Orders, decorations, and medals of New Zealand

David Ledon wearing the badge for the Officer rank of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

The New Zealand Royal Honours system is the system of orders, decorations and medals which are awarded to recognise achievements of, or service by, New Zealanders or others in connection with New Zealand. Until 1975, the British honours system was used. Since then a number of uniquely New Zealand honours have been introduced, and now only the dynastic British honours are retained.

Awards are made by the Queen (in her capacity as Queen of New Zealand), on ministerial advice. However, certain awards exist which are in the exclusive gift of the Queen.

The Honours Secretariat of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is responsible for the administration of honours.

History

Since the beginning of settlement in the mid nineteenth century, British honours were awarded in New Zealand. In 1848, Governor George Grey received the first honour granted to a New Zealand resident, becoming a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

For more than a hundred years the British honours system was used for New Zealand. In 1975, after a review of the system, two uniquely New Zealand honours were integrated into it: the Queen's Service Order, and its affiliated Medal. In 1987, the Order of New Zealand was instituted as the supreme New Zealand honour. A further review of the system in 1996 and 1997 resulted in the termination of awards of almost all British honours and the creation of a new five-level New Zealand Order of Merit to replace them.

In March 2009, Prime Minister John Key announced the return of knighthoods to the New Zealand Honours system, with past recipients of the New Zealand Order of Merit to be eligible to receive titles.

Orders and other honours

Complete name	Ranks / Letters	Ribbon	Established	Founder	Motto	Awarded to/for	Associated awards	Refs
The Most Noble Order of the Garter	KG/LG		23 April 1348	King Edward III	Honi soit qui mal y pense ("shame upon him who thinks evil of it")	Relating to England and Wales	None
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle	KT/LT		29 May 1687	James VII and II	Nemo me impune lacessit ("No one provokes me with impunity")	Relating to Scotland	None	[citation needed]
The Royal Victorian Order	GCVO, KCVO/DCVO, CVO, LVO, MVO		21 April 1896	Queen Victoria	Victoria ("Victory")	Services to the Crown	The Royal Victorian Medal, The Royal Victorian Chain
The Order of Merit	OM		23 June 1902	King Edward VII	For merit	Military, science, art, literature, culture	None	[citation needed]
Order of New Zealand	ONZ		6 February 1987	Queen Elizabeth II	None	Outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity	None
New Zealand Order of Merit	GNZM, KNZM/DNZM, CNZM, ONZM, MNZM		30 May 1996	Queen Elizabeth II	None	Meritorious service to the Crown and the nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions, or other merits	None
Queen's Service Order	QSO		13 March 1975	Queen Elizabeth II	For service — Mō nga mahi nui	For valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or appointed office	Queen's Service Medal
New Zealand Antarctic Medal	NZAM		1 September 2006	Queen Elizabeth II	None	For outstanding contribution to exploration, scientific research, conservation, environmental protection, or knowledge of the Antarctic region; or in support of New Zealand’s objectives or operations, or both, in the Antarctic region.	None
New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration	DSD		14 May 2007	Queen Elizabeth II	None	Distinguished military service, by regular, territorial and reserve members of the New Zealand Defence Force	None

• Orders. The Order of New Zealand is the country's highest civilian honour, then the New Zealand Order of Merit (with five levels). The Queen's Service Order has similar precedence to the fourth level of the NZ Order of Merit. The Queen's Service Medal takes precedence after the NZ Order of Merit. Prior to the reorganisation of the New Zealand honours system in 1996, New Zealanders received various British honours, namely the Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Order of the British Empire, Order of the Companions of Honour and Knight Bachelor.

• Other decorations and medals. These usually do not carry titles, but nonetheless entitle the holder to place post nominals after his or her name. The New Zealand Antarctic Medal and the Distinguished Service Decoration are analogues to the Polar Medal and the Medal of the Order of the British Empire. (See British and Commonwealth orders and decorations)

• The Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem (founded 1888). Although it is an independent order of chivalry, it is officially sanctioned by virtue of the fact that the Queen is the Sovereign of the Order. The Governor-General of New Zealand is the Prior in New Zealand. The members of this semi-official order can wear the Order's insignia, but do not receive any titles of Knighthood or use any post-nominal letters.

• Honours in the exclusive gift of the Queen. The Order of the Garter, Order of the Thistle, Royal Victorian Order and Order of Merit are not conferred on ministerial advice and continue to be New Zealand honours.

See also: British honours system#Other honours and appointments

See also

• New Zealand Honours Order of Precedence
• New Zealand gallantry awards
• New Zealand bravery awards
• New Zealand campaign medals
• New Zealand Meritorious & Long Service Awards
• The Right Honourable
• The Honourable
• British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
• Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom
• State decoration

External links

• The Honours Secretariat of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
• NZ Defence Force