Hon Hekia Parata
Minister of Education
Hon Paul Goldsmith
Minister of Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment

31 December 2016 Media Statement
Educators congratulated on NY Honours

Education Minister Hekia Parata and Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith have congratulated the 17 New Zealanders who have received New Year Honours for services to education.

“There are passionate and committed people working hard every day to help ensure that young New Zealanders get a world-class education and it’s great to see some of the very best being honoured,” says Ms Parata.

Those named include Georgina Kingi, QSO, who received the highest honour – Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

She has been principal of St Joseph’s Māori Girls College since 1987, having taught at the school since 1969. She has also been a member of the Education Expert Panel for the Prime Minister’s Education Excellence Awards.

“Dame Georgina has worked tirelessly in education for over 40 years and has played a pivotal role in the education of generations of young Māori women. This honour is truly deserved,” says Ms Parata.

Mr Goldsmith says the 17 honours are a reflection of the extremely high value New Zealand places on education.

“These 17 New Zealanders are fine examples of the dedicated people working in education to make a real and positive difference for young people.

“I congratulate them for the valuable contribution they’ve made to education in New Zealand and internationally,” says Mr Goldsmith.

The 17 recipients are:

DNZM
• Miss Georgina Kingi, QSO, for services to Maori and education

ONZM
• Mrs Beverly Rae Duff, for services to women and education
• Mr John Ioane Fiso, for services to sport, education and the Pacific community
• Professor Robert Hans George Jahnke, for services to Maori art and education
• Dr David Ross Mitchell, for services to education

MNZM
• Ms Jacqueline Lindsay (Jacquie) Bay, for services to science and education
• Mr Ross Brown, for services to education
• Ms Jillian Corkin, for services to education
• Mr Derek Sinclair Firth, for services to arbitration and education
• Mrs Madeline Gunn, for services to education
• Mr John Heyes, for services to education
• Mrs Robyn Hickman, for services to education
• Mrs Nahusita Selupe, for services to education and Māori and Pacific communities
• Mrs Alison Thelma Wilkie, for services to health and education

QSM
• Mr Graham Leslie, for services to education
• Ms Barbara Stewart, for services to youth and education
• Mrs Herita Rita (Rita) Toko, for services to Maori and education

© Scoop Media