Knighthood for former PM
FORMER prime minister Bill English was checkmated by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in 2017 but today he is knighted by her Government in recognition of his three decades in office.
After being appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, he will use the title Sir William on formal occasions.
However, he hoped most people will stick to calling him plain old Bill.
His wife Mary will take the title of Lady; Mr English said he was pleased spouses were recognised.
‘‘For Mary, who’s been in public life really for almost 30 years, it’s great to see recognition of her strength and resilience for all those years and keeping our family anchored so that when we’ve come out of politics we are all here and together.’’
Sir William’s knighthood is in the first tranche of honours decided by the Labour coalition Government — with Topp Twins Jools and Lynda Topp being made dames.
Sex workers’ rights activist Catherine Healy, Pacific issues champion Winnie Laban, chemist and women’s advocate Emeri tus Prof Charmian O’Connor and celebrated waka builder Hekenukumai ‘‘Hec’’ Busby also receive titles, along with singer John Rowles.
The honours list of 192 people is the first to feature more women than men.
Ms Ardern paid particular tribute to the ‘‘iconic and incorrigible’’ Topp Twins, whose 30 years of performing has included TV shows, documentaries, five bestselling children’s audio books and raising awareness for breast cancer.
Speaking to the The New Zealand Herald, Lynda Topp said it was a case of ‘‘the rebels getting their medals’’. She said the honours were not just for the twins but for everyone who had supported them over the years.
Former prime ministers are usually acknowledged with a high honour and today’s appointment means Sir William and former PM Sir John Key now both have knighthoods, with Sir John a Knight Grand Companion.
Sir William said he hoped his children would see the honour as recognition, and take some pleasure in it.
‘‘[They’ve] been part of a household that has been very committed to political life and that political life has had quite an impact on the household,’’ he said.
‘‘Some of that has been great for the kids — they’ve had exposure to a lot of different people and ideas. Some has been pretty demanding at times.’’
Sir William laughed when asked if he was surprised to be knighted so soon after that election and given the appointment coincided with Labour’s characterisation of his reign as ‘‘nine years of neglect’’ in its sales pitch for the Budget.
‘‘I suppose I was a bit surprised. But nonetheless the honour is a bit bigger than politics and particularly important for those around me like Mary, my family, the people down South that I represented, those I worked with closely in politics.‘‘
Sir William was prime minister from December 2016 until the election and finance minister for the first eight years of the last National government.
His official citation gives him credit for nursing New Zealand through the Global Financial Crisis in a better condition than most other countries.
He said he was enjoying his postpolitical life, getting involved in directorships and advisory work for business.
‘‘You always know political life is going to end. So I think it hasn’t really been too big a transition or shock to move into a life that was always there, it just wasn’t that obvious before.’’
Lady Mary said when she married she did not know she was marrying into ‘‘longterm public service’’, and the honour was a ‘‘nice fullstop’’ to that.
However, Sir William has not quite closed the door on his work of the past three decades, saying he still wants to work on ideas such as social investment — the use of data to identify atrisk people for support.
‘‘There’s interest outside New Zealand in those ideas.’’