St John knights its new chancellor

Garry Wilson has been given St John's highest honour. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Former Accident Compensation Corporation chief Garry Wilson was yesterday made a Knight of the Order of St John and installed as chancellor of its New Zealand chapter at a packed ceremony in Auckland.

The ambulance-service charity has its own honours system and 55 people - in addition to Mr Wilson - were promoted within the order or admitted to it at the investiture service in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Parnell.

Knighthood is the highest honour that can be bestowed on a volunteer. Among the four made commanders was former National Party president Sue Wood.

Speaking at the service, Sir Anand Satyanand, who as Governor-General is also Prior of the Order of St John, said Mr Wilson's leadership role in the organisation was being counted upon at a "challenging time" - especially in the face of the swine flu outbreak.

"Our country's capabilities are again being challenged as New Zealand and the world deals with the effects of the H1N1 influenza virus," Sir Anand said.

"St John is deeply involved with the Ministry of Health in helping to manage the response in the spread of the virus."

The organisation's chief executive, Jaimes Wood, said the rapid rise in swine flu cases was affecting its capabilities and it was good to have a new leader with new ideas.

"We have had a couple of ambulance crews that we had to quarantine. We've now got a couple of crews where we've had confirmed cases of H1N1," Mr Wood said.

"This is a reality we have to face as an organisation if we continue to lose people to swine flu, which will obviously deplete our ability to respond."

Mr Wood said new leaders brought different emphasis, and it was "great" for St John to have a chancellor who "knows health well and understands the issues" and who has been "on the other side".

Besides his former role in ACC, Mr Wilson had also been deputy chairman of Wellington Free Ambulance and is chairman of the northern district health boards regional governance group and the Wellington City Mission.

Mr Wood said Mr Wilson's knowledge and experience as chancellor over the next six years would benefit St John and those its served.

Sixteen people were made officers of the order, and 34 admitted as members.