To be a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
COOPER, The Honourable Mark Leslie Smith, KC
For services to the judiciary
The Honourable Mark Cooper (Ngāti Mahanga, Waikato-Tainui) was President of the Court of Appeal from April 2022 to November 2024, having been a Court of Appeal Judge from 2014 and a High Court Judge from 2004.
While a High Court Judge, Mr Cooper was appointed Chairperson of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes. He chaired 33 public hearings and led the Commission to deliver four reports under intense time pressure and public scrutiny, navigating high volumes of technical material. The detailed findings and recommendations avoided delay to the Canterbury rebuild and provided a sense of resolution to the community. He chaired the Council of Legal Education from 2018 to 2024 and was founding Chair of the judiciary’s open justice committee Huakina kia Tika. Before joining the bench, he was a leader in resource management and local government law. He wrote the annotated text “Cooper on Local Government”, published as a companion volume to Salmon on the Resource Management Act. He advised on the integration of thirteen territorial authorities into one Auckland-based Council and six territorial authorities into one North Shore based Council. He served on the establishment board of Metrowater Limited, the Museum of Transport and Technology Board and the Auckland Observatory and Planetarium Trust Board. For 20 years, Mr Cooper served on the controlling executive of the Cancer Society of New Zealand Auckland Division.
To be a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
LINDSAY, Mr Brendan Jon, MNZM
For services to business and philanthropy
Mr Brendan Lindsay founded the plastics storage container business Sistema Plastics in 1982, was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to business in 2012, and has been contributing to the community through philanthropy.
Mr Lindsay built Sistema Plastics into a recognised leading global food storage brand, producing sustainable and recyclable storage products stamped ‘Made in New Zealand’ and exported to 55 countries. Sistema was sold to an American firm in 2016, with the buyer committing in writing to keep production in New Zealand for 20 years. Following completion of the sale, Mr Lindsay and his wife established the Lindsay Foundation to support New Zealand charities, focusing on family, education, disabilities and animal welfare. The many charitable organisations assisted include Pet Refuge, Starship National Air Ambulance Service, New Zealand Riding for the Disabled and Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust. He is a foundation partner of The Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata in Le Quesnoy, France, which commemorates the 122 New Zealand soldiers who died liberating that village from occupation at the end of the first World War, with no loss of life to the town residents. Mr Lindsay was inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 2020 in recognition of his contributions to business.
HONOURS
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, New Year 2012
To be a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SMITH, Mr Ewan Francis, CNZM
For services to Cook Islands business and tourism
Mr Ewan Smith founded and has been Managing Director of Air Rarotonga Ltd. since 1978 and was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Cook Islands business and tourism in 2019.
Mr Smith has overseen growth of Air Rarotonga to what is now one of the largest private sector employers in the Cook Islands, and where more than 95 percent of all employees are 'local’ Cook Islanders. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he ensured no Air Rarotonga employee was made redundant, and the airline maintained essential cargo and medevac services throughout the Cook Islands including air logistics for the Covid vaccine rollout. Everyone including himself was placed on a minimum wage and he provided mentorship, counselling and budget advice to staff. He has continued as Chair of Cook Islands Tourism since 2010, chaired the Association of South Pacific Airlines and is a former President of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce. In 2023 he oversaw the launch of the new vaka ‘Teariki Moana’ in Aitutaki, hosting Pacific leaders attending the 52nd Forum leaders meeting and now developing into a world-class tourism experience, further increasing local professional employment opportunities. Mr Smith has remained Patron of the Rarotonga Golf Club since 2005 and is a Fellow of the Kings College Foundation.
HONOURS
Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Queen’s Birthday 2019