The 2023 King’s Birthday and Coronation honours were announced on 5 June. The list included women receiving 95 (52%) awards and men 87 (48%) – a total of 182 awards. Over 60% of QSMs were awarded to women. Women also received more MNZMs than men.

Following tradition, Her Majesty The Queen Camilla, the King's consort, was awarded the ONZ. Her Majesty has become Patron or President of more than 90 charities, focusing her charitable work on health and wellbeing, literacy, sustainability, the arts, animal welfare and survivors of rape and sexual assault. Both Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and His Royal Highness Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh have held this honour.

The Queen’s Service Order (QSO) and Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) will be renamed in honour of King Charles III. Transitional matters currently being worked through include the Royal Warrant governing the order needing to be updated and approved by the King, and revised insignia designed and manufactured for presentation at future investiture ceremonies. The first honours using the KSO and KSM titles are likely to be announced as part of the King’s Birthday Honours in 2024.

Congratulations to all the winners, especially the following who were acknowledged for their contribution to women:

• CNZM
  • The Honourable Lianne Dalziel, former Minister of Women’s Affairs.
  • Deb Gilbertson who founded the Emergent Māori Women’s Leadership Programme and the Women in Agriculture Network.
    
    
• ONZM
  • Dr Shirley Jülich, who has been involved in the restorative justice community in New Zealand since the mid-1990s, focusing on facilitating survivors of sexual abuse to experience a sense of justice.
  • Professor Lynette Tippett, a leader in neuropsychology and dementia research, who has played a major leadership role in the promotion of women and Māori at the University of Auckland.
    
    
• Honorary ONZM
  Honorary awards are made to people who are not New Zealand citizens or citizens of nations of which the Sovereign is head of state.
  • Dr Maysoon Salama chaired the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand between 2012 and 2020 and is currently Emeritus National Coordinator. She has been co-founder and Coordinator of the National Islamic Sisterhood Association (NISA) since 2000.
    
    
• MNZM
  • Mary Aue has been a key advocate for getting Māori and Pacific learners into science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM), leading a group of women to establish South Auckland STEM (SAS) in 2019.
  • Kendal Collins is a social worker running wellbeing and creative programmes for Māori and Pacific young women, to develop resilience, self-esteem and body positivity. The mentoring programme Young Queens and Crown Yourself was launched in schools for young women
  • Ruahei Demant (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Awa) has been involved in women’s rugby in New Zealand since debuting in 2013 with the Auckland Storm. She Co-Captained the Black Ferns to winning the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2022, and was named by World Rugby as the Women’s 15s Player of the Year and as a member of the 2022 Dream Team at the 2022 World Rugby Awards.
  • Joy Dunsheath has contributed to human rights, gender equality and sustainable development in New Zealand and overseas for more than 40 years. She was a Board member of the United Nations Women Aotearoa New Zealand from 2007 to 2014, and member of Graduate Women New Zealand since 1986, serving on the National Executive, and as Wellington branch President from 2012 to 2014.  She was elected as a committee member to the Graduate Women International Hegg Hoffet Fund (Geneva) in 2010 to assist refugee and displaced women to study towards academic qualifications, and has been an active member of the Ministry for Women’s International Caucus for more than ten years.
  • Michelle Hooper led the implementation of the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup occurring in 2022, regarded as one of the most successful women’s sporting events in history.
  • Alexis LewGor has made a significant contribution to multiculturalism in Rotorua, the Bay of Plenty District and nationally for more than 20 years. She was National President and Chair of the New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Councils’ Ethnic Women’s Council for three years and played a key role in assisting migrant women recently resettled in New Zealand.
  • Qiane Matata-Sipu (Te Waiohua, Waikato, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Pikiao, Rarotonga, Mangaia) whose practice focuses on culture and land, principally reclaiming Māori and Indigenous women’s knowledge and identity in the wake of colonisation.
  • Stacey Mendonca established the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) in 1996 along with two others.
  • Andrea Nelson was the Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022
  • Amy Satterthwaite has been part of the New Zealand cricketing community for 20 years as a player, captain, mentor and as coach, appointed as the Assistant Coach for the Adelaide Strikers in the 2022/2023 Women’s Big Bash League.
  • Kennedy Simon (Tainui) has been involved with women’s rugby in New Zealand since debuting in 2013 for Waikato. She Co-Captained the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2022.
  • Awerangi Tamihere (Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Kāi Tahu) has been a member of the Māori Women’s Welfare League Henderson Branch since 2008.
    
    
• QSM:
  • Heniaka August (Ngāti Kahungungu Ki Te Wairoa, Rongomaiwahine), Coordinator for the Ngāti Toa Māori Wardens in Porirua. She was named as part of the 25 Influential Wāhine of Porirua in 2018 by Porirua City Council in commemoration of 125 years of women’s suffrage.
  • Di Buchan was President of the Whangārei Branch of the Women’s Electoral Lobby, and served 10 years on the Wellington Civic Trust, seven as chair. For six years Ms Buchan served as Vice-President of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand and now co-chairs the working group established to integrate indigenous environmental knowledge into mainstream environmental practice.
  • Reverend Alofa Ta’ase Lale is the only ordained Pacific woman minister in the Dunedin Presbyterian community and the immediate past National President of PACIFICA Inc.
  • Karen McClintock has been involved with Rural Women.
  • Miraka Norgate (Ngā Puhi Nui Tonu), Kuia for all Kohanga Reo in the Nelson-Tasman region. Chair of the Whakatu Māori Women’s Welfare League between 2003 and 2005, promoting breast cancer screening, cervical cancer smear testing, obstetrics and paediatric women’s and children’s health.
  • Reverend Penny Sinnamon has held offices with her local Rural Women branch.

Congratulations also to Superintendent Rakesh Naidoo, partner of Vanisa Dhiru, who was awarded an MNZM.

Information about nominating someone for an honour is available on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website.  Nomination forms are accepted throughout the year, but the processing and consideration of nominations is likely to take at least six months prior to the announcement of an honours list at King's Birthday or New Year.

To read more articles from The Circular (May-June 2023) issue 641, click on the tag below.