Sinclair’s service recognised in honours
A Waikanae resident celebrated her New Year Honours recognition with family over the festive period.
Liz Sinclair was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, the only HorowhenuaKapiti resident to earn the title in this year’s list.
Sinclair has been a Waikanae resident since 1997, commuting to Wellington for a series of jobs in the public sector.
She had a four-year stint as the State Services Commission’s deputy commissioner, which ended last February.
In the role she led central agencies’ coordination of the government response to the Royal Commission on the Pike River Mine disaster.
She also led the team responsible for establishing the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in 2012, and contributed to the working party to refocus Te Puni Kokiri and establish Te Matawai.
From 2004 to 2011 Sinclair was operations deputy secretary at the Ministry of Justice, and from 1993 to 2003 held executive leadership roles at Inland Revenue.
She said she was ‘‘chuffed’’ to find out she had been recognised.
She said she enjoyed the holiday break with family, but had to make one call.
‘‘I rang my parents in Dunedin to make sure they read the paper.’’
Two Horowhenua residents received Queen’s Service Medals for their service in Kapiti, Siu Kai Haslam and Paul Lyall.
Lyall, based in Levin, joined the Paraparaumu Volunteer Fire Brigade in 1962. He was a member until 2001, becoming a senior station officer and mentoring young firefighters.
He joined the Wellington Fire Brigade as a career firefighter in 1965. He is still there, and manages three fire stations.
Haslam, from Ohau, has been involved with the New Zealand Chinese Association’s Horowhenua-Kapiti branch since 1991, and is a Tararua Growers Association life member - she has been on its committee since 1982.
‘‘I think there are many more people worthy. They just haven’t been discovered,’’ she said.
Haslam is also involved with the Horowhenua Friendship Force, The Chinese Growers Youth Club and the HorowhenuaKapiti Chinese Sports and Cultural Association.
Nationally, she has translated documents for the Chinese Community including the 1991 Employment Contract Act, the Growsafe Manual in 1999 and the New Zealand Vegetable Levy Referendum in 2012.