New Zealander of the Year Awards

The New Zealander of the Year Awards, currently known as the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards, celebrate the achievements of New Zealanders and were founded in 2010 by Australian Jeffrey John Hopp. Nominations are accepted from the general public and a judging panel selects finalists in each category. The awards are presented in Auckland in March each year. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Categories

The categories for the awards are:

• Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year (Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa)
• University of Canterbury Young New Zealander of the Year (Te Mātātahi o te Tau)
• Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year (Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau)
• Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year (Te Pou Toko o te Tau)
• Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year (Ngā Pou Whirinaki o te Tau)
• Spark New Zealand Innovator of the Year (Te Pou Whakairo o te Tau)
• Genesis New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year (Te Toa Taiao o te Tau)
• New Zealand Legacy Award (Te Pou Tūroa o Aotearoa)

New Zealander of the Year

Year	Recipient	Portrait
2010	Ray Avery [4]
2011	Paul Callaghan [5]
2012	Richard Taylor [6]
2013	Anne Salmond
2014	Lance O'Sullivan
2015	Stephen Tindall [7]
2016	Richie McCaw [8]
2017	Taika Waititi [9]
2018	Kristine Bartlett [10]
2019	Mike King [11]
2020	Jennifer Ward-Lealand [11]
2021	Siouxsie Wiles [12]
2022	Tipene O'Regan [13]
2023	Rangi Mātāmua [14]
2024	Jim Salinger [15]
2025	Bev Lawton [16]

Young New Zealander of the Year

Nominees must be aged between 15 and 30 years of age. ^[17]

Year	Recipient	Portrait
2010	Divya Dhar [4]
2011	Jamie Fenton [5]
2012	Sam Johnson [6]
2013	Sam Judd [18]
2014	Parris Goebel
2015	Guy Ryan [19]
2016	Lydia Ko [8]
2017	Rez Gardi [9]
2018	David Cameron [20]
2019	Kendall Flutey [21]
2020	Georgia Hale [21]
2021	Jazz Thornton
2022	Ezra Hirawani [13]
2023	Shaneel Lal
2024	Simran Kaur
2025	Nu'uali'i Eteroa Lafaele [16]

Senior New Zealander of the Year

Nominees must be over 70 years old. ^[17]

Year	Recipient	Portrait
2010	Eion Edgar [4]
2011	Alison Neill [5]
2012	Malcolm Cameron [6]
2013	Ian Grant [22]
2014	Frances Denz
2015	Donald Sew Hoy [23]
2016	John Russell [8]
2017	Sue Paterson [9]
2018	Kim Workman [24]
2019	Bill Glass [25]
2020	Margaret Sparrow [25]
2021	Doug Wilson
2022	Tipene O'Regan
2023	Mark Dunajtschik
2024	Bob Francis
2025	Elizabeth Ellis [16]

Local Hero of the Year

The award is made to an individual who is making or has made a significant contribution to their local community.

Year	Recipient	Portrait
2010	Sam Chapman [4]
2011	Billy Graham [5]
2012	Henare O'Keefe [6]
2013	Jim Morunga [26]
2014	Cecilia Sullivan-Grant
2015	Billie Jordan [27]
2016	Selwyn Cook [8]
2017	Hayden Smith [9]
2018	Ricky Houghton [28]
2019	Pera Barrett [29]
2020	Nick Loosley [29]
2021	Shannon Te Huia
2022	David Letele [13]
2023	Ellen Nelson
2024	Sally Walker
2025	Subash Chandar K [16]

Community of the Year

Regional or national community groups, iwi, geographical regions or collectives of people in any sector are eligible for the award.

Year	Recipient
2010	Victory Village, Nelson [4]
2011	Gibbston Community Association [5]
2012	Paeroa [6]
2013	Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust NZ [30]
2014	Victim Support
2015	Paihia [31]
2016	Community Fruit Harvesting [32]
2017	Randwick Park
2018	Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust [33]
2019	Pillars [34]
2020	Good Bitches Baking [34]
2021	Christchurch Mosque Victims Group
2022	Matakaoa [13]
2023	Kindness Collective
2024	Cyclone Gabrielle volunteers
2025	Lake Alice survivors [16]

Innovator of the Year

The category was introduced in 2014.

Year	Recipient	Portrait
2014	Sean Simpson
2015	Peter Beck [35]
2016	Hyvan Anaesthesia Ltd [36]
2017	Ed Gane [9]
2018	Team New Zealand design team [37]
2019	Ian Taylor [38]
2020	Bill Buckley [38]
2021	Ranjna Patel
2022	Mark Sagar
2023	Emily Blythe
2024	Cecilia Robinson
2025	Emma Lewisham [16]

Sustainability Leader of the Year

The category was introduced in 2022, and was known as Environmental Hero of the year from 2022 to 2024.

Year	Recipient	Portrait
2022	Charmaine Bailie [13]
2023	Camden Howitt
2024	Nicola MacDonald
2025	Deborah Manning [16]

Legacy Award

The Legacy Award was inaugurated in 2024, and recognises an individual who has contributed to New Zealand over a sustained period of time and played a significant role in defining national identity.

Year	Recipient	Portrait
2024	Wayne Smith
2025	Mark Dunajtschik and Dorothy Spotswood [16]

Nomination and selection process

Any member of the public can nominate an individual (aged 15 years or older), organisation or group for an award. A judging panel of one executive judge and two or three additional judges creates a list of semi-finalists, followed by a shortlist of three finalists for each award. The finalists are invited to the New Zealander of the Year Awards Gala in Auckland and the winners are announced on the night. ^[39] Local Hero Medal recipients are awarded throughout December each year. ^[39]

All nominees receive a certificate of achievement, and each of the six category award winners receives a trophy and a prize of NZ$5,000. ^[39]

In 2020, the executive judges were:

• Tess Casey, CEO, Neighbourhood Support NZ
• Bill Dwyer, Commercial and Corporate Lawyer
• Jamie Fitzgerald, CEO, Inspiring Performance
• Marisa Fong, Trustee, Simplicity NZ; Director, Masimaya Consulting, Founder/Director, Arné Skincare
• Abby Foote, Professional Director
• Steve Jurkovich, CEO, Kiwibank
• Miriama Kamo, Te Koruru, Patron
• Bill Moran, Professional Director, Chair, Sport New Zealand
• Mere Pohatu, Regional Director, Ministry of Maori Development
• Caren Rangi, ONZM, Deputy Chair of Creative New Zealand
• Lou Sanson, Director-General of the Department of Conservation

References

1. "Ironic Start-Up To New Zealander Of The Year Award | Scoop News".
2. "About". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
3. "New Zealander of the Year – Kiwibank". www.kiwibank.co.nz. Archived from the original on 25 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
4. Gadd, David (4 February 2010). "From streetkid to New Zealander of the Year". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
5. "Scientist named NZer of the year". Otago Daily Times. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
6. "Sam Johnson named young NZer of year". The Press . 17 February 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
7. "New Zealander of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
8. Garrick, Moana Tapaleao, Gia (17 February 2016). "Richie McCaw named New Zealander of the year". The New Zealand Herald . ISSN   1170-0777 . Retrieved 17 February 2016.
9. "Director Taika Waititi wins New Zealander of the Year award". Stuff.
10. "New Zealander of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
11. "New Zealander of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
12. "New Zealander of the Year". tvnz.co.nz. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
13. Daly, Michael (31 March 2022). "New Zealander of the Year 2022 – here is a full list of the winners". Stuff. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
14. Jack, Amberleigh (30 March 2023). "Live: Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards, Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa". Stuff.
15. Jamieson, Debbie (27 March 2024). "Climate scientist Dr Jim Salinger named Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year". Stuff . Retrieved 28 March 2024.
16. "Professor Bev Lawton named the New Zealander of the Year". RNZ News . 20 March 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
17. "Category Criteria | New Zealander of the Year Awards". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
18. "2013 Coca-Cola Amatil Young New Zealander of the Year Winner". NZAwards.org.nz. Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
19. "Young New Zealander of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
20. "Young New Zealander of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
21. "Young New Zealander of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
22. "2013 Countdown Senior New Zealander of the Year Winner". NZAwards.org.nz. Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
23. "Senior New Zealander of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
24. "Senior New Zealander of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
25. "Senior New Zealander of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
26. "2013 Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year Winner". NZAwards.org.nz. Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
27. "New Zealand Local Hero". nzawards.org.nz. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
28. "New Zealand Local Hero of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
29. "New Zealand Local Hero of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
30. "2013 Mitre 10 Community of the Year Winner". NZAwards.org.nz. Archived from the original on 20 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
31. "New Zealand Community of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
32. "McCaw New Zealander of the Year". Stuff. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
33. "New Zealand Community of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
34. "New Zealand Community of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
35. "New Zealand Innovator of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
36. "New Zealand Innovator of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
37. "New Zealand Innovator of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
38. "New Zealand Innovator of the Year". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
39. "About". nzawards.org.nz. Retrieved 4 April 2021.

External links

• New Zealander of the Year Awards official site