New Year 2026 Honours: Gerald Hope, father of Olivia Hope, made member of the New Zealand Order of Merit

Long-serving Marlborough community leader Gerald Hope says he was “in disbelief” when he learned he was to be recognised for services to local government, business and the community in the New Year 2026 Honours List, at a time of year that also marks the anniversary of his daughter’s murder nearly 30 years ago.

Hope received the news by email in October while holidaying on D’Urville Island with friends. He said the honour came as a complete surprise.

“I had to reread it several times,” he said.

“It was emotional too, because it was so unexpected. You just don’t expect that sort of thing to happen, certainly at my level.”

Hope’s contribution to Marlborough spans more than five decades, encompassing youth development, the arts, environmental protection, health governance and local government.

Gerald Hope has been made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Photo / Supplied

He served 21 years on the Marlborough District Council, including a term as mayor from 1998 to 2001, and returned to the council after electoral defeat, describing politics as an “ebb and flow” but one he remained committed to.

“If you sit around the table, you can establish projects which are good and maintain the infrastructural upgrades Marlborough has done,” he said, adding the council deserved recognition for its strong financial position.

Earlier in his life, Hope was deeply involved in youth initiatives, helping establish youth programmes in the 1970s and maintaining links with the Marlborough Youth Council to this day.

He also spent decades as a New Zealand craft potter after returning from overseas, serving as president of the Marlborough Art Society in the 1990s.

Environmental work features prominently among the achievements Hope is most proud of.

He helped establish the Grovetown Lagoon Restoration Society to preserve and enhance a section of Marlborough’s main river system and was an early supporter of off-road cycleway networks, work that has since grown into the Whale Trail project connecting Picton to Kaikōura and beyond.

Hope also played a key role in establishing the Marlborough Environment Awards, recognising good stewardship by farmers and landowners.

“You hear about the bad stuff, but there’s a hell of a lot of good stuff going on as well.”

His governance roles extended into health, serving nearly 12 years on the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board after being involved in the establishment of Marlborough Hospice.

He said the experience reinforced his belief in strong regional health models.

Receiving the honour comes at a time of year that carries deep personal significance.

Hope’s daughter Olivia was murdered in the Marlborough Sounds in 1998, alongside Ben Smart.

Ben Smart and Olivia Hope. Photo / Supplied

He said the family did not celebrate the honour in the usual way out of respect.

“We reflect on Olivia and her murder, and Ben’s murder, at such young ages,” he said.

“Everybody was there to look after everybody else, but there was one rogue. We must never forget that.”

Hope emphasised the award was not about individual recognition.

“It’s not about me – it’s about we and us,” he said, crediting family, friends and community support, particularly through the years following his daughter’s death.

“I see this honour as a reflection of the people around me who helped make the work possible.”

Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.