Māori Party congratulates Queen’s Birthday Honours recipients

The Māori Party is commending all the recipients of Queen’s Birthday Honours this year, including tāngata whenua who have dedicated their lives to their work and serving their communities.

“All the recipients are being honours for their individual achievements but the reality is their deeds have touched the lives of whānau and communities across Aotearoa and made a real difference. They should be immensely proud of their endeavours,” says Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell.

The Māori Party is hailing the knighthood awarded to Dr Timoti Karetu for service to the Māori language. The inaugural Māori Language Commissioner has been made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

“Dr Karetu has been a champion of te reo Māori and has led from the front since becoming the first Māori Language Commissioner in 1987,” says Mr Flavell.

“He is sought after around the world for his knowledge about the revival and retention of indigenous language and this honour for him is so richly deserved,” says Māori Party co-leader Marama Fox.

Jim Gray is made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and governance.

“Jim has been intimately involved with the Māori Land Court, has served as a trustee on almost 40 Māori authorities and is an authority on the workings of Māori Trusts in Aotearoa,” says Mr Flavell.

Assistant Commissioner Wally Haumaha is also made an ONZM for services to the New Zealand Police, Māori, Pacific and ethnic communities.

“Wally has been at the forefront of leading and building cultural capacity in the police force. He has made a key contribution to Turning the Tide – a strategy which seeks to reduce incarceration rates for Māori – and was behind a partnership model between iwi and police in Bay of Plenty,” says Mr Flavell, who is MP for Waiariki.

Former Māori All Black Heitia Hiha has been made an ONZM for services to Māori.

“Heitia, a kaumātua of Ahuriri Hapū, has driven progress on its key claims and has served on a range of committee represent the interests of Māori,” says Ms Fox.

Moeraki upoko David Higgins is also honoured for his services to Māori with an ONZM.

“David was largely responsible for gathering and presenting much of the fisheries evidence for the Ngāi Tahu claim that was presented to the Waitangi Tribunal and has been a staunch advocate for the iwi,” says Mr Flavell.

After a career in the performing arts spanning more than 25 years Rachel House is made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

“As an actor and director, she has been instrumental in bringing Māori and Pacific culture to a wide international audience, most recently as the voice of Gramma Tala in Disney’s Moana,” says Ms Fox.

Susan Huria is recognised in the honours with an ONZM for services to governance.

“She is a specialist in Māori governance and has worked with a wide number of iwi, including as a director of the Ngāi Tahu Development Corporation, and Māori organisations,” says Mr Flavell.

Mr Flavell also paid tribute to ONZM recipient Professor Hamid Ikram who learnt te reo Māori so he could engage with Māori groups and establishing marae-based Māori-education and clinics with colleagues and Māori health workers.

Mental health nurse Moe Milne receives the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and health.

“She’s been directly involved in addressing mental health issues in the Māori community, contributing to research, education programmes and developing training in cultural competency within health services,” says Ms Fox.

Educator Pem Bird, former Māori Party president, is made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to education and Māori.

“Pem has worked tirelessly in education, receiving a Queen’s Service Medal in 2008, has been a visionary leader of Te Kura Motuhake o Tawhiuau in Murupara and provided his valuable knowledge to a host of organisations,” says Mr Flavell.

Tolaga Bay’s William Gray, who received a QSM for community service in 1987, has had his services to Māori and the community recognised with a MNZM.

“William has been chair of Te Rawheoro Marae since 2000 and sits on the Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti iwi forum of six local marae and is active in numerous community activities as well as working with young offenders,” says Ms Fox.

Chair of the Rise UP Trust Sally Ikinofo is rewarded for services to Māori and Pacific communities with a MNZM.

“Sally was instrumental in establishing the first Primary Partnership School, Kura Hourua and her contributions have helped to strengthen the whānau mentoring programmes and promote the importance of education for Māori and Pasifika children throughout the region,” says Mr Flavell.

For his services to Māori and agriculture, Flaxmere’s Peter MacGregor is made a MNZM.

“Peter worked in the Department of Māori Affairs, Te Puni Kokiri and the Agriculture Industry Training Organisation and is actively involved with a number of trusts sharing his wealth of knowledge,” says Ms Fox.

A focus on conservation stretching more than 30 years and his services to Māori has been marked with a MNZM forTe Kei Merito.

“As chair of Te Tapatoru-a-Toi, which manages three iconic conservation sites in the Whakatāne area, he’s been the driving force behind the committee fulfilling its role under Ngāti Awa’s treaty settlement,” says Mr Flavell.

Executive director of the INA (Māori, Indigenous and South Pacific) HIV & AIDS Foundation Marama Mullen-Tamatiis recognised for her work with people with HIV and AIDS with being made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

“She is an internationally recognised advocate for people living with HIV and AIDS, especially those in Māori, Pacific Island and other indigenous communities and chairs a number of international boards on HIV and AIDS,” says Ms Fox.

Pat Snedden’s services to education and Māori have been marked with him becoming a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

“Pat has been a leading light in education circles, most recently as chair of the Manaiakalani Education Trust, but was also founding director of Mai FM, the first commercial Māori radio station, and was chief Crown Negotiator for the Muriwhenua and He Toa Takitini Treaty settlements.

A 45-year involvement with employment, community development, conservation, and tourism has earned Napier’sToro Waaka a MNZM.

“Toro’s services to Māori and the community stretches back decades and includes working with at risk youth, chairing Te Taiwhenua o Whanganui a Orotu, serving as chief executive of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated and as a director of New Zealand Māori Tourism,” says Ms Fox.

A host of others have been recognised with the Queen’s Service Medal.

These include kuia of Ngāti Parewahawaha Te Kune Blackmore who has been active in the preservation and passing on of tikanga; Katie Dawson for services to Māori and seniors, including the established of a kōhanga reo for Papakura, Manurewa and Takinini area; long-serving Ruapehu College teacher Merrilyn George for service to education and the Ohakune community; Rehia Hanara for services to Māori and education as an advocate for Māori education, Te Reo and tikanga; educator Sharon Maynard for services to Māori and education for more than 40 years in Gisborne and the wider Tairawhiti rohe; and Marara Te Tai Hook for her service to Māori, specifically the hapū of Ngāti Kuta and Patu Heka in Te Taitokerau.

ENDS

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