There were 151 honours award in the 2024 New Years list. Men received 50% with 76, women received 49% (74) and transgender 1% (1). Of the higher awards (ONZ to MNZM) women received 52% (56), men 47% (50) and transgender 1% (1). This was because women received 61% (30) of the ONZMs compared with men receiving 37% (18) and transgender 2% (1).

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:

• DNZM
  • Sarai-Paea Bareman, for services to football governance. Initially the Finance Manager for the Football Federation of Samoa and then Chief Executive Officer between 2008 and 2014. In 2014, she became Deputy General Secretary of the Oceania Football Confederation. In 2015, she was appointed as the only female member of FIFA’s Reform Committee. The first FIFA Women’s Football Division was established in 2016 and she was appointed as FIFA’s first Chief Women’s Football Officer. She was instrumental in hosting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.

• ONZM
  • Marie Carmel Celebrado LINDAYA, for services to multicultural communities. Ms Lindaya has been a member of NCWNZ Nelson Branch.

• MNZM
  • Monica Jacqueline BRIGGS, for services to women and governance. Ms Briggs was Chief Executive of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) Auckland between 2012 and 2018, when she led the establishment of New Zealand’s Equal Pay Awards in 2014, and the creation of Mind the Gap and Gender Tick.
  • Carla Elena DONSON, for services to women and the community. She has been the Manager of Whanganui Women’s Network since 2003.
  • Roslyn Aileen HIINI, for services to women and the union movement. She is a founding Member of the Working Women’s Resource Centre (WWRC).
  • Christine Mary (Kira) HUNDLEBY, for services to Pacific arts. She is a multifaceted artist, creative producer, and social justice advocate for Melanesian and Pacific Peoples. She co-founded Melanesian Women and Friends.
  • Aych Carlin MCARDLE, for services to the rainbow community. She is a human rights activist, supporting the rainbow and disabled communities for 15 years.
  • Dinah Jane OKEBY, for services to the Public Service, through supporting Prime Ministers, Ministers and Leaders of the Opposition in the New Zealand Parliament in a variety of roles over 37 years. She was private secretary for the inaugural Minister for Women’s Affairs in 1984.
  • Kahira Rata Patricia OLLEY, for services to women, youth and the prevention of family violence. She officially established the Save Our Babies Charitable Trust (the Trust) in 2019, though these programmes have been running since 2013. o The Honourable Maryan STREET, for services as a Member of Parliament and to human and democratic rights. She has had a longstanding involvement in women’s rights as a feminist activist. She is a holder of both the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal and the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993.
  • Professor Yvonne Jasmine Te Ruki Rangi o Tangaroa UNDERHILL, for services to tertiary education and Pacific development. Since 2016 she has led the establishment of ‘Tok Save’, the Pacific Gender Research Portal Reference Group. She served as Co-Chair of the Advisory Research Group for Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development between 2017 and 2019. Since 2020 she has contributed to the establishment of the Pacific Feminist Fund, an innovative investment and grant- making initiative to address gender inequality in the Pacific.

• QSM
  • Alison Eleanor CRAWFORD, for services to the community. She has been a member of the Women’s Institute (WI) and involved in numerous community initiatives in the Gisborne region for more than 50 years.
  • Kristeen Elizabeth JOHNSTON, for services to the community. She has been supporting women and girls through her involvement in several organisations in the wider Wellington community. Since 2007, she has taken on leadership roles in several organisations and charities, including as President of Wellington Soroptimists from 2014 to 2015 and again in 2019, and Soroptimist International National President from 2020 to 2022.
  • Te Ao Marama MAAKA, for services to the community. She has been President of Morrinsville Māori Women’s Welfare League since 2005 and Vice President of the Tainui branch since 2019.
  • Hansaben Dhanji (Hansa) NARAN, JP, for services to the Indian community. She has been treasurer of the NCWNZ Manukau branch.
  • Joy Margaret OAKLY, for services to women and education. In 1981 she joined Soroptimist International Nelson where she has held several roles on the Executive Committee, including President.
  • Jennifer Mary Mayson SAYWOOD, JP, for services to restorative justice and women. She was a founding member of Restorative Justice in Whanganui in 1999 and has chaired Restorative City Whanganui Trust since 2012. She has been President of the NCWNZ Whanganui Branch since 2006.

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 (January-February 2024) issue 645, click on the tag below.