She has provided support to the community following the 2019 Christchurch mosques terror attacks and is a member of Kāpuia, the Ministerial Advisory group on the Government’s Response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry. She has represented New Zealand and Muslim women at global events including the United Nations Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism and the Global Summit of Women 2023—Abu Dhabi. Ms Danzeisen has been a bridge between Muslim parents and schools to advocate for students’ cultural needs.

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King's Birthday Honours 2024 - Citations for Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit (2024)

BANFIELD, Mrs Jeanette Mary (Jenny)

BARTLETT, Mrs Karen Lee

BLACKWELL, Dr Suzanne Joy Yerex

BROWN, Mr Barry James Britten

CARTWRIGHT, Ms Jane Caroline

CHAPMAN, Mr Frank Philip (Philip)

CHEN, Ms I-Hua (Eva)

CHING CHUEN LAM, Mr Phillip (Phillip Lam)

CLARK, Ms Christine Margaret (Chris)

COLLINS, Professor John Patrick Vincent

CORBETT, Mrs Fleur Barbara

COYLE, Mr Thomas Leslie John

CROMPTON, Mr Mark Bryan

DEEHAN, Detective Niall Patrick

DOY, Mr James Alexander

DREAVER, Mr Anthony John

FLETCHER, Mr Reid

FOLEY, Mr Brian George

GODFREY, Mr Ian Edward

GORDON, Mr Keith Raymond

GRACE, Inspector Freda Anne

GREIVE, Mrs Elizabeth Mary (Liz)

HALDANE, Mr John Warner (Warner)

HARRISON, Mr Grant Arthur

HENSHAW, Mr David (Dave)

HOCHSTEIN, Dr Barbara Eva

HODSON, Ms Jolie

HOPPER, Mr Leigh Allen

HUDSON, Mr Kerry Noel Henry

HUTA, The Venerable Joseph Anthony

JOHN, Mrs Dianne Patricia

JONES, Mr Keith

KAFKA, Mr Stephen Emil

KAURAKA, Mrs Bridget Piu

KERR, Mr Rex

KING, Mr Murray Grant

LEWIS, Mr Frederick James (Fred)

LEWIS, Mr Samuel (Sam)

LIM, Mr HunKuk

LIM, Ms Jee Chin (Venerable Abbess Manshin)

MACGREGOR, Mr Allister Morrison

MCCAW, Mr Allan John (Allen)

MCGOVERN, Mr Anthony William (Tony)

MCKENZIE, Mr John Trevlyn

MENTZ, Ms Lorraine Cranmer

MITCHELL, Mrs Ereti Paku

MORRIS, Ms Maureen Shirley

NAYLOR, Ms Vivian Warburton

NELSON, Mrs Linda Rosemary, JP

OAKES, Mrs Frances Mary Latu, JP

PATERSON, Ms Julie Leslie

PAVIHI, Miss Leitualaalemalietoa Lynn Lolokini

PETREY, Mrs Catherine Gabrielle

ROBIE, Dr David Telfer

RUMMEL, Dr Louise Gladys

SANDERSON, Mr Merrick Clifford

SCOTTER, Dr Emma Louise

SMALLEY, Ms Rachel Jane

SMITH, Mrs Akinihi Miraka

SMITH, Mr Graham Frederick

TAMAYO MORTERA, Ms Orquidea Nallely Gabriela

TANGITU, Mrs Amohaere Judith

TEAL, Mr Glenn Lindsay

TODD, Mrs Allison Jane (Ally)

TYNAN, Ms Kristine Ellen (Kris)

URBAHN, Mrs Jocelyn Isobel (Joss)

WALKER, Mrs Sally Ann

WARNER, Detective Inspector Lewis Robert

WHITTLE, Ms Lisa Anne

WILSON, Ms Adine Rachel

WILSON, Ms Nicola Jane (Nicki)

YOR, Mr Abann Kamyay Ajak

DANZEISEN, Ms Allyn Sue (Aliya)

References