New Zealand Rowing men's coxless pair Hamish Bond (left) and Eric Murray have both been made Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Photo / Brett Phibbs
New Zealand Rowing men's coxless pair Hamish Bond (left) and Eric Murray have both been made Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Waikato community stalwarts gained royal attention as at least 13 were recognised in the New Year’s Honours.
In total, 183 Kiwis have been honoured - among those are Cambridge rowing champ and record-setter Eric Murray, Hamilton environmentalist and regional councillor Dr Bruce Clarkson, renowned astronomer Professor Rangi Mātāmua and Morrinsville College principal John Inger.
Olympic rower and gold medallist Eric Murray, of Cambridge, was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to rowing. Murray represented New Zealand in rowing at four Olympics Games between 2004 and 2016.
He won gold medals with Hamish Bond in the coxless pair at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, setting both world and Olympic records at the London Olympics.
Putāruru local Martin Bennett was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the environment and the community. He has championed environmental sustainability on farms since 2006, as one of the first dairy farms to take up a national leadership role in sustainability.
Suffering from Parkinson’s, Bennett founded the Parkinson’s Waikato Tinman Club and competed in three Tinman Triathlons, raising $30,000 for Parkinson’s New Zealand.
Environmentalist and current Waikato Regional Council deputy chairman Dr Bruce Clarkson was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Photo / Paul Sutherland
Current Waikato Regional Council deputy chairman Dr Bruce Clarkson was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to ecological restoration.
He is recognised as one of New Zealand’s foremost authorities on ecological restoration, making significant contributions to conservation through his ongoing research, education, protection, and restoration of native plants and ecosystems over a 40-year career.
Massey University’s Professor Rangi Mātāmua was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Māori astronomy. He has written on Matariki, identifying the nine stars Māori perceived in the cluster, in contrast to the seven associated with the Pleiades in European tradition.
He was also the first Māori to win the Prime Minister’s Science Prize in 2019, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi.
Cambridge local Anita Mazzoleni was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to corporate governance.
She was a lawyer, chartered accountant and corporate finance adviser, and held significant roles as director and chairwoman of Audit and Risk and Finance committees for major public companies.
Professor Rangi Mātāmua has been made an Officer or the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Cater Plus founder Paul Hodge, of Hamilton, was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the hospitality industry.
He trained as a chef with the New Zealand Army and founded the Cater Plus Foundation to assist individuals and organisations with education, training and research in the hospitality industry.
Morrinsville College principal John Inger was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to education. Inger had a career in education since 1981 and has established an agribusiness focus at Morrinsville college.
He also coached a variety of sports, including cricket and rugby, and directed school drama productions. In 2020, the Prime Minister opened the John Inger Performing Arts Centre in his name.
Morrinsville College principal John Inger was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Former Tokoroa mayor Jenny Shattock was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to local government and economic development.
Shattock spent nearly a quarter of a century as a representative of the people in South Waikato, first as a councillor, then as deputy mayor, and for the past nine years as mayor before she retired at the recent local election.
During her time on the South Waikato District Council, she was heavily involved in attracting numerous developments and businesses into the district, including Singapore-based OFI, and the South Waikato Trades Training Centre.
Former South Waikato District mayor Jenny Shattock.
Founding trustee of Life Unlimited, John Dobson of Hamilton, was made a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for his services to people with disabilities. He was instrumental in initiatives like the ‘total mobility’ system around Hamilton, and he chaired Hamilton Gardens Development Trust from 2012.
Trevor Crosbie of Ngāruawāhia was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand. He was appointed Chief Fire Officer of the Te Ākau Voluntary Rural Fire Force soon after its establishment in 1997, and has led the Fire Force until the present.
National treasurer of Boys’ Brigade New Zealand, Ken Morris of Cambridge was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for his services to the community. His wife Karen also received the same honour with him.
They both managed Festival One’s General Store from 2016 and the catering for the annual Baptist Youth Ministries Northern Easter Camp.
John Dobson of Hamilton, founding trustee of Life Unlimited, was made a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order. Photo / Stephen Barker, Barker Photography
The Waikato New Year’s Honour recipients include:
● Eric Murray, MNZM, Cambridge, Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to rowing
