To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
BURGESS, Mr Kevin John
For services to governance, the community and sport
Mr Kevin Burgess has been a prominent leader, contributor and advocate for Cambridge and the Waipā region for more than 30 years.
Mr Burgess' long-term contribution to his community has included business development, district promotion, affordable retirement community funding, strategic community investment, sports clubs, supporting athletes at all levels, assisting youth and philanthropic support. He has been an instrumental figure in numerous organisations. He has been a Trustee and Chair of the Adastra Foundation and Chair and founder of the Perago Sports Trust, organisations that have raised significant funds to provide opportunities for rangitahi and aspiring athletes. He has been a director of The Grassroots Trust since 2005. For 15 years he has been involved with the Waipā and Waikato Secondary Sports awards. He has been instrumental in establishing the Cambridge Information Centre, the Cambridge Retailers Association and the Cambridge Community Fund. He has been a Trustee with Cambridge Resthaven Trust since 2016. He facilitated a group of New Zealand pharmacists to fundraise for and provide tools for Nawaka School in Fiji including computers, books and air conditioning. He is a Life Member of the Hautapu Sports and Recreation Club. Mr Burgess won Leader of the year at the 2018 Waipa Business Awards.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CHISHOLM, Ms Donna Elise
For services to journalism
Ms Donna Chisholm has served the community as an investigative journalist for 50 years.
Ms Chisholm has had a long career as a writer, investigative journalist and newsroom leader. She has written for many major newspapers and magazines. From 1975 to 2008 she worked as a journalist, chief reporter, deputy editor and acting editor for the Sunday Star, the Sunday Star-Times, and the Auckland Star. From 2009 to 2020 she was editor-at-large for Metro and North & South magazines and senior writer for the New Zealand Listener. She specialises in health, science, justice, social issues and crime and has won numerous journalism awards, including magazine and newspaper feature writer of the year three times. She was the inaugural winner of the NIB Health Journalism Scholarship at the Voyager Media Awards in 2016, and won an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2017. In 2009 the television movie ‘Until Proven Innocent’ focused on her investigation which helped free David Dougherty from prison. Ms Chisholm’s reporting of this case was highlighted as an example of excellence in journalism.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CLARKE, Mr Eroni
For services to the Pacific community and rugby
Mr Eroni Clarke played rugby professionally for 15 years and has since made significant contributions to Pacific leadership and mental health services.
Mr Clarke played for the All Blacks, the Samoan Barbarians, Auckland, Counties, the Blues and Highlanders. He is on the Blues and Auckland Rugby Honours Board and is the former President of Auckland Rugby Union. He was on the South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby (SANZAAR) Judicial Panel from 2010 to 2020 and World Rugby Judicial Panel from 2018 to 2020. He was a life coach and mentor with the International Rugby Academy of New Zealand and a Pacific Addictions Counsellor at Tupu Waitematā District Health Board. As the first Pasifika Engagement Manager at New Zealand Rugby (NZR), he led the development of the NZR Pasifika Strategy 2024-2029, established the NZR Pasifika Advisory Group Tausoa Fa'atasi, delivered cultural competency training nationally and facilitated Pasifika Governance Training programmes. He helped establish The Village Community Services Trust for marginalised Pacific and Māori youth. With Le Va, he was influential in the delivery of Engaging Pasifika, the inaugural government-mandated cultural competency training programme for health workers, and Le Tautua, the national Pacific mental health leadership programme. Mr Clarke is a Christmas Box Ambassador, delivering food to people in need across New Zealand and the Cook Islands.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
CULLEN, Mr Peter John
For services to law, governance and youth
Mr Peter Cullen has had a distinguished law career and has contributed voluntarily through governance roles with a range of organisations.
Mr Cullen founded Cullen and Co., later known as Cullen the Employment Law Firm, and grew the business into one of the New Zealand’s most respected employment law firms over 26 years. He was President of the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce for three terms. He is the inaugural and ongoing Chairperson of the Wellington District Law Society Employment Law Committee. He was Honorary Consul for Colombia from 2013 to 2023. He has chaired the Board of the Home of Compassion and was a Director of Wellington Museums Trust from 2007 to 2011. His current roles include Director of Commerce Building Ltd, managing funding for the Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce, Wellington Rotary Club member, and a committee member of the Probus Club of Wellington Central. He initiated the Strengthening Democracy Project in 2022 with Wellington secondary schools, encouraging youth participation in New Zealand’s democratic processes. He initiated and organised Cullen Breakfasts for more than 20 years, inviting people to engage with prominent guest presenters from numerous sectors. Organising around eight events annually, the event has grown to a significant audience of around 200, and Mr Cullen sponsors secondary school students to attend in addition to adult guests.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
DIXON, Ms Rosemary Helen
For services to schools debating
Ms Rosemary Dixon has significantly contributed to secondary schools' debating in New Zealand and internationally.
In 1988, Ms Dixon was one of the founders of the New Zealand Schools' Debating Council (NZSDC) and the New Zealand Schools' Debating Championships. NZSDC is the foremost charitable organisation in New Zealand promoting and coordinating debating in New Zealand's secondary schools. She has volunteered countless hours administering the work of the NZSDC, serving as President from 1991 to 1995 and Treasurer from 1998 to 2005, attending and organising competitions, acting as adjudicator and coaching the national team. She coached the national team to World Championship wins twice. She was Chair of the organising committee for the 1994 World Championships held in New Zealand. She has been an official adjudicator for New Zealand at multiple World Championships and has adjudicated the Grand Final of the World Championships on many occasions. Ms Dixon was the first person to be made a Life Member of NZSDC.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
DRUMMOND, Mr Roger Bruce Douglas
For services to rugby and Māori
Mr Roger Drummond has been involved in varied activities that have contributed to the development of rugby and Māori culture throughout New Zealand and overseas.
Mr Drummond has been the Chairman of the New Zealand Universities Rugby Council for more than 30 years and has been a driving force behind numerous overseas tours by New Zealand university teams. His contributions have secured sponsorship and regular competitive fixtures. He is one of New Zealand Rugby’s longest serving judicial officers and has played a critical part in strengthening and enhancing the judicial administration of rugby at both the national and international levels. He was a lawyer at Bell Gully for 33 years and represented a number of iwi in their Treaty claims. He assisted the Toi Māori Charitable Trust with pro bono advice for many years and has worked consistently to expand and protect Māori arts and culture. He was instrumental in developing a contract between Toi Māori and the Volkenkunde Museum in Holland to promote Māori art and culture to an international audience. Mr Drummond has spent six years on the Board of the Victoria University Foundation and was appointed a Hunter Fellow in 2013.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
DYNES, Dr Robyn Ann
For services to agricultural science
Dr Robyn Dynes is a farming systems scientist who has shaped more sustainable agricultural practices in New Zealand.
Dr Dynes has a family background farming in Southland, and following her graduation from Lincoln University, she worked for 14 years at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Animal Production in Western Australia. In 2004 she started working at AgResearch in Lincoln where she has held various roles, becoming the Principal Scientist and Farmer Engagement Specialist in 2024. She is a member on several boards and advisory groups, including with the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) and Southern Dairy Hub from 2017, Beef and Lamb New Zealand since 2015, and Lincoln University Dairy Farm. She is an AgResearch representative on Southern Dairy Hub Research Advisory Group. She actively supports further education through mentorship, leadership programmes, and hosting students. She was instrumental in the facilitation of the Everything to Gain event in 2022, an AgResearch partnership with Thriving Southland, and the Whitiwhiti Ora Land Use Sustainability Programme. She won the 2022 Sir Arthur Ward Trophy and in 2023 became a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science. In 2025, Dr Dynes won the Bledisloe Medal, Lincoln University’s highest accolade, only the fourth woman to receive it in 95 years.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
EADE, Dr Lorraine Shirley (Lorr)
For services to Māori, governance and the community
Dr Lorr Eade (Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Toarangatira, Rangitāne, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Koata, Te Ātiawa, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Arawa) has contributed to Māori development across Te Waipounamu.
Dr Eade has been a Trustee for the iwi of Ngāti Toarangatira and Ngāti Rārua, variously as Trustee, General Manager, or Treaty Claims Advisor. She has held various directorships including Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu (Whānau Ora), Te Hauora o Ngāti Rārua (Health and Social Services), Te Tao Tangaroa Ltd., Ngāti Rārua Asset Holding Company and Tokomaru Research Centre. She has been a member of Te Kāhui Hauora (Iwi Health Board) for Te Tauihu. She voluntarily Chairs Ngāti Rārua o Te Wairau Society, Māori night market Te Pātaka o Wairau, and previously Te Pātaka Ltd, a Māori Foodbank established during the COVID-19 pandemic. A retired Justice of the Peace, she voluntarily served on a number of committees to reduce whānau harm and improve health services for Māori, including Tu Pono te Mana Kaha o te Whānau o Te Tauihu, Cure Kids Te Roopu Rangahau Hauora, Wairau Pa Marae, ITKD Standards and Discipline Committee, Redwoodtown Community Hall, and the Marlborough District Council Sports and Recreation Committee. She and her husband were Child and Youth Family Home parents, fostering tamariki for more than seven years. Dr Eade was the South Island Taekwon Do Director, and Instructor of Wairau Taekwon Do Club.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
EDGAR, Mrs Judene Louise, JP
For services to governance, local government and the community
Mrs Judene Edgar has made significant contributions in a range of fundraising and governance roles in Nelson, Tasman, and nationally.
Mrs Edgar has contributed to development and good governance in the Tasman and Nelson regions in several commercial and philanthropic organisations. She is currently a Network Tasman Trustee and has previously been Director of Nelson Airport, Nelson Bays Primary Health Trust, and Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, and Board Secretary of the Cawthron Institute Trust Board. She is New Zealand Lead for Chapter Zero, contributing to this international climate governance network. She served as a Tasman District Councillor from 2007 to 2016 and as Deputy Mayor on the Nelson City Council from 2019 to 2022. She is a passionate and consistent volunteer, giving her time to causes including secure housing for all, community infrastructure and amenities, and creative arts. She is a member of the Lottery Community Facilities Fund committee, a Rātā Foundation, and Chair of the Nelson Historic Theatre Trust (Theatre Royal). She has overseen fundraising campaigns that have made a long-lasting difference, including the Richmond Aquatic Centre. Mrs Edgar received a Life Membership with the Murchison Sport, Recreation and Cultural Centre in 2011 following her substantial fundraising efforts.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
EYNON-RICHARDS, Mrs Jane Frances, JP
For services to the community
Mrs Jane Eynon-Richards has been the Manager of the Rotorua Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) since 2003.
Mrs Eynon-Richards has helped to establish Rotorua as one of the country's largest and busiest CAB offices and leads more than 60 volunteers. She is instrumental in applying and advocating for necessary funding from charitable trusts, Rotorua Lakes Council and local businesses. She has contributed to the development of CAB training at a national level and has implemented many innovative initiatives. She is a key contact for CAB on community matters for local and national media. During the COVID-19 lockdown periods she organised to have calls redirected and arranged for a roster of CAB Volunteers to assist callers during those uncertain times. After losing her brother to Motor Neurone Disease, she has worked with Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand (MNDNZ) to organise successful charity walks since 2022, attracting hundreds of participants, local media coverage and significant donations. She has been a Trustee and Chair of St Mary's Primary School Board and Deputy Chair of John Paul College Board. Mrs Eynon-Richards has been a Justice of the Peace since 2004 and served as a member of the Rotorua JP Council, the Rotorua District Licensing Agency Committee from 2017 to 2024, and as a community representative on the Geyser Foundation Advisory Committee.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
FARRAR, Mr Jade Carlo
For services to people with disabilities and the Pacific community
Mr Jade Farrar has been a prominent leader and advocate in New Zealand's disability sector since the early 2010s.
Mr Farrar draws on his personal experience, beginning his advocacy at age 15 with PHAB, an organisation empowering disabled youth. He established PHAB Pasifika and served on its Council and Management Committee. He was also an active member of I Lead, a network for young disabled people, and later the Faiva Ora leadership group, facilitated by Le va. He served as Strategic Disability Advisor at Te Pou, the national disability workforce development agency. He became a founding member of the National Leadership Group for Enabling Good Lives (EGL) in 2012, developing its regional groups to provide opportunities for disabled people to become leaders and advocates. As Chair since 2021, he serves as a primary link between community leadership, officials and ministers, guiding strategic change that has assisted more than 4,500 disabled people and their families. He has significant governance experience, serving on the Boards of Spectrum Care, Community Living Trust, Enable New Zealand, Yes Disability Action, and the Disabled Person’s Assembly’s National Executive Committee. Through his business, Epic Studios, Mr Farrar has worked with numerous organisations to ensure the accessibility of their communications and digital media.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
FORRESTER, Mrs Beverley Riverina
For services to the wool and fashion industries
Mrs Beverley Forrester has built an award-winning wool business from her rural farm in the Hurunui District.
In the early 2000s, Mrs Forrester left her occupational therapy career and partially converted a fourth-generation sheep and beef farm to black and coloured sheep, with the aim to provide high-quality, un-dyed and sustainably processed wool products. She started exhibiting her woollen crafts internationally, involved in every aspect of yarn production to exports. She won the 2003 Her Business Network Award at the Businesswoman of the Year Awards and the 2006 New Zealand Century Farm and Station Award, winning again in 2021. She launched fashion label Beverley Riverina Knitwear, which featured at New Zealand Fashion Week and internationally. She began selling her products and knitting kits in the United Kingdom in 2007, later opening further online and physical shops. She is an active member of Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ), holding many positions including Glenmark Branch President. She is a long-serving member of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association and has judged at international sheep shows. In 2023 in co-ownership, she launched a crossbred wool processing manufacturing unit in South Canterbury. In 2015 Mrs Forrester wrote ‘The Farm at Black Hills: Farming alone in the hills of Northern Canterbury’, with the book’s royalties creating three RWNZ scholarships.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
FRASER, Mrs Deborah Kaye (Deb Fraser-Komene)
For services to mental health and youth
Mrs Deb Fraser-Komene is a community leader dedicated to improving mental health outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi since the early 2000s.
Mrs Fraser-Komene is the Director at Mirror Services in Otago and Southland, delivering counselling and treatment programmes for young people and their whānau. She has encouraged comprehensive bicultural training and a Kaupapa Māori Framework within the organisation. She is on national advisory groups establishing policy and increasing funding for those with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. She is an active member of the Global Leadership Exchange, influencing international discussions about mental health. She holds several national roles including Chair of the Infant Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions Sector Leaders’ Day and co-Chair of the National Committee for Addiction Treatment since 2020. She is on the Ethics Committee for the New Zealand Association of Counsellors, Platform Trust and Atamira and was on New Zealand Drug Foundation Board from 2010 to 2022. She led Te Pou Advisory Group for the University of Otago’s Addiction and Coexisting Disorders programme. She co-founded the Dunedin Youth Expo, engaging more than 1,100 students annually and is Chair of the Youth Hub Development working group. Mrs Fraser-Komene won the 2022 Grand Business South Award for Excellence in Not-for-Profit Leadership.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
GEDDES, Mr Donald George (Don)
For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Land Search and Rescue and the community
Mr Don Geddes worked with Ashburton District Council as both Principal Rural Fire Officer and Civil Defence Emergency Management Officer for 18 years.
Through this role, Mr Geddes managed 10 rural fire forces and 180 volunteers. In 2016 he helped facilitate the implementation of a Welfare Trust, which supports the welfare of volunteer firefighters and their families. He has been a key liaison with Federated Farmers, developing long-standing relationships with the arable farming sector, particularly for the safe burning of crop residue. He has volunteered for Land Search and Rescue New Zealand (Land SAR) with the Methven Group for 50 years and chaired the Group for 20 years. He has served on the Canterbury Regional SAR Committee and chaired that Committee for a term. He served as a Gazetted Advisor (Land SAR) to the New Zealand Police. He was part of a five-person National Land SAR Advisory Panel in 2016, to the then CEO of Land SAR New Zealand. He is a Trustee and Chairperson of WanderSearch Canterbury, a volunteer organisation providing free radio frequency devices for vulnerable individuals at risk of wandering. Mr Geddes has served as a Trustee of the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust and continues his involvement with the Trust as a volunteer.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
GILLIES, Mr Malcolm John
For services to business
Mr Malcolm Gillies has played a significant role in the economic and residential development of Upper Hutt for more than 20 years.
Mr Gillies founded Gillies Group in 2005, a property development, residential construction and real estate company. Gillies Group has delivered more than 2,000 residential sections, contributing to 20 percent of new home builds in the region. Contributing to urban redevelopment, he transformed an old tyre factory into Brewtown (South Pacific Business Park), a thriving, multi-tenant hub that now hosts 35 businesses and employs more than 1,500 people. He co-founded the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS) in 2016, which opened in 2022 as a state-of-the-art sports and rehabilitation facility in Upper Hutt, supporting around 150 professional athletes including the All Blacks, the Hurricanes, and Wellington Phoenix. Beyond his business ventures, he is a committed philanthropist, supporting a range of organisations including the Child Cancer Foundation, the Upper Hutt Settlers Museum, local sports clubs and Hutt International Boys’ School rugby. Mr Gillies’ enduring contributions have shaped the economic, social and sporting landscape of Upper Hutt and the wider Wellington region.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
GUPTILL, Mr Martin James
For services to cricket
Mr Martin Guptill is a former New Zealand international cricketer who has been one of New Zealand's foremost limited overs cricketers for almost 20 years, and is the Black Caps all-time highest run-scorer in T20 International matches with 3,531 runs.
Mr Guptill made his New Zealand debut in all three formats in 2009, and was the mainstay of the Black Caps batting line up in international One Day and T20 matches until 2022. He has represented New Zealand in 11 Cricket World Cup events, one at Under-19 level plus, three ICC 001 World Cups and seven ICC T20 World Cups. He played 367 matches for the Black Caps across all formats. He is the first New Zealander to score a century on One Day international debut, and the only New Zealander to score a double-century with 237 not out in a One Day International, which remains the highest score made in a World Cup match, and the second-highest score made in any One Day international match. He has represented Auckland in New Zealand domestic competitions since debuting in first-class cricket in 2006, and competed for various T20 teams in the Indian, Caribbean, Pakistan, and Australian Super Leagues, and teams in English Country Cricket. Mr Guptill is a long-term member of the Suburbs New Lynn Cricket Club.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
HADLEE, Mr Martin John
For services to the community
Mr Martin Hadlee has contributed extensively to cultural institutions, education, social welfare and other charitable organisations in Canterbury for more than five decades.
Mr Hadlee has dedicated 41 years of service to The Arts Centre, holding many senior governance roles. Through his work with Core Education Charitable Trust, Rangi Ruru Girls' School, the Canterbury Museum Trust Board, and the Rutherford’s Den Trust Board, he has supported learning and cultural engagement at both strategic and operational levels. He has contributed to environmental sustainability and regional development through initiatives including chairing the Eden Project New Zealand Trust from 2014 to 2024, the Cashmere Forest Park Campaign Committee, and the Canterbury Development Corporation Trust. He has been Treasurer of the Canterbury Community Trust (RATA), Hagley Park Grounds Committee, Canterbury Tourism Council and Christchurch Arts Festival. He was a member of the General Medical Practitioners’ Fees Review Committee. He has been instrumental as a Trustee of the Christchurch Methodist Mission Trust Board since 2010, serving as Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee. He helped establish the Art and Industry Biennial Trust and was Company Director of Ferrymead Heritage Park. He is a Life Member of Jaycee International. In 2016 Mr Hadlee became a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, recognising 45 years in the profession to date.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
HARRINGTON, Ms Janine Michelle
For services to education
Ms Janine Harrington has worked in special education across corrections, specialist residential and day schools for more than 30 years.
Ms Harrington has modified a number of international programmes, adapted to meet the needs of Māori learners, several of which have been rolled out nationally. This included Canadian rehabilitation programme ‘Cognitive Skills’, which she adapted for the New Zealand environment, working with experts in tikanga to ensure the programme was relevant and effective for Māori offenders. She spearheaded further adaptation of the programme for women and youth. She developed the first resource centre in support of literacy at Rolleston Prison, introducing the ‘Reading to My Child’ programme, and collaborated on a theatre marae programme. She joined Halswell Residential College Te Otu Mātua (HRC) in 2011, working with neurodiverse and complex needs students, becoming Principal until 2024. She led a shift to a therapeutic model centred on behaviour support, improving outcomes for students. She implemented a pilot of the United States student engagement Check and Connect programme in Christchurch, pairing students with trained mentors. The programme was later integrated into the suite of Ministry of Education programmes. She successfully kept the school open when faced with closures twice and managed general development of HRC, including a rebuild in 2016. Ms Harrington became Principal of Pitau-Allenvale School in 2025.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
HARRISON, Mr David John
For services to the insurance industry and the community
Mr David Harrison has contributed to his community for 60 years through business and governance.
Mr Harrison has been Executive Chair of Ansvar (now Ansvar Claims Services) since 2005 and has had a 100 percent pay-out of claims in the rebuild of several iconic and historical Christchurch landmarks following the 2011 earthquakes. The insurance industry at the time faced immense pressure, leaving him as the only Ansvar board member to coordinate claimants, underwriters, and the Reserve Bank to approve claims. The entity became Ansvar Claims Services, having $30 million in turnover per annum but paying out approximately $1 billion in claims to preserve and repair damaged buildings and sites. He was appointed to the government’s committee on fire services funding and the associated fire services levy in 1992. He was a member of the Prime Ministerial Task Force on Positive Ageing established in 1996 to ensure New Zealanders can move through to a safe, healthy and independent old age. He was Chairman of the Lottery Aged Distribution Committee and was on the board of the Bible Society in New Zealand between 1987 and 2017. Mr Harrison was the founding Chief Executive Officer of Life Education Trust in New Zealand between 1991 and 2000, teaching life skills to more than 250,000 children each year.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
HOBBS, Mr John Gordon (Jack)
For services to horticulture
Mr Jack Hobbs is an award-winning horticulturalist and plant breeder who worked at the Auckland Botanic Gardens from 1977 to 2025.
Mr Hobbs was the first to undertake systematic breeding of New Zealand native plants in 1982, winning the Plant Raisers’ Award from the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture (RNZIH) in 1990. He was elected as Associate of Honour of the RNZIH in 1996. He was Manager of the Auckland Botanic Gardens from 1997 until retiring in 2025. During his tenure, the gardens have been recognised with national and international awards, including a Garden of National Significance five-star rating, International Camellia Garden of Excellence, and the 2017 Qualmark Gold Sustainable Tourism Award. With his support, the Friends of the Botanic Gardens have amassed assets of more than $1 million, significantly aiding activities such as the biennial Sculpture in the Gardens. Since 1989 he has written around 100 articles for ‘New Zealand Gardener,’ written and co-written books, and hosted radio and television programmes. He has presented many lectures, including the prestigious Banks Memorial Lecture in 2000, all illustrated by his photographs. He served as RNZIH’s President from 2001 to 2011 and won the 2022 RNZIH’s inaugural Horticultural Communicator Award. In 2023 Mr Hobbs received the Award of Merit from the International Plant Propagators’ Society.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
HOBBS, Mrs Susan (Sue)
For services to people with disabilities
Mrs Sue Hobbs has worked extensively to safeguard disabled people and Adults at Risk from abuse through various organisations and roles.
In 2010, Mrs Hobbs developed the Keeping Safe Feeling Safe (KSFS) programme and the Safeguarding Adults from Abuse (SAFA) Approach with People First New Zealand, which were piloted in Waitematā. In 2017, she worked with the Ministry of Health to develop a Safeguarding Framework to protect disabled people’s human rights, wellbeing and quality of life. Her advocacy for disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori has extended to supporting the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State Care, where she developed a supported decision-making process and supported engagement for survivors with learning disability, neurodiversity and cognitive impairment. She was on the New Zealand Police Family Violence Change Programme, providing expert advice in relation to family violence and disabled people, and lifespan adult abuse. She worked alongside Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People, to develop the Disability Abuse Prevention and Response (DAPAR) which was the first national initiative designed to safeguard disabled adults from abuse and neglect. For years Ms Hobbs has worked with government agencies, Te Puna Aonui and Whaikaha towards identifying, preventing and responding to abuse against disabled people. In 2024, Mrs Hobbs co-founded VisAble, a disabled person-led not-for-profit organisation focused on addressing violence against disabled people.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
HOPE, Mr Gerald Anthony
For services to local government, business and the community
Mr Gerald Hope has contributed to the Marlborough District in several capacities.
Mr Hope has been involved with the Marlborough Art Society since the 1980s, serving as President from 1993 to 1997. Since 1995, he has served 21 years on the Marlborough District Council, including as Mayor from 1998 to 2001. He has helped to support the environment, youth development, senior citizens and the arts. He was an inaugural Trustee, and later Chair, for the Marlborough Hospice Trust in 2002, establishing community fundraising models for free palliative care services. He has been involved with the Marlborough Youth Trust since 2000. He chaired the ratepayer-owned Marlborough Regional Forestry, contributing towards the wealth and diversification of the district's assets, and made a significant contribution to the Cawthron Institute Trust Board and the Marlborough Enviro Awards. He helped to establish the sister-city relationship between Marlborough and the Ningxia wine region in China, leading to significant non-competitive export growth for the viticultural industry and education sector. For 33 years he was Chief Executive Officer of the Marlborough Research Centre, instrumental in promoting economic growth in the primary sector through research. Mr Hope has supported the Grovetown Lagoon Restoration Society, the Marlborough Cycleway Group, the Rarangi Civil Defence Group, and is former President of the Rarangi Residents Association and Tennis Club.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
JOHANSEN, Ms Kāren Eirene, JP
For services to education and human rights
Ms Kāren Johansen (Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Mahāki, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri) is an experienced educator and former Human Rights Commissioner dedicated to education, indigenous rights and community wellbeing.
Ms Johansen spent 25 years as a teacher and was Principal of Gisborne Girls’ High School from 1996 to 2008, where she championed initiatives that improved outcomes for students and their whānau. She was an active member of the Tairawhiti Polytechnic Board for 10 years and a member of the national Education Review Office Advisory Council, the 2002 Ministry of Education (MoE) Planning and Reporting Working Party, and the REAP Aotearoa National Board. She mentored in the First Time Principals programme focusing on Māori Principals. While a Human Rights Commissioner between 2008 and 2017, her work contributed to greater national understanding of the human rights dimensions of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and she represented New Zealand’s values internationally under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. She has contributed to many community organisations including the Tairāwhiti Rainbow Collective, the Waimatā River Catchment Group, and as a Board member of the Tairāwhiti Voyaging Trust. She was the MoE Advisor to the Tūranga Tangata Rite School Establishment Board from 2019 to 2021. Ms Johansen is a Life Member and Patron of the Gisborne Justices of the Peace Association.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
KENNETT, Mr Richard William, JP
For services to conservation and Search and Rescue
Mr Richard Kennett has contributed to conservation around Queenstown and Glenorchy for 50 years.
Mr Kennett has held conservation roles since the mid-1970s, latterly as a Principal Ranger for Heritage and Visitor Assets with the Department of Conservation. He played a crucial role in the preservation of the Arrowtown Chinese Settlement, Whakaari Scheelite mining assets, the Kawarau Suspension Bridge, Macetown, Skippers, Bullendale and Kawarau Mining Centre. He has had a significant role in the protection and management of Te Koroka pounamu Special Area, in partnership with mana whenua. He was a key driver of the management of the Routeburn Great Walk, Rees Dart and Greenstone Caples Tracks before they were declared tracks of national significance. He has undertaken urgent repair and preservation work above and beyond his paid duties at damaged heritage and recreational sites. He has a longstanding involvement in Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR), including as Whakatipu LandSAR Committee Chair from 2011 to 2017. He has been the senior non-Police representative on the SAR Incident Management Team in the Whakatipu. He has contributed to numerous significant search and recovery field operations, including as Incident Controller for the 1989 Blue Duck aircraft crash. Mr Kennett has managed several Whakatipu walking track developments and initiatives including preservation of the historic Cherry Gardens and the Glenorchy lagoon walkway.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
KERR, Miss Jillian Anne (Jill)
For services to choral music and music education
Miss Jill Kerr has dedicated more than 50 years to music education and New Zealand’s choral tradition.
Miss Kerr was Director of Music at St Margaret’s College for 40 years from 1968, maintaining educational programmes that significantly improved student engagement and outcomes. She was on the Board of the College from 1991 to 2007, taught at The Cathedral Grammar School from 2012 to 2018, and at St Michael’s Church School since 2019. She has held musical leadership roles at St Michael’s Church and sang with the Royal Christchurch Musical Society’s choir for 28 years. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree and diplomas from Trinity College of London and The Royal Schools of Music. She is one of only three New Zealanders to hold the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Certificate in Church Music. In 1998 she was elected an Honorary Member of the United Kingdom-based Guild of Church Musicians. She is an Associate of the Institute of the Registered Music Teachers of New Zealand and has been an affiliate of the Royal Schools of Church Music all her working life. In 2014 she was appointed the first female Precentor of Christchurch Cathedral and in 2017 she was invited to Oxford University as a visiting Precentor. Miss Kerr became conductor of the Christchurch Cathedral Singers in 2019.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
KING, Dr Murray Alexander
For services to transport, logistics and railway heritage
Dr Murray King has worked in the rail and logistics industries and helped to preserve New Zealand’s rail heritage.
Dr King joined New Zealand Railways (NZR) in 1971 and over the next 30 years moved through the ranks to hold senior management positions with the Railways Department, and its successors the New Zealand Railways Corporation, New Zealand Rail Limited and TranzRail. He established a reputation as one of New Zealand's foremost transport and logistics experts. In 2000 he set up a consultancy offering transport and logistics expertise with a focus on rail. He was appointed to the Board of Land Transport New Zealand in 2007, and in 2008 co-authored the "National Freight Demand Study", a Ministry of Transport report forecasting future freight requirements and transport infrastructure needs, which was updated in 2012 and 2018. He has served at a national level of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in New Zealand, including as National President from 2009 to 2011. He has been an active member of The New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society since 1962. Dr King became a Trustee of the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand (RHTNZ) in 2008 and Chairman in 2012, overseeing major restoration projects at the two railway precincts the trust owns.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
LIMACHER, Mr Mark Henri
For services as a restaurateur and to the hospitality industry
Mr Mark Limacher is an award-winning chef and respected figure in New Zealand’s hospitality industry.
Chef Mr Limacher began his career in the 1970s at Bellamy’s, the parliamentary restaurant, and has since opened some of Wellington’s most popular establishments. He co-founded Ortega Fish Shack in 2009, which won a 2014 Cuisine Good Food Guide Award and continues to be recognised as one of the capital’s top dining destinations. He launched the Roxburgh Bistro and Café Bastille, which won the inaugural Cuisine Restaurant of the Year Award. He has supported many charity and community events, including cooking for early childhood centres and hospices and contributing recipes for neonatal fundraising. He is highly respected in the hospitality and tourism sectors, known for not only culinary excellence but his commitment to fostering talent and creating inclusive work environments. He has trained generations of New Zealand chefs and waiters during his career, supporting and mentoring many who have gone to run their own award-winning kitchens. He is a passionate advocate for New Zealand’s primary industries. Mr Limacher has been the recipient of many awards during his career, including winning the Corbans Food and Wine award twice, the Felix award for outstanding Chef in 2002 and 2005, and Supreme individual awards in 2005 and 2023.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MAFILE'O, Professor Tracie Ailong
For services to Pacific and tertiary education
Professor Tracie Mafileʻo is an internationally recognised academic involved in the fields of social work, Pacific education, and community development for more than 30 years.
Professor Mafile’o is Co-Founder and Director of Mana Pacific Consultants, a New Zealand company amplifying Pacific voices through Pacific-led research and consultancy. Since 2023, she has been Associate Dean (Research and Research Training), supporting Pacific research capacity building at Avondale University in New South Wales, Australia. Her scholarship includes more than 50 publications, spanning Pacific-Indigenous social work theory, decolonising research methodologies, and cultural frameworks for practice. From 2011 to 2014 she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Pacific Adventist University in Papua New Guinea, and later Associate Professor in the Massey University School of Social Work. She has influenced national frameworks that guide social services, including co-leading development of the ‘Cultural Humility Framework’, guiding culturally responsive practice amongst the children’s workforce. She has volunteered with the Seventh-day Adventist Church since 1991, locally and in church governance as a member of the New Zealand Pacific Union Conference Executive Committee, the South Pacific Union Executive Committee and the International Board of Education. Professor Mafileʻo has contributed broadly to governance and advisory roles, including membership on the New Zealand Child and Youth Mortality Review Committee and as a founding member of Manawatū Pasifika Fusion secondary schools festival.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MASKELL, Mr Terence Ronald
For services to choral music
Mr Terence Maskell is well regarded for his contributions to choral music in Auckland and nationally.
In 2001 Mr Maskell established The Graduate Choir New Zealand, one of the country’s foremost choirs, and has been its conductor and artistic director since inception. The Graduate Choir New Zealand has performed nationally and internationally to high acclaim, winning the 2009 Classic Sing Grand Prix trophy for the most outstanding choir. Under his leadership, The Graduate Choir New Zealand has performed regularly with the Auckland Philharmonia, particularly in the Christmas concerts. He has worked as conductor and artistic director of several Auckland school choirs including The Centennial Choir at Mount Albert Grammar School, St Paul’s College, One Tree Hill College, King’s College, Auckland Grammar, and Maclean’s College, consistently winning national awards with these groups. He was conductor of the Auckland Youth Choir from 1992 to 2001 and worked as the Director of Music at Aorere College from 1981 to 2001. While at Aorere College, he taught Pene and Amitai Pati, who later formed the internationally acclaimed opera trio Sol3 Mio. Mr Maskell's choirs have performed regularly at national events, on television and radio, and have toured nationally and internationally.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MCARTHUR, Mrs Nichola Rosemary (Nicky)
For services to conservation and the community
Mrs Nicky McArthur is a committed conservationist and has been active in the Kaikōura and wider Canterbury community.
Mrs McArthur is the owner of Puhi Peaks Station, the home to one of only two breeding colonies of the endangered Hutton’s Shearwater seabird. In 2008 she was the founding Trustee of Hutton’s Shearwater Trust and served as Deputy Chair for five years, organising education programmes about the endangered species. She has funded and participated in several studies with scientists and the Department of Conservation to ensure the sustainability of the seabird. Under her leadership of the Kaikōura Dark Sky Trust, the area achieved the prestigious accreditation of International Dark Sky Sanctuary in 2024. She is a member of the Kaikōura Water Zone Committee and current Director of the Kaikōura Seaward Lions. She was a committee member of the Friends of the Christchurch Arts Festival, helping support event staging and fundraising programmes. She was a Trustee of Waihi School from 1997 to 2003, during which time she created the Waihi Gala and raised more than $25,000 twice over from these events in 1997 and 2001. Mrs McArthur is a Mayfair Theatre Trustee, has financially supported several emerging artists, and was instrumental in securing funding for the theatre’s recovery following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MCKEE, Mr Malcolm Ian
For services to sport
Mr Malcom McKee has volunteered as a sporting and community administrator both at community and national levels for more than 30 years.
Mr McKee has contributed to a wide variety of sports and other community clubs, all on a voluntary basis. In addition to roles as Board member and Treasurer, he has served as the Chairman or President for 17 groups including the Waikaia Domain Board for more than 22 years, Show Jumping New Zealand for six years, and Southland Country Rugby Club for seven years. In addition to these positions, he has volunteered his time as an Equestrian Sports New Zealand Show Jumping Judge for 29 years. In 2011 he gained international accreditation and has officiated at 21 FEI World Cup Competitions, the highest level of competition and part of the World Championship and Olympic Games qualifying system. He was a member of the Waikaia Volunteer Brigade for 26 years, serving as the Deputy Chief Fire Officer from 2005 to 2006. His involvement in the rugby community has seen him act as the Northern Southland Junior and Senior rugby delegate for more than 30 years, coach junior rugby for 11 years, and he sat on the Rugby Southland Board Selection Panel for more than 14 years.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MCMILLAN, Mrs Dawn Mary
For services to children's literature
Mrs Dawn McMillan has made a major contribution to children’s literature over more than 20 years.
Following many years as a primary school teacher, Mrs McMillan launched her career as a children’s writer in the late 1990s. She released her first publication, ‘Sea Secrets’, in 1998 and has since authored more than 40 picture books for children and more than 200 educational reading books and texts, with many translated into te reo Māori. Her books have had global success across the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. She has mentored up-and-coming writers and illustrators, made frequent voluntary appearances in schools and children’s bookshops, and maintained active correspondence with young readers from around the world. Beyond her commercially successful books, she has written stories highlighting social issues, such as the adoption of children from the United Kingdom by New Zealand families after World War Two. She has volunteered at the Thames St John’s Opportunity Shop and has been a Waiomu Domain Committee member for more than 15 years, serving six years as President. Mrs McMillan has won the Children’s Choice Award at the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, the Booksellers New Zealand Gold Medal, and the Storylines Notable Picture Book Award.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
MILFORD, Miss Katharine Eleanor (Kate)
For services to people with aphasia
Miss Kate Milford has been the single driving force behind the creation, development and governance of Aphasia New Zealand (AphasiaNZ) Charitable Trust since 2007.
AphasiaNZ is New Zealand’s national organisation providing support to those living with or affected by aphasia, a language disorder resulting from brain injury. While working as a community Speech and Language Therapist in Auckland, Miss Milford worked closely with people living with aphasia and their families, and instigated the formation of what would develop into AphasiaNZ in 2012. She remains involved as Trustee and Secretary. She has been key to organising a biennial international conference at various locations around the country, attracting practitioners and academics working in and researching all aspects of aphasia to share knowledge. She has devised a range of innovative services and programmes, including leading a unique New Zealand-wide team and network of Community Aphasia Advisors (CAAs), who work within their regions offering individualised support, education and advocacy. Other programmes include informal peer-led support groups, educational resources and online training, and a device loan scheme for therapy exercises. In 2024 alone, there were around 7,500 community engagements by the Trust. Miss Milford’s work and reputation have attached a high calibre of committee directors, trustees and speech therapists to support the Trust and its successes.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
NAHU, Mrs Jennifer Louise (Jenny)
For services to rugby league
Mrs Jenny Nahu has been involved with rugby league since the 1960s.
Mrs Nahu has influenced the culture and sustainability of rugby league in Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty region. She has held executive roles with the Ngongotaha Rugby League Club for 55 years and Bay of Plenty District Rugby League for 40 years. She helped persuade the Rotorua District Council to develop six fields of new rugby league grounds on the east side of Rotorua City. She secured the first ever club base in the Rotorua community for rugby league some 10 years later, a facility that is also used by several other community organisations. She led the transformation of Puketāwhero Park into the central hub for rugby league in Rotorua, including project management and building development. She was involved with the relocation of the Carlaw Park administration building, gifted by Auckland Rugby League and then transported to Puketāwhero Park in Rotorua. She continues to serve as the park’s Property Manager. She has established rugby league as a vehicle for mentorship, youth engagement and community pride, nurturing generations of young people on and off the field, particularly Māori and Pacific youth. Mrs Nahu is a Life Member of both the Ngongotaha and Bay of Plenty Rugby League Clubs.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
NAPIER, Mrs Vivien Lewanna (Viv), JP
For services to local government and the community
Mrs Viv Napier has made a substantial contribution to the wider Wairarapa area since the 1990s.
Mrs Napier has volunteered for several organisations and causes in Greytown and Wairarapa, including the Wairarapa Plunket Society, where she served as Vice President and President between 2007 and 2016. She served on the national Plunket Board. She was first elected to the South Wairarapa District Council in 1995, serving a total of 24 years, including four terms as Deputy Mayor and one term as Mayor. She was an active member of the Wairarapa District Health Board for four terms, sitting on several sub committees including chairing the Wairarapa DHB Hospital Advisory Committee. As Chair of the Waiohine River Floodplain Advisory Committee, she spearheaded a ground-breaking flood management strategy, protecting hundreds of homes, businesses, and farms from future climate risks. While Chair of the Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve, she was instrumental in Wairarapa’s 2023 certification as one of only 21 International Dark Sky Reserves worldwide, establishing Wairarapa as a top-tier destination for astro-tourism with associated economic benefits. In 2023, Mrs Napier won the Business Wairarapa Tribute Award and the Bright Star Award from the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
NEVILLE, Dr Stephen John
For services to gerontology research and seniors
Dr Stephen Neville is a nursing professor, researcher and advocate whose work has greatly contributed to the national profile of New Zealand gerontology research.
Dr Neville started nursing in 1979 and has held many leadership roles in tertiary education since, including National Head of Nursing at Te Pūkenga, Professor of Wellbeing and Ageing at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), and Adjunct Professor at Western Sydney University, Edith Cowan University and University of Canberra. In 2015 he co-created the AUT Centre for Active Ageing, a research centre committed to enabling older people to live well and connect with their communities. His research and publications are recognised internationally and cover a broad spectrum of topics, influencing academics, policy makers and staff in older adult healthcare. He is Associate Editor of the Australasian Journal on Ageing and Editor of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. He champions the rights of older adults through voluntary positions with the Ageing Well National Science Challenge, Age Friendly Aotearoa Advisory Board and the Australasian Association of Gerontology. He was President of the New Zealand Association of Gerontology between 2013 and 2019. Dr Neville is a Life Member of the College of Nurses Aotearoa and is currently Professor of Nursing at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
NIELSEN, Mr Kevin
For services to the community and people with disabilities
Mr Kevin Nielsen was the Chief Executive of Hospice Taranaki for 15 years and continues to support disabled people through governance roles in several charitable organisations.
Mr Nielsen left his role as General Manager of a New Plymouth newspaper company in 2002 to lead Hospice Taranaki, a role he held until his retirement in 2017. He advocated tirelessly for increased funding for the Hospice, while also actively developing its fundraising strategy. He played a key role in raising $2.25 million to build the in-patient Hospice facility, and organised the opening of hospice shops in New Plymouth, Hawera and Stratford. As a Board member of Hospice New Zealand between 2008 to 2017, he strove to ensure the long-term sustainability of hospice services nationally. He was made a Life Member of Hospice Taranaki in 2017. With his strong interest in the disability sector, he was involved with the Disability Working Group while serving on the Taranaki District Health Board between 2013 and 2022, helped establish Enabling Good Lives Taranaki and Conductive Education Taranaki Trust, and continues to serve as Chair of the New Plymouth Riding for the Disabled. Mr Nielsen’s efforts were recognised with an Impact Award at the 2022 Taranaki Sports Awards and a New Plymouth District Council Citizens Award in 2023.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
OLIVER, Dr Caroline Ann
For services to cancer research and the community
Dr Caroline Oliver is a dedicated volunteer and clinical biotechnologist who has contributed to a groundbreaking approach to cancer treatment.
Dr Oliver’s work for Kode Biotech, in collaboration with Auckland University of Technology, has led to the development of a personalised immunotherapy treatment for cancer. Her work has been published in prestigious international journals. Kode Biotech Ltd won 2015 New Zealand Innovator of the Year for Cancer Immunotherapy. Outside her research, her contributions to the community have been diverse and impactful, ranging from volunteering with the Salvation Army Family Store and sewing for refugees, to active involvement with youth organisations such as Brownies, Guides, Keas, and Cubs. She held several voluntary positions at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Auckland and was unopposed as the elected People’s Warden between 2005 and 2018. She has been a team leader for Mainly Music in both Parnell and Wānaka, and a teacher aide teaching science at Hawea Primary School. Dr Oliver was elected President of the Royal Society Te Apūrangi Wānaka branch between 2021 and 2023, and continues with organising its monthly events.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
PARATA, Mr Hori Te Moanaroa
For services to conservation and Māori
Mr Hori Parata (Te Waiariki, Ngāti Kororā, Ngāti Takapari, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Hine) is an esteemed kaumātua and rangatira who has helped protect endangered species, contributed to the restoration of land, sea, taonga species and communities, and has supported the development of future Māori leaders.
Mr Parata has been key to conservation efforts and raising awareness of broader ecological issues in Te Tai Tokerau. Through his leadership, several taonga species including the kiore (native rat), tuatara, kauri and tohorā (whale) have been granted essential protections. He has reignited the cultural honouring of tohorā, having worked on more than 500 whales while training individuals, hapu and iwi nationwide through his response group, Manu Taupunga. He helped develop co-management frameworks between mana whenua and the Department of Conservation, including the nationally recognised whale stranding protocol, setting a benchmark for future international, national and regional processes. He has been instrumental in bridging mātauranga Māori with innovative scientific approaches to conservation, such as the Kauri Ora initiative. He worked for the Ngātiwai Trust Board for decades and has advocated for He Whakaputanga 1835 and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, contributing to the publication ‘Ngāpuhi Speaks’, an important resource created during the Ngāpuhi Stage One Claim. Mr Parata is a member of several national Māori advisory groups including Wai 262-Taumata Whakapumau and the Environmental Protection Authority's Te Herenga Māori advisory group.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
PASLEY, Mrs Alexandra Anne (Sandy)
For services to education
Mrs Sandy Pasley is a leader in secondary education, with more than 20 years’ experience as Principal during her 40-year career.
While Mrs Pasley was Assistant and Deputy Principal at Birkenhead College, the school was named 1999 Goodman Fielder Secondary School of the Year. She retired as Principal of Baradene College of the Sacred Heart in Auckland in 2025, a role she held from 2011. Under her leadership, Baradene saw a significant improvement across all results, and is now within the top 10 schools in New Zealand, with close to 100 percent achievement in NCEA. She was the first lay Principal at St Mary’s College in Auckland from 2002 to 2011, also lifting academic achievement during her leadership there. Throughout her career, she has volunteered her time and expertise to various boards and advisory panels, including College Sport, Auckland Secondary Schools Principals’ Association, Teacher Registration Panel, Victoria University of Wellington Masters of Secondary School Leadership advisory board, Te Kupenga Catholic Leadership Institute, and the Ministry of Education Professional Learning and Development Panel. A long-time executive of the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand, in 2015 she was the first female President to be elected and became a Life Member in 2017. Mrs Pasley continues to support principals and mentor leaders as a Leadership Advisor.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
PLUCK, Mr David Stephen
For services to education
Mr David Pluck is committed to equity in education for children in New Zealand’s education system.
Mr Pluck, who was born moderately to severely deaf, actively advocates for the rights of disabled children to learn in their community school, alongside their peers. He trained as a primary school teacher and psychologist before establishing the Rainbow Reading programme with his wife, through which they have donated more than 100,000 books to low-decile schools in New Zealand and around the Pacific. In the 1990s, he helped organise a committee to oversee the establishment of Whakatū Kōhanga and whānau classes based at Whakatū Marae and Central School in Nelson. As the Minister’s appointee on the New Zealand Psychologists Board between 1994 and 2014, he developed a programme to promote the training of female psychologists, which included distance training courses for rural women. In 2000 he developed the guidelines for the use of Māori cultural advisors in the Family Court for situations when one or both parents are Māori. In 2011 Mr Pluck established the Ministry of Education’s Intensive Wraparound Service Te Kahu Tōī, which continues to provide support for more than 600 tamariki around the country each year.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
POKAIA, Mr Andrew Ruawhitu (Pāpā Ruawhitu)
For services to Māori and education
Pāpā Ruawhitu Pokaia is a well-respected kaumātua who grew up immersed in Te Reo Māori, culture and history.
Early in his career, Mr Pokaia served overseas with the New Zealand Army and on his return to New Zealand in 1981, he chose to further his passion of Te Reo Māori. As a fluent speaker, he undertook ongoing study and professional development, embarking on a career in teaching at Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori. For more than 40 years he has played a crucial role in revitalising Māori language and culture in Kura and the community. He remains a Pou o te Reo in the Kura Kaupapa forums nationwide and his advice is highly sought after. He has demonstrated commitment to his community and te ao Māori through his leadership with Rehua Marae whānau governance and providing cultural support and guidance during significant community events. Mr Pokaia continues to hold key kaumātua roles in the New Zealand Defence Force, including leading the Wai 2500 Military Veterans Kaupapa Inquiry and supporting repatriation projects for Māori veterans.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
POOLE, Ms Gaye Annette
For services to the performing arts and education
Ms Gaye Poole has contributed to the arts sector in Waikato for more than twenty years.
Ms Poole was previously a member of the Queensland Theatre Company and lectured Theatre and Film Studies at the University of New South Wales and the University of Newcastle, Australia. She was appointed Lecturer in Theatre Studies at the University of Waikato in 2004 and was later promoted to Senior Lecturer. Until 2019, she mentored young creatives as part of the University of Waikato's prestigious Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship Programme, which supports emerging talent across sport, the arts, academia, and leadership. She has professional experience teaching internationally at universities across Europe, including a year at the University of Łódź, Poland, and was an Assistant Director at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in the United States of America. Alongside her university work, she founded Carving in Ice Theatre in 2007, a Hamilton-based company dedicated to presenting meaningful, contemporary theatre. Ms Poole has directed 70 productions and staged readings with local Waikato actors of all ages in various venues in Hamilton.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
POULTER, Mr Ian Douglas
For services to education
Mr Ian Poulter worked in education for 47 years, with 34 years as a Principal, until his retirement in 2024.
Mr Poulter was founding Principal of Bluestone School in Timaru from 2005 until 2020, the result of a merger of Timaru West and Timaru Main schools. Under his leadership, Bluestone became a national example of what it means to design a school around the needs of learners, including adopting the Human Rights in Education framework, championing bilingual education, leading a major redevelopment for safe and inspiring learning spaces, and shaping a te reo Māori and tikanga Maori pathway at the school. He oversaw the construction and governance of the Timaru Technology Education Centre between 2006 and 2020. He played a key role in the establishment of Timaru North and South Kāhui Ako in 2017, working as joint Lead Principal to foster collaboration among the schools, with the Community of Learning now comprising 17 schools and 21 early childhood centres. He was Principal from 2020 of Pītau-Allenvale School in Christchurch, a specialist school supporting neurodiverse learners and students with complex needs. Mr Poulter led the school to expand its reach, with satellite classes in Rangiora and Christchurch so more families could access specialist education closer to home.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
POWAR, Mr Ravinder Singh, JP
For services to ethnic communities
Mr Ravinder Powar was a driving force behind the establishment of New Zealand’s first Sikh Temple which opened in 1977 in Hamilton.
Mr Powar had served as the Treasurer, General Secretary and Vice President of the New Zealand Sikh Society, in the years leading up to the establishment of the Gurudwara. The Gurudwara today serves thousands of members of the Sikh community and has aided in distribution of food, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was awarded Life Membership of the New Zealand Sikh Society in 2008 for 30 years’ service. He has been President of the Waikato Multicultural Council since 2011, having held roles since 2006. He has been an executive member of the Waikato Indian Cultural Society since 2012 and the Hamilton Punjabi Sports and Cultural Club. He has been instrumental in organising blood donation events through the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Memorial Trust. He has held several positions with the Country Section New Zealand Indian Association since 1977 including as President, Vice President, Treasurer, Auditor and General Secretary. He has worked with Massey University’s religion department to compile information and holy scriptures on Sikhism, adding to the University’s Religious Directory. Mr Powar became a Life Member of New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Councils in 2020.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
ROBINSON, Mr John Dempster
For services to orienteering
Mr John Robinson has represented New Zealand in athletics and orienteering in international and Trans-Tasman competitions, and has helped grow orienteering as a sport in New Zealand since the 1970s.
Mr Robinson co-founded the New Zealand Secondary Schools Orienteering Championships in 1988 with his wife. Together, they have been heavily involved in orienteering coaching at schools, averaging 1,000 students annually and close to 4,500 students in 2017 alone. He pioneered midweek twilight orienteering in the Pukekohe area, mapping parks and setting courses, and managing events for around 100 participants a week. He established Year 7/8 and secondary school sprint orienteering across South Auckland, an initiative which has grown steadily with around 500 children competing weekly. A committee member of Counties Manukau Orienteering Club, he has been their delegate to Orienteering New Zealand (ONZ) for 30 years. At the national level, he has been a Council member, contributed to technical and programme committees, and coached and managed ONZ world championship teams. His event planning contributions have shaped the success and high standards of national and international championships held in New Zealand. He has helped ensure the financial sustainability of the sport, securing funding from grants and other sources. Mr Robinson founded the Tokoroa Sports Person of the Year awards, an event that has continued for 50 years.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
ROBINSON, Mrs Valerie Jean
For services to orienteering
Mrs Valerie Robinson has contributed to education and sport, particularly the growth of orienteering since the 1970s.
After retiring as a teacher and Principal, Mrs Robinson has organised school sports in the Franklin region on a voluntary basis. She established and maintained the weekly Counties Manukau/Franklin Zone orienteering competitions, drawing 400 to 500 young participants at each event. She has mapped numerous schools across Auckland, equipping teachers to integrate orienteering into physical education programmes. She was instrumental in establishing orienteering at the intermediate school level across Auckland, with more than 3,000 Year 7/8 students regularly competing annually in inter-zone orienteering days. She represented New Zealand at major international competitions in the 1970s, competed in almost every Trans-Tasman orienteering competition, and was assistant manager for the New Zealand team in 2011. She has been a key committee member of the Counties Manukau Orienteering Club since 1975, serving as President for three terms and overseeing the hosting of national and international events. She co-founded the New Zealand Secondary Schools Orienteering Championships in 1988 with her husband. Together, they have been heavily involved in orienteering coaching at schools, averaging 1,000 students annually and close to 4,500 students in 2017 alone. For more than 30 years Mrs Robinson coordinated Counties Manukau school teams competing in major championships nationally.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
ROUGHAN, Mr John Francis
For services to journalism and the community
Mr John Roughan has been a leading figure in New Zealand journalism and media through a career spanning more than 50 years.
Mr Roughan joined the Auckland Star in 1974 and since 1981, he has been associated with the New Zealand Herald, as a journalist, editorial writer, columnist, and Associate Editor. His weekly column appeared in the Weekend Herald for 27 years. He has received several Qantas Media Awards and in 2003 he won the Qantas Fellowship to Wolfson College, Cambridge, and pursued a research project on accommodating indigenous peoples’ nationalism within a cohesive state. He was a New Zealand Press Council member from 2014 to 2018, representing the Newspaper Publishers Association. In 2014 he wrote a biography of then Prime Minister Sir John Key. He is a keen volunteer with the Centennial Park Bush Society, regularly possum trapping, planting, and weeding. During his 30-year membership, he has served as President, Vice President and Secretary of the award-winning Campbells Bay Tennis Club. He won the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year award for the Tennis Northern region in 2021 and was acknowledged as a key contributor when the club was named National Club of the Year in 2023. Mr Roughan has been a Qantas Voyager Media Awards Judge since 2019.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SAEID, Dr Fahima
For services to refugees
Dr Fahima Saeid arrived in New Zealand as a refugee with her family in 2001 and in 2019 she and her husband Dr Arif Saeid co-founded New Settlers and Family Community Trust (NFACT).
Dr Saeid became CEO of NFACT in 2020, where she has overseen activities in social work, networking, educating, mentoring, delivering lectures, and collaborating with other organisations including the New Zealand Police and government agencies. She organises numerous functions and programmes, including running ‘Triple P’ parenting seminars and organising wellness retreats for women and youth at locations outside of Auckland. Her reputation for assisting refugees has attracted new refugees to want to contribute to NFACT’s many programmes. She helped set up programmes for the influx of Afghani refugees escaping the Taliban in 2021, with NFACT being the main organisation assisting their settlement. With qualifications in counselling, she offered her services after the 15 March 2019 Christchurch terror attack and the Auckland floods. Dr Saeid is a member of several regional and national advisory groups and has worked as a counsellor with Refugees as Survivors New Zealand.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SHALDERS, Mr Bruce Douglas
For services to railway heritage
Mr Bruce Shalders, over 40 years, has held various role governance roles including Treasurer and President of the Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society (NZRLS), and its successor the Canterbury Railway Society (CRS).
Mr Shalders joined the NZRLS in the mid-1960s, during which its Canterbury Branch was establishing a heritage railway at Ferrymead, Christchurch. He has contributed to the governance and development of the CRS and has provided valuable assistance to smaller rail heritage groups across the South Island. In his executive roles with the Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand and NZRLS, he has helped coordinate, guide, and encourage the direction of rail heritage nationally. He assists numerous heritage organisations and community groups that own or actively maintain railway stations and other rail heritage structures, including rolling stock throughout the South Island. He is recognised internationally as an expert in developing railway rolling stock conservation plans used by rail heritage groups. He was a founding member of the National Railway Museum of New Zealand (NRMNZ) in 2008 and was appointed President in 2018 and 2019. Mr Shalders has authored or co-authored several books and articles on various railway subjects, including “Through the Alps - The Otira Railway Tunnel”, and “Railway Houses of New Zealand”.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SMITH, Mr Leighton Irwin
For services to broadcasting
Mr Leighton Smith is an award-winning broadcaster who has contributed to the field of news and talk radio since 1985.
For 33 years, Mr Smith was the leading New Zealand morning radio host on Newstalk ZB’s The Leighton Smith Show, focusing on current affairs and major international issues. Since 2019, he has specialised in long-form interviews, producing more than 300 podcast episodes for New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Across his career he has been a staunch advocate for free speech, providing a platform for diverse viewpoints. He started advertising for several start-up businesses, and, with his support, these businesses went on to grow and become well-known. In 1987 he was awarded the Dave Inglis Memorial Award Trophy, won Reader’s Digest Communicator of the Year and was voted first in its Most Trusted list. He has been awarded Best Talkback Host multiple times at the New Zealand Radio Awards and in 2015 he received an award for Outstanding Contribution to Radio. In 2018 he was presented with a Scroll of Honour from the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand for his contribution to New Zealand entertainment. Mr Smith also writes opinion pieces for the New Zealand Herald.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
SMITH, Mrs Mokafetu (Matafetu)
For services to Pacific art
Mrs Matafetu Smith has been involved with the Pacific community, particularly with the innovation of weaving in New Zealand since 1984.
In 1983, Mrs Smith attended the first combined Māori and Pacific Island hui to discuss weaving in New Zealand, which led to the formation of Aotearoa Moananui-A-Kiwa Weavers Association, of which she was a committee member until 1994. She was a member of the national PACIFICA organisation for Pacific women, serving as President of the West Auckland branch in the mid-1990s. She was a member of the Māori and Pacific Island Arts Council from 1983 to 1989, travelling with the committee nationally to help with decision-making. She established Tufuga Mataponu a Niue in 1984, leading promotion of the art of Niue weaving, and organised annual weaving exhibitions at the Freeman’s Bay community centre. She designed and ran a weaving course at Manukau Technical Institute for first- and second-year draft and design students. She has previously coordinated the Niue Village at the Pasifika Festival. She contributed to and organised a woven mats exhibition at the Auckland War Memorial Museum and arranged a Pacific section of the Multicultural Society’s exhibition. Mrs Smith was named Waitakere City Art Laureate in 2006 and continues to share weaving knowledge with individuals from her own home.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
STIRLING, Ms Arihia Amiria, QSM, JP
For services to education and Māori
Ms Arihia Stirling (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Porou, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Whātua) was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal in 2016 for her services to education and Māori.
Since 2016, Ms Stirling has continued in her role as Principal of Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae and as Chairperson of Ngā Kura-ā-Iwi o Aotearoa until 2023, overseeing growth from 11 to 46 affiliated schools by the end of her tenure. She has driven further academic and cultural success, including top NCEA achievements by her school nationally in 2023, and was recognised with a Founders’ Principal for Leadership Award at the 2024 National Excellence in Teaching Awards. She was Board Chair of Te Kura o Te Whānau ā Apanui from 2018 to 2021, overseeing the completion of the build of their kura, having joined the establishment Board in 2015. She has been a member and New Zealand Representative for the Global Education Leaders Partnership (GELP) since 2014. She has chaired the National Secondary Schools Kapa Haka Committee since 2016. She joined the New Zealand Council of Education Research in 2022 and has been Chairperson since 2024. Ms Stirling has also maintained her membership of the Police Commissioner’s Māori Focus Forum, was appointed Patron of Police Recruit Wing 355 in 2022, and continued with the Peak Body Advisory to the Secretary of Education until 2023.
HONOURS
Queen’s Service Medal, Queen’s Birthday 2016
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
STOCKLEY, Professor Andrew Peter
For services to schools debating
Professor Andrew Stockley is an academic leader and legal scholar who has significantly contributed to secondary schools' debating in New Zealand and internationally.
Professor Stockley founded the New Zealand Schools Debating Championships in 1988 as a university student. The Championships built upon existing school debating contests by creating regional tournaments and national finals and selecting a New Zealand Team. He was the first Chair and President of the New Zealand Schools Debating Council (NZSDC), and led the Council for eight years. He established the NZSDC as the most successful debating and public speaking organisation in the country, with tens of thousands of school pupils taking part in the Council’s competitions. He authored ‘The New Zealand Schools Debating Handbook’, used by many English teachers to help develop school pupils’ public speaking. He coached the New Zealand Team for ten years, including coaching the team that won the 1995 World Schools Debating Championships in Wales. He later chaired the World Schools Debating Council and was Chief Adjudicator of the World Schools Debating Championships. Professor Stockley chaired the New Zealand Schools Debating Foundation from 2014 to 2018, leading fundraising to support and develop school debating and public speaking.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
TAN, Dr Audrey Melanie
For services to mathematics education
Dr Audrey Tan has contributed to mathematics education in New Zealand as a leading advocate for reform to strengthen teaching practices.
Dr Tan is known for modelling effective teaching techniques and working alongside school educators to support classroom practice and student progress, leading to increased teacher and student confidence. She took a firm stance against the New Zealand Numeracy Development Project, arguing that it weakened fundamental skills. She was subsequently invited to contribute to reforms of NCEA and served as a member of the NCEA Numeracy Subject Expert Group in 2020. She was appointed to the Ministerial Advisory Group established in 2024 to review the English and Mathematics and Statistics learning areas in the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. Her work is reflected in the growing national adoption of structured teaching methods through the refreshed Mathematics and Statistics curriculum for Years 0 to 8, implemented in schools in 2025. Dr Tan founded Mathmo Consulting in 2004, through which she has provided professional development to schools, delivered classroom teaching, and mentored students directly.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
THOMPSON, Mrs Gail Henrietta Maria
For services to Māori and conservation
Mrs Gail Thompson (Ngāi Tahu) has been a leader, advocate, and mentor for Ngāi Tahu whānui and in conservation.
Mrs Thompson has been Manager of Awarua Runaka since the early 2000s, providing leadership in fisheries management, particularly the customary fisheries area and restoration of mahinga kai and mātaitai takiwa around the Southland coastline. She was Te Runanga o Awarua representative to Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu from 2017 to 2023. She was a founding member of Guardians of Fiordland Fisheries in 1997 and has led work that enabled establishment of several marine protected areas. She has been influential across a wide range of governance and advisory group roles, including more than 20 years on the Southland Conservation Board and long-standing membership on Kaitiaki Rōpū, providing mana whenua views to the Department of Conservation (DOC). She has contributed leadership to conservation projects including Predator Free Rakiura and the South-East Marine Protection Forum. She advocates for Ngāi Tahu access to taonga species and materials, particularly feathers and bone, for continued customary cultural use such as weaving korowai. She has led Korowai Wānanga at Te Rau Aroha Marae since 2010. In 2018, Mrs Thompson was a founding member and co-chair from 2021 of what is now Whakamana Te Waituna, and was instrumental to restoration of the Waituna Lagoon and surrounding wetland areas.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
TUTEAO, Ms Helena Audrey
For services to people with disabilities and Māori
Ms Helena Tuteao (Tainui) is a disability advocate with more than 25 years’ experience in the sector.
Ms Tuteao has held many roles within the disability sector, including at Ripple Trust, CCS Disability Action, Blind Low Vision New Zealand and My Life My Voice. Since 2012, she has been on the Disabled Persons Assembly, serving on the National Executive Committee twice. She joined Waikato’s Enabling Good Lives (EGL) Leadership Group in 2013 and participated in a world-leading evaluation reference group. She has served on the National EGL Leadership Group and with the now disestablished Workforce Development Disability Advisory Group. In 2023 she became the Waikato-Hauraki area’s Pou Rangatira Regional Leader of Te Ao Marama Aotearoa, the national body for disabled Māori, and is the Pou Tohitū for Te Hunga Kāpō, guiding Kaupapa Māori solutions for those who are blind or vision impaired. She provides regular strategic advice to Whaikaha, Manatū Hauora, Te Puni Kōkiri and the Ministry of Education. In 2021, she was on the Community Steering Group which helped to establish the Ministry of Disabled People, later joining the Ministry’s Insights Alliance. In 2024, Ms Tuteao co-authored the chapter ‘Decolonizing Disability: Indigenous Māori Perspectives of Disability Research in the Modern Era’ in the ‘Springer Handbook of Disability’.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WATTS, Senior Constable Grant William
For services to the New Zealand Police and youth
Senior Constable Grant Watts has worked for the New Zealand Police since 2007, serving as a Youth Aid Officer since 2010 and working to improve youth services in the Manawatū.
Senior Constable Watts has built lasting relationships with many organisations to support rangatahi, implementing effective processes with Youth Court, Youth Advocates, Oranga Tamariki and social services. He has been instrumental in escorting high-risk youth around the country in collaboration with Palmerston North’s Youth Justice facility, often planning and supporting these transports in his own time. He has been on the Ministry of Education’s National Attendance Advisory Group and leads multiple initiatives, including the Rock On Attendance Initiative truancy programme, alternative education and Alternative Action plans. He mentors Police colleagues on youth-related matters and mentored a newly formed Police Youth Services team in the Wairarapa, coaching staff through complex court proceedings and Family Group Conferences. He regularly volunteers to support frontline staff and Police partners needing assistance to ensure young people receive the best support and outcomes. He is the Presiding Member of the Palmerston North Boys’ High School Board and presents educational and safety programmes to high schools regionally. Senior Constable Watts has coached at the SquashGym Squash Academy since 2005 and has supported the Central District Squash Representative Programme at both junior and senior levels.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WELCH, Mr William Ian (Ian)
For services to rail heritage
Mr Ian Welch has contributed to the preservation of heritage steam, diesel and electric locomotives, ensuring the world’s largest privately-owned collection can be enjoyed by the public.
Mr Welch became involved with collecting locomotives in 1970 with the decommissioning of steam. He formed a syndicate with other enthusiasts to complete the purchase of three locomotives from New Zealand Rail. He continued to acquire further steam locomotives over 50 years, along with five diesels and an electric locomotive through Mainline Steam (MLS), which he helped found in the 1980s. MLS has run depots in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, holding locomotives in a range of classes, as well as a range of carriages and wagons. His advocacy and personal financial support enabled steam locomotives to access the New Zealand rail network again in 1985, enabling public enjoyment of this historic transport and industrial heritage. He has supported MLS to obtain necessary machinery to maintain the steam locomotives, restoring them to a condition superior to their previous operating condition and preserving the heavy machinery skills required for their upkeep. He has been a Trustee of Mainline Steam Heritage Trust and the Ian Welch Locomotive Trust since 2013, overseeing the collection. Mr Welch has been recognised for his contributions with awards from the Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WHITING, Mrs Elizabeth Robyn
For services to costume design
Mrs Elizabeth Whiting is an award-winning costume designer with more than 40 years’ experience working in theatre, dance and opera.
Mrs Whiting began her career in costume design in the late 1970s and has since made a significant contribution to the arts through her service. She has designed for every major theatre company in New Zealand, including the Auckland Theatre Company since its inception in 1992, as well as multiple dance companies and New Zealand Opera. Known as a collaborative and versatile designer, she has worked with Indian Ink and F.C.C (a collective of Pasifika theatre makers), and the dance companies Limbs, Black Grace and Okareka. In 2003 and 2007 she represented New Zealand at the Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space. She has won several accolades for her work, including the 2010 Chapman Tripp Costume Design Award for The Arrival at Red Leap Theatre and the inaugural Out of the Limelight Theatre Award in 2021, from the Sir Roger Hall Theatre Fund. Mrs Whiting is committed to mentoring the next generation of designers, many of whom have gone on to be high impact costumiers.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WHITTLE, Mr Gary Selwyn
For services to rugby league
Mr Gary Whittle has been involved with rugby league for more than 65 years, in roles spanning referee, touch judge, ground announcer, timekeeper and administrator in Northland, Waikato and Auckland.
Mr Whittle was appointed as the timekeeper for Warriors games in New Zealand in 1995, initially beginning as a volunteer, and has since been timekeeper for more than 500 games. He has volunteered in a range of other roles to ensure many rugby league events could be staged, and to help maintain rugby league’s high standards and reputation. He has been a member of the Auckland Rugby League Judicial Committee since 1981 and is serving his second term as Chair. He has served on a range of committees for the Auckland Rugby League Referees Association, including the annual Gold Medal Awards for more than 10 years. He was the ground announcer at Carlaw Park for Auckland Rugby League for 15 years. He has been a Director of the Rugby League Museum Society since 2009. He chaired Auckland Police Rugby League from 1985 to 1992. Mr Whittle is a Life Member of the Auckland Rugby League Referees Association and of Auckland Rugby League since 2008, and was recognised with a Distinguished Service Award from New Zealand Rugby League in 2000.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
WICKENS, Mrs Sarah Jane
For services to business
Mrs Sarah Wickens is a successful business owner and a dedicated supporter of people and organisations.
Mrs Wickens trained as an accountant, working early in her career in both Wellington and aboard in accountancy and corporate finance. She is a former Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. With her sister, she co-founded natural skincare brand Trilogy in 2002, winning multiple awards and receiving international recognition for their environmentally friendly products. This included the 2005 Wellington Exporter of the Year, 2010 Dominion Post Wellington Supreme Gold Award and the 2012 KPMG Emerging Leader in International business. Since selling Trilogy in 2010, she has focused on supporting not-for-profits and young business owners through mentorship and governance, particularly in Wellington. She has served on the Boards of Absolutely Positively Wellington, The Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency, and several private companies. She has been a long serving Trustee of the City Gallery Foundation and Wellington Culinary Events Trust. Mrs Wickens has provided considerable support to building the awareness of The Wellington City Missions’ new facility, Whakamaru, by encouraging numerous private donations, and spearheading several innovative and creative fundraising initiatives with local companies including Hamish McKay Gallery, The Village Goldsmith and Yu Mei.
To be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit:
ZINTL, Mrs Shirley Jane (Jane)
For services to youth
Mrs Jane Zintl has helped lead positive change across New Zealand’s youth development sector for 30 years.
Mrs Zintl has volunteered in various youth work contexts, including the Canterbury Youth Workers Collective. She established the South City Youth Trust in 2007 and the Strengthening Linwood Youth Trust in 2014, both of which remain active in Christchurch. She has been Chief Executive Officer of Ara Taiohi, the national peak body for youth development since 2018. She has actively advanced professional standards with the creation of Mana Taiohi, a principle-based framework and first Youth Worker Code of Ethics. She led the creation of a Digital Youth Sector Hub in response to the impacts of COVID-19 to support agile youth work. In response to the 15 March 2019 terror attacks, she developed MOSAIC resources for youth workers and young people to respond to radicalisation and extremism. She has supported young people at Youth Week, championed the development of unique data visualisation tool Takiwā and the KnowPYD Platform, linking youth workers with online training opportunities. She facilitated the national biennial INVOLVE conference for up to 1,000 attendees. Mrs Zintl has collaborated with a range of Rainbow youth organisations to develop initiatives, including Te Ngākau Kahukura aimed at enhancing access to health services and social support for rainbow youth.