Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Markus Dunajtschik, of Wellington. For services to philanthropy.
Mr Dunajtschik has contributed to a range of philanthropic causes and charities for more than 40 years. Mr Dunajtschik helped found a helicopter rescue service in Wellington in the mid-1970s, the precursor to the Westpac Helicopter rescue service, and financed the service for 10 years. In 2017 he donated $53 million to build and gift a new children’s hospital to Capital and Coast District Health Board. He has pledged between $50 to 60 million to replace Te Whare Ahura Mental Health Centre in the Hutt Valley. He funded the establishment of the Mark Dunajtschik Chair of Sustainable Energy Systems at Victoria University of Wellington, a commitment of over $2 million.
Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Paul Te Poa Karoro Reginald Morgan, QSO, of Nelson. For services to Māori and business.
Mr Morgan has been instrumental in helping iwi reclaim land of their forebears to develop commercial and social enterprises to restore social and economic wellbeing of Māori. He has been the Director and Chairman of Kono New Zealand LP since 2011 and the Alternative Director of Anagenix since 2011. Mr Morgan was inducted in the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame in 2021. He completed a certificate in Business Administration at Victoria University of Wellington in 1994.
The Honourable Mititaiagimene Young Vivian, of Hakupu, Niue. For services to Niue.
The Honourable Mititaiagimene Vivian was the Premier of Niue from December 1992 to March 1993 and from May 2002 to June 2008. During his time as Premier Mr Vivian oversaw the response to the destruction caused by Cyclone Heta, the construction of the Niue Foou Hospital in 2006, and has advocated for youth employment programmes such as the Young Farmer’s Project, the Niue Pig Farming Initiative and the Vanilla and Nonu Organic Farming Project. He completed a course on the teaching of English as a Second Language at Victoria University of Wellington in 1969.
Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Michèle Edith A'Court, of Auckland. For services to the entertainment and comedy industries.
Ms Michèle A’Court is a multi-award-winning New Zealand comedian who has performed for 30 years nationally and internationally, and has worked across four decades in radio, theatre and television. Ms A’Court has been a trailblazer for women in television, print media and the live stage, challenging the status quo, championing marginalised voices and presenting women’s experiences. Ms A’Court completed a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria University of Wellington in 1983.
Kenneth Michael Williams, of Auckland. For services to governance and the community.
Mr Mike Williams has contributed more than 30 years of service to governance and the community. Mr Williams has been a Director of KiwiRail Holding Ltd since 2019, a previous Director of Ontrack between 2004 and 2008, and is on the Board of Ritchies Transport Limited. He was a foundation director of Insight Market Research. Mr Williams completed a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria University of Wellington in 1971.
Queens Service Medal
Matthew Vincent Frost of Wellington. For services to people with autism.
Mr Matt Frost has been an advocate for the rights of disabled people, particularly people with autism, for more than 15 years. Mr Frost was invited to Chair the Implementation Advisory Group for the New Zealand Autism Spectrum Disorder Guideline in 2008. This Guideline was the first in the World to take a whole-of-life view of Autism and how to support autistic people to live lives in the community. He completed a certificate in Business Administration at Victoria University of Wellington in 1994.
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Dr Gregory Howard Sherley, of Paraparaumu. For services to conservation.
Dr Greg Sherley has studied and published on a range of native fauna and has been active with conservation in New Zealand and the Pacific. He was instrumental in helping formulate DOC’s policy and implementation of recovery plans for endangered invertebrates. Since 2016, Dr Sherley has continued to carry out biodiversity conservation contracts for SPREP and voluntary conservation work in New Zealand and the Pacific. He received his Bachelor of Science with Honours from Victoria University of Wellington in 1980.
Bonnie Jane Robinson, of Auckland. For services to seniors and social services.
Ms Bonnie Robinson has contributed to social service and community work for more than 25 years and has been CEO of HBH Senior Living since 2012. HBH provides hospital beds designed for those who require a high level of medical care and support, including respite care. Ms Robinson has chaired disability organisation Workbridge and Iosis, an organisation working with vulnerable families. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University of Wellington in 1986.
Dr Paul Allan Maunder, of Blackball. For services to the arts and the community.
Dr Paul Maunder has played a key role in supporting arts and community development projects in the Wellington and West Coast regions. From the late 1960s, Dr Maunder has used film, theatre and creative writing to share and record the stories of working people and underrepresented groups. His artistic practices, including award-winning films, have interrogated New Zealand’s past and collective identity. Dr Maunder received his Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University of Wellington 1965.
Ian Robert Archibald Hastie, of Upper Hutt. For services to education.
Mr Ian Hastie has been a champion for diverse communities and a strong advocate for equitable outcomes for students living in low socio-economic areas. Mr Hastie’s career in education has spanned 40 years, with a majority focus on Māori and Pacific students. He was Principal of Avalon Intermediate School between 1999 and 2019 and also co-led the Naenae-Taita-Stokes Valley Kāhui Ako between 2017 and 2019. He received his Master of Education from Victoria University of Wellington in 2005.
Christina Angela Hape, of Hastings. For services to Māori and governance.
Ms Chrissie Hape (Ngāti Kahungungu, Kai Tahu me Moriori) is the current CEO of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Inc and has more than 25 years of management experience within the government and community sectors. Ms Hape has focused on strengthening partnerships between government, community and iwi and facilitating improved health, education, social and wellbeing outcomes, as well as the reduction of inequalities within the communities. She graduated with a Master of Public Management at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington in 2009.
Albert Christopher Grinter, of Rotorua. For services to education and Māori.
Mr Chris Grinter has been an educator for more than 40 years, in both teaching and leadership positions. Mr Grinter became Principal of Rotorua Boys’ High School in 1991, a position he holds today. With support from the school’s Board, he began implementing a Treaty of Waitangi principles-based approach and in partnership with Ngāti Whakaue, created a bilingual teaching programme to teach Māori at every level and normalise Te Reo Māori. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours from Victoria University of Wellington in 1974.
Dale Winifred Farrar, of Wellington. For services to the State.
Ms Dale Farrar is a respected workforce and employment relations specialist whose leadership has shaped a more inclusive, more diverse and more equitable Public Service workforce for New Zealand. Under her strategic direction as the Deputy Commissioner, Workforce, Employment Relations and Equity Group at the Public Service Commission, the Public Service has implemented a stronger and more collaborative approach to Employment Relations. She was responsible for establishing the Gender Pay Taskforce and Pay Equity Taskforce in 2018. She graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a Bachelor of Arts in 1976 and a Bachelor of Laws in 1978.
Brian Raymond Coffey, of Lower Hutt. For services to people with disabilities.
Mr Brian Coffey (Te Ātiawa ki Te Whanganui-a-Tara) has had a career in education as a teacher, educational psychologist and has held managerial roles for special education strategy. Mr Coffey has been involved in disability and mental health provision as a support worker and at a national policy level. He has been involved in several government inter-agency initiatives regarding the disability sector and has been Director of the Office for Disability Issues since 2017. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University of Wellington in 1983.
Priscilla June Baken, of Feilding. For services to midwifery. [article]
Ms Priscilla Baken has been a midwife for 41 years in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the African Sahel. During this time, Ms Baken has served as a Homebirth Midwife, an establishing member of the Community Birth Services Trust, a Midwifery Lecturer, and since 2009 a Community Midwife at Mid-Central Health. Through the sharing of her expert midwifery skills and knowledge, she has significantly influenced the lives of women and whānau. Ms Baken continues to advocate for collaborative methods of working in midwifery and informally acts as a mentor for midwifery colleagues. She graduated with a Masters in Applied Midwifery from Victoria University of Wellington in 1999.
Wendy Allison, of Featherston. For services to drug harm reduction.
Ms Wendy Allison founded KnowYourStuffNZ (KSYNZ), the community-based service for drug checking in 2014, with the goal of reducing drug harm. KSYNZ’s data collection has provided evidence that people using their services will, by majority, not consume illicit substances if they’re found not to be what the person thought they were. This, in conjunction with research by Victoria University of Wellington, has shown people using KSYNZ tend towards safer choices on an ongoing basis. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University of Wellington in 2012.
New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration
Captain Brendon John Clark, of Auckland. For services to the New Zealand Defence Force. (Dip. Grad, 2022) Captain Clark graduated with a Masters of Strategic Studies in 2021.