Saturday 29 January

PM congratulates Bravery Award recipients

Prime Minister Helen Clark today congratulated the new recipients of New Zealand Bravery Awards.

The 26 awards were announced today by the Governor General, Dame Silvia Cartwright.

"These Bravery Awards recognise New Zealanders who have made extraordinary efforts to help fellow human beings, and showed great courage in doing so," Helen Clark said.

"The award recipients have performed acts of bravery, which put their own safety or lives at risk as they attempted to save the lives of others.

"The awards include five New Zealand Bravery Stars, two New Zealand Bravery Decorations and nineteen New Zealand Bravery Medals. Four of the awards are posthumous as the act of bravery tragically resulted in the death of those who showed great courage.

"It is important to acknowledge these acts of bravery: these awards are well-deserved tributes.

"Our thoughts on the occasion of today's announcement must also be with those who have lost a loved one who was performing an act of bravery."

The recipients range in age from 12-70 years at the time their acts of bravery took place. Seven are current or former police officers.

The Governor General, on behalf of the Queen, will formally present the awards in a ceremony at Government House later in the year.

ENDS

Any person can make nominations for a New Zealand Bravery Award. The nominations are considered by an expert panel which then make recommendations. Those recommendations go to the Queen who confers the honours. For more information: www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours

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