QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS
Kiwis across arts, health, business, sport, science, technology, education and community services recognised
Today’s honours list recognises 178 Kiwis who have made distinguished contributions to their country.
There are three new dames: educator Karen Poutasi, health champion Jane Harding and Aroha Reriti-Crofts for services to Māoridom.
There are two new knights: All Blacks haka composer Derek Lardelli and medical researcher Robert Elliott.
Other recipients include former All Blacks skipper Kieran Read, Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi, trailblazing former MP Georgina Beyer and writer Elizabeth Knox.
They’ve connected us to our culture, improved our health and helped our youngest and most vulnerable.
Today, five New Zealanders are our newest dames and knights, among 178 Kiwis whose contributions — across the arts, health, business, sport, science, technology, education and community services — have been acknowledged in today’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Among the highest-profile recipients are Oscar-winning film-maker Taika Waititi and former All Blacks captain Kieran Read, made Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM), while trailblazing former MP Georgina Beyer and former Black Sticks captain Kayla Whitelock are made Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit ( MNZM).
But the highest honours among the 88 women and 90 men were reserved for five Kiwis whose collective efforts have improved the lives of thousands.
Among them was Gisborne-Tu¯ranganui-a-Kiwa professor Sir Derek Lardelli, best-known as the composer of the All Blacks’ haka Kapa
O Pango, but also a tireless champion of Ma¯ori arts here and overseas.
Lardelli, one of the country’s finest ta¯ moko designers as well as being a carver, composer, educationalist, cultural consultant and kapa haka champion, said the honour was not his alone.
It was his family’s — and that included the wider Taira¯whiti community and Ma¯oridom.
“Wha¯nau. And that’s wha¯nau wha¯nui, the extended family, which is the whole of the Taira¯whiti region, and in fact Ma¯oridom, because the award recognises first and foremost Ma¯ori and Ma¯ori art.”
Our second new knight is Auckland professor Sir Robert Elliott for services to medical research. Elliott has been a pioneer and entrepreneur in life sciences for decades, including co-founding the foundation which would become Cure Kids, the largest funder of child health research outside the government.
His method for testing for cystic fibrosis in babies has been internationally adopted, and he’s also worked to help develop cell-based products to treat life-threatening diseases.
Fellow Aucklander and health champion, distinguished professor Dame Jane Harding, is one of our three new dames for her work in neonatology and perinatology.
Harding is a world-leading neonatologist at the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute, and her research has helped babies and their mothers around the world, including when she identified the impact of low blood sugar levels on premature babies’ brain development.
Her response was to develop a simple, cheap dextrose gel, changing the treatment of babies worldwide.
Dame Karen Poutasi, of Raumati Beach, is a dame for her services to education and the state, including 30 years in the health sector and, for more than a decade, as New Zealand Qualifications Authority chief executive, during which time both public confidence in the authority and school qualifications assessment performance increased.
Dame Aroha Reriti-Crofts has also received our third-highest honour for services to Ma¯ori and the community, encompassing almost two dozen member or leadership roles of a swathe of Canterbury organisations, trusts and groups, including stints as national and international president of Ma¯ori Women’s Welfare League.
No one was appointed a member of the Order of New Zealand, our highest royal honour and only granted to 20 living Kiwis at one time. There were also no recipients for our second highest honour, dame or knight grand companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Twelve Kiwis were appointed to our fourth-highest royal honour, companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, including former police commissioner Mike Bush, horse racing titan David Ellis, authors Dr Tessa Duder and Elizabeth Knox, and International Olympic Committee stalwart Barry Maister.
Joining Waititi and Read among the 35 new Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit were personal finance journalist and Herald columnist Mary Holm, high-profile TV writer James Griffin, whose credits range from Gloss to Outrageous Fortune, and former Whakata¯ne district mayor Tony Bonne.
Read told Newstalk ZB the honour was “right up there” with other accolades he’d received, including World Rugby Player of the Year. It also reflected on those who had supported him, including his parents.
“I’m pretty chuffed . . . [it’s a] pretty massive honour.”
There were also 68 recipients for member of the NZ Order of Merit, one for the Queen’s Service Order, 56 for the Queen’s Service Medal and one for the NZ Distinguished Service Decoration.