A diverse group of New Zealanders have been recognised for their work in the 2016 New Year Honours.
In all, 179 people have made this year's list from all areas of society - from shearing, business, philanthropy, sport, science and emergency services - and including former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw, filmmaker Jane Campion and senior public servant Paula Rebstock.
McCaw, 34, has received the highest form of recognition at this year's New Year's honours; being named a member of the Order of New Zealand for his services to New Zealand.
Other than his rugby credentials, he's involved in a trust which provides grants to youth sport, and the CatWalk Trust, which supports research into spinal cord injuries.
A number of other All Blacks including Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock also made the list.
Both Ms Rebstock and Ms Campion have been made Dames, though the latter would prefer to be known as "plain Jane".
Hon Terrence Arnold and David Fagan have been made knights for services to the judiciary and shearing respectively.
Sir David, a five-time shearing world champion, says he's not the first in his family to receive the honour.
"There's been a couple of Sirs before in the Fagan family. In the 13th or 14th century there was a couple back in Ireland so yeah, it's been about 600 years since the next one," he says.
He says he's humbled by the recognition.
"It's amazing really, after four decades of shearing and competing all around the world and doing everything and you achieve so many things to get to what you'd call the ultimate public recognition is pretty special, really."
Sir David is dedicating his honour to the country's rural community.
"It's not too many of our rural sportspeople or rural identities who get these sorts of things so it's pretty special and will always be treasured.
Meanwhile, Tony Groome says he's blown away after being recognised for his Search and Rescue work and as a volunteer firefighter.
He’s been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
"Seeing the face of the family and friends of the people you're searching for when you do find the people alive and well and bring them home to their families is the biggest satisfaction and even as a volunteer firefighter, helping people that have had fire on their property of a car accident and assisting those people and making sure they're well."
Mr Groome says the biggest job he ever undertook was helping lead the search for 10-year-old Alex Fisher.
"The community that came together from the Search and Rescue side of things and the local community was huge. That one was a massive search and took quite a toll on us," he says.
Paraplegic Phillip Blundell feels he still has a lot more work to do in the disability sector, despite being honoured for his decades of service.
He was paralysed following a helicopter crash in 1983 while serving in the New Zealand Army.
His fight for better care of those with disabilities is now focusing on the education system.
"Some people with disabilities still need particularly intensive care. Once they're through their initial schooling and they get to university they also need continuing support there.
Mr Blundell has spent the past 30 years actively helping disabled people in the community, by establishing support groups and campaigning for better care.
He says the decades of hard work have paid off.
This includes "seeing people with disabilities getting out and about, getting more into mainstream life and getting rid of some of the social barriers that prevent them from being part of the community."
Other people being recognised for their services to the sector include Kevin Blogg, who assists people with disabilities in the Canterbury region to find paid employment.
Two people affected by the Pike River Mine explosion have also been honoured for their tireless work in the community following the tragedy.
Carol Rose, who lost her son, has been made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for service to the community.
As secretary of the families' group committee, Ms Rose has worked tirelessly in their fight for justice and reform, whilst ensuring all the 150-plus family members have been kept in the loop.
But she credits the collaborative efforts of the families for what they've achieved.
"We wouldn't be anywhere. We wouldn't have access to the mine site, we wouldn't have a track, we wouldn't have this health and safety reform Bill – we were really instrumental in that and we're pretty proud of what we've done," she says.
Bernie Monk, family spokesperson, and Colin Smith, the group chairman and legal advocate, have also been honoured for their services to the community.
However, Mr Monk says while he's humbled by the recognition, the honour feels "hollow" to him.
He says feels somewhat unworthy of becoming a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, as he hasn't achieve what he set out to do.
"The whole situation of never getting into the mine and getting the guys out, it will always be at the forefront of my life. We've still got a big job to do with things coming up and I'm never going to let it rest until everything is finished."
3 News / RadioLIVE
