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.

The 2023 New Year Honours saw women receiving 87 (47%) awards and men 97 (53%) – a total of 184 awards. New Year 2022 saw an equal number of men and women and one intersex receive 183 awards.

For only two awards did women receive more than men: Member for the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) including honorary awards, and Queen's Service Medal (QSM). Women received more awards in the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZ to MNZM) at 59%, with men receiving more of all the Queen Service awards (QSM and QSO) at 52%. Women received more awards than men in two categories: Officer for New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) at 55% and Member for the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) at 56%. See the descriptions for all the awards on the Cabinet website (.pdf file).

Beryl Anderson, ONZM (NCWNZ Hutt Valley Branch and Parliamentary Watch Committee member) crafted this chart of the 2022 Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee honours list. There is much to celebrate. Of the 187 awards given, 96 went to women and 91 to men. Women received more awards in the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZ to MNZM) at 59%, with men receiving more of the Queen Service awards (QSM and QSO) at 52%. Women received more awards than men in two categories: ONZM (55%) and MNZM (56%).

Analyse this chart of the 2022 New Year's Honours crafted by Beryl Anderson, ONZM (NCWNZ Hutt Valley Branch). In the 2022 New Year’s honours list, 183 awards were given to 91 women, 91 men, and one intersex. According to the Prime Minister's Honours Advisory Committee: “Our honours system is a way for New Zealand to say thanks and well done to those who have served and those who have achieved. We believe that such recognition is consistent with the egalitarian character of New Zealand society and enlivens and enriches it.” But if you examine Ms. Anderson's table more deeply, there is much to notice.