Inaugural New Zealander of the Year award finalists

BY MICHAEL FOX

Inventors, activists, environmentalists, business leaders and Olympians are among the finalists in the inaugural New Zealander of the Year Awards.

Showcasing those Kiwis who have excelled in their fields and contributed to improving the lives of their fellow man, the awards recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals and communities across New Zealand, and acknowledge the inspirational influence their work has on society.

The nominees for New Zealander of the Year - the supreme award - are inventor and philanthropist Ray Avery, businessman and philanthropist Stephen Tindall, and Olympian Valerie Vili.

Other nominees include inspirational cancer survivor Matt Truman for the Young New Zealander of the Year award and anti-child exploitation campaigner Ron O'Grady for Senior New Zealander of the Year.

Other categories include Local Heroes and Community of the Year.

The winners will be announced at a gala awards presentation dinner in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Auckland on Wednesday February 3.

LIST OF NOMINEES:

NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR

Awarded for major contribution to the nation, outstanding service to the country and inspiration through achievement.

Ray Avery, scientist and inventor of medical devices for the third world, Auckland

Kiwi scientist Ray Avery has lived a life less ordinary.

Growing up in UK orphanages and spending a year living rough on the streets of London, Mr Avery moved to New Zealand as a 26-year-old in 1972.

The successful businessman has now turned his gift for science to producing home-made sustainable inventions which are improving and saving the lives of millions of the world's poorest people.

His low-cost inventions include an intravenous flow controller to prevent fatal drug administration errors, a high-tech incubator, and a nutritional powder using waste products from the kiwifruit and meat industries to hydrate and nourish children suffering from severe diarrhoeal disease. 

He has also developed inexpensive intra-ocular eye lenses, which mean 30 million people will regain their sight by 2020, according to his awards profile. The lenses are produced cheaply in factories designed by Mr Avery in Eritrea and Nepal.

He said his history meant he had a social conscience. "You know the world isn't perfect and you get to be  successful you think well, I've got to give something back."

Initially at a loss as to what he could do to help, a trip to North Africa which took in Eritrea after the end of its war for independence became his inspiration.

"I spent a lot of time wandering around hospitals and realised that science had pretty much abandoned the developing world."

He said they had looked at the most serious problems in developing countries to see what they could do to help.

Humbled by his recognition, he says this is something he is proud of but refuses to dwell on his achievements. He says they are kept in perspective by the fact that there were millions dying all over the world as the result of poverty and preventable diseases.

"I very much focus on what needs to be done rather than patting myself on the back."

However, he admitted that his upbringing had left its mark, saying no matter what he achieved " there's always a bit of a chain that drags you back to, you know, nobody wants you,'" he said.

"I think that if I was successful in getting the award it would have a profound sort of emotional value to me because it would be like finally finding a home."

He believes New Zealand - "the clever country" - is full of the can-do attitude and has the environment that allows people to do things.

He said New Zealanders needed to get better at promoting the country and its success on the world stage.

"100 percent pure New Zealand really doesn't for me show the true grit, soul and integrity. We're much more than a nice, pretty country."

Sir Stephen Tindall, philanthropist and founder of the Warehouse, Auckland

The high-profile founder of The Warehouse is no stranger to honours and accolades.

After founding the chain of red sheds in 1982, Tindall has gone on to become an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (1997), been named New Zealand Businessman of the Year, been awarded the Blake Medal for leadership and made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007.

In 1995 he and his wife set up the Tindall Foundation which has since provided more than $50 million to support initiatives assisting New Zealand families and communities, and in 2009 he was appointed the first New Zealand Archangel for investing more than $150 million in start-up businesses.

Having collected so many awards however, has not diminished the importance of this one, he said.

"This is very important as if I am successful, it would make it feel like everything I've done has been worthwhile and encourage me to do more of the same," he said.

Mr Tindall said being a New Zealander had been a huge part of his success.

"I'm hugely passionate about NZ, believe it is the best country in the world to live in and have supported it both from a charity perspective through The Tindall Foundation and in all my private investments."

He said all of his investments in New Zealand were concentrated on exporting goods and services to the rest of the world.

His goal was to "try to lead by example by proving that young vibrant knowledge-based companies can make it on the global scene and create huge wealth back into New Zealand". 

"I believe if we have more of a focus on exporting and on our tradeable sector as opposed to the massive incentives there are in New Zealand investing in property that we have every chance of changing New Zealand's culture back to the days when exporting was critical to our survival."

Valerie Vili, Olympic gold medal winner and shot-put world number one, North Shore

World and Olympic champion shotputter Valerie Vili is a busy woman.

Not only is the Olympic gold medallist a nominee for New Zealander of the Year, she is also a nominee for sportsperson of the decade at the Halberg Awards next week.

One of our greatest athletes with an Olympic gold medal, two world championships, a Commonwealth Games gold medal and two Halberg Awards to her name (the first woman to win twice in a row), Vili has excelled as a shotputter on the world stage.

In the 2009 New Years Honours, Valerie was also awarded the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in recognition of her services to athletics.

In spite of having so much on her plate, Vili was honoured by her nomination.

"I'm very honoured and humbled to be a finalist amongst those top guys," she said.

"I've never been on one of these before, it's a first time for me and I'm looking forward to it."

While she wouldn't reveal her own goals saying they were personal, she revealed she is still focussed on becoming a better athlete.

"I believe I can still be a better athlete. I can be faster, more dynamic, stronger and that's what motivates me - the hunger to win more so as long as that fire's still burning I'll be doing what I do."

And she knows what lessons she wants people to take from her success.

"Enjoy life to the fullest, make great choices, but also it's very, very important that people stay fit and exercise every day," she said.

"There's no end to that message. But I suppose if any kids can take a lesson out of my career and work off it then I suppose I've done my job, whether it's one kid or 10 kids."

Vili says she is a proud New Zealander and loves to represent Kiwis on the world stage.

"I'm very fortunate and lucky to live in a very beautiful country like ours," she said.

YOUNG NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR

15 to 30 year olds who are making a positive impact on the nation.

Matt Truman, leader of CanTeen, the child cancer charity, and survivor of a brain tumour at 14, Christchurch

Diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour at 14, which resulted in the loss of 90 percent of his sight and 50 percent of his hearing, Matt Truman has fought for those suffering a similar fate.

He has lead Canteen, the support group for young people living with cancer and was involved in raising the organisation's profile and setting a business plan with a total expenditure of $5 million.

On his nomination: "It's truly humbling that people see me in that light and see me as a person that can inspire."

Matt is studying a Masters in Education and wants to become a counsellor and get involved in not-for-profit organisations.

Modest about his achievements, Matt says there's no such thing as a selfless deed. He says his ultimate goal is to help people "to realise how important life is" and that obstacles can be overcome.

Matt says his goal is to live life large, flat out, with no excuses.

"Life is not a journey to the grave, to arrive in pristine condition, but rather to skid in sideways proclaiming....Far out, what a trip!"

Divya Dhar, medical, social and climate change campaigner, Auckland

In a life where we are encouraged to aim high, first-year doctor Divya Dhar has aimed higher than most.

"My dream is to eradicate poverty in the world and I know people think that goal is unachievable, that it's just a pie in the sky, but it's not."

The 24-year-old activist from Auckland is a campaigner for policy change, committed to bringing attention to social injustices and climate issues.

She is a key leader of the Global Poverty Project, has worked with the charity Oxfam and is a former National Conference Director and Auckland Vice President of the United Nations Youth Association of NZ.

Dr Dhar is currently Vice President of the NZ Medical Students' Association, founded the research group, HealtheX and was instrumental in sending the first New Zealand delegation to the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations.

Dr Dhar says she believes her purpose in life is to help others.

"I used to live in India and I used to see lots of people - lots of beggars on the street and people with mutilated bodies and stuff and I said to myself this is not on and I have to change this."

On the eradication of poverty, she is certain it is achievable, saying some of the world's brightest minds had developed the Millennium Development Goals - goals set up to eradicate poverty - and they were realistic targets.

New Zealand and New Zealanders had made her feel she was able to achieve anything, she said.

"People here want to back you, they want to support you, there's opportunity everywhere," she said.

"There's not many countries in the world that create that kind of accessibility to opportunity that we have in New Zealand."

Vanisa Dhuru, YWCA and Trade Aid community leader, Wellington

Ever since a leadership course in 2005, Vanisa Dhiru has been tirelessly toiling away in her community and her career.

The marketing contractor is set to become the youngest president of the YWCA of Wellington and Hutt Valley; is on the board of Dress for Success Wellington; the Trust of Wellington Trade Aid and a member of the Wellington branch of the National Council of Women, the Wellington Ethnic Women's Group and the Wellington Indian Association

She is also training to become a Justice of the Peace.

Ms Dhuru says her ultimate goal is to become the CEO of a not-for-profit organisation in either the health or women's development sectors and says everything she does now is designed to help her get there.

She says if she had been exposed at an earlier age, she felt she could have achieved even more.

"My dream is for, at a younger age, more young people to get exposed to different organisations and different thoughts - not just what you learn in school."

Being a second-generation Indian, she says she feels an affinity with migrant communities as her father had been through the same processes.

In New Zealand, people were more accessible including sponsors and leaders, meaning it was possible to get more done, she said.

SENIOR NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR

Celebrating ongoing achievement, this category is for those aged 60 and over who have made a major difference to New Zealand.

Ron O'Grady, founder and president of ECPAT (Ending Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Child Trafficking) and international child protection campaigner, Waitakere

Instead of retirement Ron O'Grady opted to fight one of the most serious crimes facing society today - child abuse.

Since forming ECPAT (Ending Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Child Trafficking) in Bangkok in 1990, the 79-year-old has been a tireless global campaigner for the protection of children from sexual exploitation.

Twenty years later, ECPAT is in 82 countries and Ron is still actively engaged.

"He was the visionary that brought child sexual exploitation to the notice of world leaders and ECPAT is regarded as putting child prostitution on the international agenda," his citation reads.

Child sex tourism has gone from a low-key issue to being of concern to many governments, who have passed laws to imprison citizens who sexually offend against children in other countries.

Mr O'Grady says he became involved after becoming aware of the problem while chairing a conference in Thailand.

"It's an ugly crime. I think the sexual abuse of children is a worse crime than murder."

"[Victims] can be 60 or 70 years old and when they get up in the morning that's what hurts them. It's unforgiveable."

A realist, he says he doesn't know whether the practice will ever be completely eradicated but says they are doing their best to slash rates of offending.

"We keep going because of our small successes and because of the kinds of people that work in this field," he says.

He said he had been on brothel raids in Asia and seen the "hundreds of little kids" who had been trafficked and forced into sexual slavery, making the problem very real to him.

While New Zealand was somewhat sheltered, child sex abuse was still happening here with estimates that there are up to 200 child sex workers around the country on any one night, Mr O'Grady said.

The former aid worker and New Zealand's first refugee resettlement officer says people need to be aware of the problem.

"There are dark streets in every society," he said.

Lady Diana Isaac, conservationist, businesswoman, philanthropist and arts patron, Christchurch

While many businesses talk about sustainability and doing their bit for the environment, Lady Diana Isaac's initiatives have set the standard.

The 89-year-old has dedicated her life to making Christchurch, Canterbury and New Zealand a better place in the arts, business, heritage and conservation.

Her work includes setting up two independent trusts for the environment and conservation which provide scholarships at both Canterbury and Lincoln Universities.

She has developed the Peacock Springs site from a quarry into a wildlife reserve, research centre, salmon fishery and nursery for endangered birds and native trees and has also established a highly successful breeding programme for endangered birds.

She also supports numerous artists and arts organisations, is the patron of several charitable trusts and the Founder/Owner/Manager of Isaac Construction that provides employment to over 125 people in the Canterbury region.

Lady Isaac said she was surprised by her nomination.

"I really haven't taken much notice of it and I hardly knew what they were talking about in the beginning."

However, she said she was immensely proud to have even been nominated.

"Right now I feel as good about the whole thing as one could possibly feel."

She said the success of the business she set up with her husband had allowed them to indulge their passion.

"We all do things that we're interested in. Conservation is very important to me and it was to my husband and we started it together and I have continued since he died 23 years ago."

She credited her passion for conservation to a youth spent in the English countryside and three years living in virgin jungle with her husband in India after they were married.

Lady Isaac said she was involved in the captive breeding of endangered species, focusing on birds and plants in particular while now also working with skinks.

She hoped to leave her property behind as a conservation sanctuary.

"I've got 3000 acres of land and all of it will encompass the conservation part. Its for study of conservation, it's to demonstrate what can be done in that field and beside conserving birds and plants I'm building a historic village with houses from the early days of New Zealand."

Sir Eion Edgar, former New Zealand olympic committee president, businessman and philanthropist, Otago

Sir Eion Edgar, 65, has given a lifetime of service to New Zealand, in the fields of sport, the arts, health issues and philanthropy.

Throughout his life Sir Eion has filled many significant roles including chairman of the Diabetes Congress, Trustee of the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, Trustee of the Foundation for Youth Development, Trustee of the Central Lakes Trust, President of New Zealand Soccer and Trustee of the Halberg Trust. He was the founding sponsor of the Edgar Sports Centre in Dunedin and the University of Otago Edgar Centre for Diabetes Research, of which he is chair of its advisory group.

As President of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, he created a programme ensuring New Zealand athletes remained competitive and brought home medals. In 2009, Sir Eion was instrumental in the success of the 100 percent Pure New Zealand Winter Games, bringing 800 athletes from 40 countries to New Zealand.

Sir Eion leads by example. Through what he himself achieves, he believes others can achieve more.

COMMUNITY OF THE YEAR

Acknowledges groups working together up and down the country to build stronger communities.

Waihi Community Vision, Waihi

Waihi Community Vision is a unique consultative group, from all sections of the Waihi community, working towards securing the town's future following the departure of mining company Newmont Waihi Gold.

The group's uniqueness comes from its development as a partnership with an extremely wide section of community, industry and local government input. The group has developed a vision and plan to widen the scope of economic, artistic, sporting and social activity of the town and is working together to implement these initiatives. The most advanced of the projects is the building of the Waihi Gold Discovery Centre, which is expected to attract 75,000 visitors each year.

The challenge of the group to improve the range of economic opportunities for the area has started to bear fruit, with a range of new activities being generated in the town, growth in community spirit and advances made towards self funding.

Victory Village, Nelson

Victory Village, comprising Victory Community Health Centre and Victory Primary School, is a unique example of community-based support achieving positive health, social and educational outcomes.

After evolving from a number of health and social services operating out of school meeting rooms in a disadvantaged area of Nelson, Victory Village now actively promotes and provides accessible health services and has 90 percent of its students performing at or above expected achievement levels on finishing primary education.

Victory Village and the wider Victory community's inclusive way of responding and relating to the health, education and social needs and aspirations of its residents has resulted in a sustainable community, with more effective service provision and families that are more stable and resilient. Victory is a vibrant community, with Victory Village at its heart - a one-stop provider and facilitator of health, education, meetings and celebrations.

StarJam performance group for young people with disabilities, Auckland

StarJam is a not-for-profit organisation based in Auckland creating national and international performance and limelight opportunities for young people with disabilities.

Known as "Jammers," StarJam kids gain respect, confidence, empowerment, new friends, new hope and new purpose within a fun and inclusive atmosphere.

StarJam runs 11 performance workshops a week in Auckland and one in Whangarei along with monthly get-togethers. The StarJam crew are also regularly called upon to perform at corporate team building and motivational events as an example of achievement in action.

Since its inception seven years ago, more than 500 young people have been through the programmes, motivating and inspiring more than 15,000 audience members. 

LOCAL HEROES AWARD

Recognises ordinary people doing extraordinary things in their local communities. Local Heroes Awards will be presented in 19 regions throughout the country. From these winners, three nominees have been selected to go forward to the national awards.

Helen Johnson, Special Olympics coach and disability advocate, Palmerston North

Helen Johnson has touched many lives in her mission to get the word disability taken out of the dictionary. She believes all people have unique abilities and can teach the world about real life.

Helen is a volunteer coach and coordinator for Special Olympics. She coaches swimming, athletics, basketball, golf and skiing and is a volunteer coordinator of 10 sports on behalf of Special Olympics Manawatu. Helen was an assistant athletics coach in the Special Olympics New Zealand Team at the 2007 Summer World Games in Shanghai, and acts as an adviser to government leaders on disabilities issues.

Helen works with support agencies and families to create meaningful sport and recreation opportunities, which she believes helps lead to inclusive social and employment environments.

George Phiskie, local and blind community activist, Waipu

George Phiskie, 88, is blind and partially deaf, and has lived in Waipu since 1951. He has dedicated much of his life to the town and surrounding district.

From chair of the PTA for 23 years, to getting scout halls and swimming pools built, George has worked tirelessly and voluntarily for his community. A St John Ambulance Service officer, George has also been a major player in the development of the Foundation of the Blind in Northland, giving people hope and inspiration, and helping them come to terms with their blindness.

In addition to working on his farm and raising children and foster children, George has devoted his life to building a better community and encouraging people to live life to the fullest, no matter what their circumstances.

Haami (Sam) Tutu Chapman, youth and community worker, Otara, Auckland

Haami (Sam) Tutu Chapman from Otara, Auckland has 40 years experience in transforming communities, particularly those who have lost hope and been rejected by mainstream society.

Community development is a lifestyle not a job for Sam and he empowers individuals, families and communities to reach their potential by helping them identify their purpose in life and what has worked for them in the past, recognising what gifts they have to achieve those goals, and the skills they need to develop in order to transform their lives.

Sam has formalised this process (the AWHI model) and uses it with people from all different walks of life, often those for whom opportunities are scarce. Some of his most high profile work is with gangs in South Auckland.

(Source: www.nzawards.org.nz)

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