Helen Clark joins chosen few in New Year honours

Last updated 06:00 31/12/2009

MARLBOROUGH EXPRESS

SIR PETER JACKSON: The Oscar-winning film-maker "didn't think anything would surpass the 2004 Academy Awards, but I was wrong''.

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Former Prime Minister Helen Clark has joined Peter Jackson in topping the New Year honours, announced today.

Miss Clark has received New Zealand's highest accolade, becoming a member of the Order of New Zealand, while Sir Peter is among five to become knights or dames.

In all, 193 people have received honours, covering fields as diverse as music, speedway, education and horticultural science.

Miss Clark, prime minister for three terms, joins 16 others in membership of the Order of New Zealand, which is limited to 20 living Kiwis.

She is one of three former prime ministers on the list, and now heads the United Nations Development Programme in New York.

Miss Clark said she felt privileged to join the "incredible New Zealanders" in the order, and "certainly would not" have accepted a damehood. Her Labour government axed the titles in 2000.

She admitted to not being wholly surprised at the honour, although it perhaps came sooner than expected.

"I've spent a lot of years at the top, maybe sometime an approach would have been made ... It's not unusual, it's a question of timing."

Miss Clark said she was too busy to miss the prime ministerial job. "Your constituency expands ... from serving the needs of 4.2 million to having an impact on the lives of more than five billion people in developing countries."

Meanwhile Sir Peter Jackson has called receiving his knighthood an "incredible moment".

The honour, announced today, comes on the back of yet another box office success for Sir Peter, after his film The Lovely Bones was released on Boxing Day.

The film-maker is among five New Zealanders to become knights or dames in the New Year honours list.

Sir Peter, whose career started with the 1987 horror Bad Taste, was made a companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002.

That followed the final in his Lord of the Rings trilogy, which won 11 Academy Awards in 2004 - tying it with Titanic and Ben Hur for the most won by a single film.

In a written statement, Sir Peter called receiving the honour an "incredible moment". "I didn't think anything would surpass the 2004 Academy Awards, but I was wrong."

The honour reflected New Zealand's "film pioneers" who blazed the trail for the industry, he said.

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He added that it was a tribute to his parents, Bill and Joan, "who gave me the most valuable gift of all - unqualified encouragement and unconditional support, [and] would have been beside themselves with pride at this moment".

It is understood Sir Peter is now working to adapt the Mortal Engines fantasy novels for the screen, as well as producing The Adventures of Tintin and The Hobbit. His World War II film Dambusters is due for release next year.

Others to be made knight and dame companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit are Professor Mason Durie, Douglas Myers, Justice Bruce Robertson and Lesley Max.

Sir Mason receives the honour for services to Maori health, and public health services in particular; Sir Bruce for services as a High Court and Appeal Court judge, positions from which he will step down in 2010; Lion Nathan founder Sir Douglas for services to business and the community; and educationist Dame Lesley for services to children.

American billionaire Julian Robertson is made an honorary knight for services to business and philanthropy. He can use the KNZM title, but cannot call himself "Sir".

Other honours go to firefighters Martin Berryman, Roy Breeze, Peter Hallett, Owen Kinsella and Gary Talbot, who receive Queen's Service Medals for their roles in the Tamahere coolstore explosion.

Former One News anchor Judy Bailey becomes an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and actor George Henare and businessman Lloyd Morrison companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Te Horo caterer and Dominion Post columnist Ruth Pretty becomes a member of the Order of Merit, as does former All Black Ian Jones.

By KIRAN CHUG and KATIE CHAPMAN

- © Fairfax NZ News