New Year 2026 Honours: Former Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst named ONZM

A former Hastings mayor dubbed “the queen of infrastructure” has been made an officer of the Order of New Zealand (ONZM) for services to local government in the New Year 2026 Honours List.

Sandra Hazlehurst was the first female mayor of Hastings and led the city through transformational projects, including the championing of Flaxmere.

She also led the district’s largest investment programme to deliver a record $2.1 billion core infrastructure investment.

She forged important partnerships with iwi, central Government, and local organisations to improve the housing market.

Hazlehurst said the honour recognised the hard work of so many dedicated people who, for the past 15 years, worked tirelessly alongside her to make a “positive difference to the lives of our people”.

“I feel deeply humbled and gratefully accept this honour on their behalf and will forever remain indebted to those who have guided, supported and encouraged me – my family, my mentors, my colleagues, and our community. Together, we have achieved so much in the face of significant challenges,” Hazlehurst said.

She was responsible for leading the $102 million investment in the global award-winning water discovery centre, Waiaroha, and the innovative drinking water infrastructure project in Havelock North, founded on the principles of kaitiakitanga and mātauranga Māori.

She also led Hastings through Covid-19 and Cyclone Gabrielle.

Hazlehurst became a Hastings District Councillor in 2010 before being elected mayor in 2017. She stepped down in this year’s local body elections.

“It has been an amazing journey,” she said.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.