Herald columnist humbled by award

Garth George. Photo / Rotorua Daily Post

Garth George never thought his achievements would land him on the New Year Honours list.

The Rotorua resident has been named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to journalism.

For more than 50 years, George has worked at various newspapers across New Zealand and Australia dedicating his life to his work.

George said notification of the honour came out of the blue.

"An elderly lady from Tauranga phoned me and told me she wanted to nominate me," he said.

"I have never met her and I still haven't to this day. It came as a complete surprise."

George said it was a real honour to be named as a member of the order.

"It is very humbling."

He has had a long and successful career but he admits he has had his fair share of struggles.

"I started in Invercargill in 1958 and, four years later, I was deputy chief reporter and deputy chief sub," he said.

"I moved to Christchurch and got into public relations and hated it."

George got back into journalism and, in the 1970s, he was working in Rotorua at The Daily Post.

His work took him to Auckland but, in 1975, he took a year off.

"I packed it all in. I had chronic alcoholism and had to get myself sorted," he said.

Once he was back on track, George went back to journalism and, in 1980, he became the editor of the Christian publication Challenge Weekly.

He then went to Australia where he worked for various newspapers before returning to New Zealand to work at The New Zealand Herald.

"I retired from the Herald on my 65th birthday in 2005."

His retirement didn't mean the end of his career and he went back to his position as editor at Challenge Weekly for two years.

"I managed to escape from Auckland and move back to Rotorua."

He now writes weekly columns for The Daily Post and The New Zealand Herald and a fortnightly column for The Otago Daily Times.

He is well known for his often controversial views.

"I have an opinion on everything and what's more, I want you to know it," he said. "I have loved every minute of it and I still love it."

- ROTORUA DAILY POST