Ceremonies at Government House in Auckland and Wellington involving Waikato recipients of New Year’s Honours took place last month with Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro presiding.
John Gallagher, KNZM, of Hamilton, for services to business, education, philanthropy and the community
Sir John Gallagher was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002 and has since continued to serve and contribute to his community and various organisations. Sir John is recognized as a community leader and philanthropist and is a major shareholder and Director of Gallagher Holdings Ltd. He continues to serve as a Director of Habitat for Humanity Hamilton, where over 25 years as Chairman he guided the organization from small beginnings to operating as the Central North Island Region. He is a Trustee of the Gallagher Charitable Trust, a member of the Hamilton Rotary Club for 30 years, a member and Fellow of the New Zealand Trustees Association, and a member and Distinguished Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors. He served for 25 years on the Council of the University of Waikato, including terms as Pro-Chancellor then Chancellor from 2003 to 2006. He was a New Zealand National Fieldays Society founding exhibitor from inception, a Hamilton City Councillor for 12 years and Waikato Regional Councillor for three years. He was a Trustee of Skycity Hamilton Community Trust from 2003 to 2009, Hamilton Garden’s Te Parapara Garden Trust from 2006 to 2012 and a Councillor for the Young Enterprise Trust. In 2011 Sir John established and is a Trustee of the Glenice and John Gallagher Foundation.
Emeritus Professor Asad Mohsin, of Hamilton, for services to the Muslim community and education
Emeritus Professor Asad Mohsin was President of the Waikato Multicultural Council and Waikato Muslim Association. He was a Member of the Waikato Intercultural Fund Board and the Tourism Waikato Advisory Board. With the Hamilton Multicultural Services Trust, he has helped migrants and refugees connect with New Zealand culture, community and events. He was Assistant Director of the New Zealand India Research Institute with Victoria University of Wellington. He retired in 2024 as a Professor in Tourism and Hospitality Management and the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Community Engagement at the University of Waikato. Professor Mohsin facilitated a $30,000 annual scholarship fund for four Muslim students following the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack.
Clare Hutchinson-de Ranitz, of Hamilton, ONZM for services to midwifery
Clare Hutchinson-de Ranitz was a founding member of the New Zealand College of Midwives and became the inaugural Lead Maternity Carer in the Waikato region. She helped establish River Ridge Birth Centre at Southern Cross Hospital to provide an alternative birthing option for whānau, other than hospital or home births. When that Centre closed, she established River Ridge East Birth Centre, a purpose-built Primary Birthing Facility. She has overseen its operations since 2002, which has since seen more than 11,000 babies born. To provide lactation consultant services for free, she helped create the Hamilton Breastfeeding Trust. She is a member of the Waikato Maternity Quality and Safety Committee. Ms Hutchinson-de Ranitz supported Single Parent Services Waikato for many years, providing food, clothing and other support.
Anita Varga, MNZM, of Matamata, for services to women and the construction industry
Anita Varga contributes to the construction industry through business and empowering women into the industry. She was the first woman to hold the Regional Manager position at Fulton Hogan. She has mentored and guided women into leadership roles and supported leaders to motivate young people into the construction industry. Passionate about development, she has encouraged multiple women into tertiary qualifications. She was instrumental in the introduction of personal protective equipment in the Tauranga region and introduced specially designed equipment for pregnant individuals. Ms Varga is Chair of the National Association of Women in Construction New Zealand and helps organise the Association’s annual Women in Construction Awards.
Ms Fiona Murdoch, of Hamilton, KSM for services to dance
Fiona Murdoch has studied and collected folk dances of the Celtic Nations, Balkan and European countries, and historical period dances including Regency and Colonial dances, amongst others. She was a member of the New Zealand ‘Maenads’ Dance Group and has facilitated many folk-dance workshops and events. She founded Dance Folkus in Hamilton and has taught dance throughout New Zealand. She has choreographed folk-dance demonstrations at the Hamilton Gardens, Waikato Museum, Auckland Folk Festival and National Folk Dance Camps. An inaugural member of Folk Dance New Zealand, Ms Murdoch has previously served as President and is a Life Member.
Mr Fred Irvine, of Hamilton, MNZM for services to woodcraft and education
Fred Irvine is an expert woodturner. He taught woodcraft skills at Hamilton primary schools and at Waikato Polytechnic, where he organised the purchase and installation of 12 woodworking lathes. He helped establish the Avalon Woodturners club and the Waikato Guild of Woodworkers. He has specialised in the challenging art of ornamental woodturning and assisted international firm Teknatool to develop new equipment for ornamental turning. He taught ornamental woodturning throughout New Zealand for more than 10 years. He has demonstrated his abilities at symposia nationally and internationally, including setting up a course at a college in Shandan, China. Mr Irvine is a Life Member of the National Association of Woodworkers.
Miss Valerie Lissette, KSM, of Hamilton, for services to dance
Valerie Lissette established the Valerie Lissette School of Dance in Hamilton and has taught dance for 47 years. She expanded the studio from teaching ballet to include jazz, tap, contemporary, and musical theatre for all ages. She has prepared thousands of dancers for Royal Academy of Dance ballet examinations and has mentored many who have gone on to successful dance careers. She directed and produced annual theatrical productions, providing a platform for every student to perform. Miss Lissette has offered dance classes in several Waikato towns and has performed with the Hamilton Operatic Society for many years.
Ron Moles, KSM, of Matamata, for services to education and the community
Ron Moles was Principal of Firth Primary School in Matamata and a long-serving delegate to the Waikato branch of the New Zealand Education Institute (NZEI) and the NZEI Principals Council. He is coordinator of the Matamata District Principals Association. He instigated and managed the Outdoor Education Camping Unit for schools in the district, helped establish the Matamata Health Shuttle, and is a Life Member of Matamata Grey Power. He was President of the Matamata Kiwanis Club. Mr Moles coordinated the planting of Gallipoli Pines from Chunuk Bair at Matamata schools and planted and maintained the Matamata RSA Cemetery garden.
Terry Campbell, KSM, of Taupō, for services to horse racing and governance
Terry Campbell is President of the Taupō Racing Club. He has made the club financially sustainable through fundraising, sponsorship and strong management. Since the club separated from local racing clubs in 2018, its membership has increased 40 percent, and local sponsorship increased exponentially. Through a joint venture with the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association, he has opened the club facilities to accommodate visitors, and separately leased some of its grounds for cropping. Mr Campbell remains involved with the club at all levels, helping to empty rubbish bins, liaise with visiting trainers and jockeys, and take penetrometer readings at dawn.
Sally Davies, KSM, of Te Awamutu, for services to hockey and nursing
Sally Davies has volunteered at Te Awamutu Sports Hockey Club (TAHC) since 1990 as a coach and served as the inaugural President. She has coached teams up to Premier grade for TAHC and remains active coaching a present reserve grade side. She volunteers as a coach at Te Awamutu Intermediate School. She was a player in the New Zealand Masters 50s team in the late 1990s and selects and coaches teams for the AIMS games in Tauranga. Mrs Davies is a practice nurse and was one of New Zealand’s first nurses to specialise in Diabetes management.
Associate Professor Linda Te Aho, MNZM, of Hamilton, for services to Māori and legal education
Associate Professor Linda Te Aho (Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Ngāti Mahuta, Waikato) established the Māori and Indigenous Governance Research Centre at Te Piringa Faculty of Law, University of Waikato and serves as Associate Dean Māori. She was appointed as a guardian for the co-management of the Waikato River ecosystem. She is a technical advisor on Māori legal issues relating to lands and freshwater for iwi, Crown agencies and government departments. She is a member of Te Arataura Tribal Executive for Waikato Tainui and a trustee for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura. Associate Professor Te Aho has served as a Director of Tainui Group Holdings and a negotiator for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Treaty Claims.
