Celebrating Kiwis who made life better

It's almost time to farewell 2017 and welcome in the New Year.

As the curtain comes down on the year, it is also time to celebrate some of the great Kiwis who have rightfully been recognised for their part in making New Zealand a betterplace.

Many of those have had their contributions marked with awards in the New Year Honours list revealed this morning.

Beloved children's author Joy Cowley has been made a member of the Order of New Zealand, the nation's highest honour, with full membership limited to just 20 living people.

Other Kiwis who have previously been appointed to the Order of New Zealand include Richie McCaw, Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Sir Bob Jones and Helen Clark.

Today's honours list also creates four new dames: Dame Rangimarie Glavish, Dame Annette King, Dame Denise L'Estrange-Corbet and Dame Georgina te Heuheu.

There are three new knights: Sir Bryan Williams, Sir Douglas White and Sir John Clarke.

Today we're also celebrating other notable Kiwi achievers, with the announcement of the winner of the Herald's annual New Zealander of the Year award and New Zealander of the Year People's Choice award.

The world-conquering Black Ferns are the deserving winners of our New Zealander of the Year award.

In August the side claimed their fifth Women's Rugby World Cup title after beating England 41-32 in the final in Ireland. Then last month the inspiring team made further history by becoming the first women's team to win World Rugby's prized team of the year award.

Decorated ex-SAS soldier and helicopter pilot Steve Askin has been voted by Herald readers as their People's Choice winner.

Askin tragically lost his life while fighting February's large Port Hills fire near Christchurch.

Earlier in the week, ASB chief executive Barbara Chapman was named the New Zealand Herald business leader of the year, and Team New Zealand's victorious America's Cup-winning crew have been named our sporting achievers of the year.