Malcolm Campbell, Te Haumihiata Mason and Gavin Nicol are three of six Eastern Bay New Year Honours recipients. Photo / NZME
Today six people from the Eastern Bay of Plenty are being honoured for services to their communities. The Honours recognise their contributions across the fields of sport, Māori language education, healthcare, local government and services to veterans. The six honourees are:
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to local government and the community
Malcolm Campbell served as mayor of Kawerau for 21 years and was a local councillor for 27 years.
As mayor, Campbell steered efforts to improve Kawerau’s economic performance and image amid industrial downturns, significant job losses and a declining population.
He has been a mentor of the rangitahi development programme Tuia and supported the ongoing development of the Mountain View Rest Home and Hospital, managed by Kawerau Social Services Trust.
Campbell has also held offices such as secretary, treasurer, deputy and chairman with various boards including Kawerau South School, Kawerau Intermediate School, Kawerau Pony Club and Swimming Club, and the New Zealand Jet Boat Association Northern District.
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to community development and social justice
Ruth Gerzon has worked to promote community development, inclusion and social justice for more than 40 years.
Gerzon has run workshops on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, challenged racism in government agencies and promoted the rights of people with learning disabilities.
She helped establish the People First organisation and then worked in the Like Minds Like Mine movement to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness.
Through the Ministry of Health, she set up new programmes in the Bay of Plenty to promote inclusion and autonomy for tāngata whaikaha / disabled people.
Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to nursing
Sally Shaw has dedicated more than 40 years to nursing in New Zealand.
Shaw was the Ministry of Health’s chief nursing officer from 1985 to 1987. She was appointed to the Geneva-based International Council of Nurses to develop and implement the Leadership for Change programme in a number of member countries throughout the world.
As a volunteer board member, chairwoman, and then acting manager of the Eastern Bay of Plenty branch of Alzheimer’s New Zealand, Shaw facilitated the wider delivery of Alzheimer’s care to Māori in partnership with Auckland University.
Shaw also contributed to the work of Alzheimer’s New Zealand in the development of the national Dementia Services and Standards.
Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori language education
Te Haumihiata Mason (Tūhoe, Te Arawa, Ngāti Pango) has been contributing to the revitalisation of te reo Māori.
She was a te reo Māori lecturer with the University of Waikato between 1989 and 1995 before becoming the manager of Māori Language with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori from 1995 to 2000.
Mason is responsible for the te reo Māori translation and interpretations of several published works, including The Diary of Anne Frank.
She was one of the writers on He Pātaka Kupu, the first monolingual Māori dictionary.
She returned to Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori as a senior manager between 2009 and 2014, responsible for all Māori language services and communications, including carrying out the re-translation of the Māori Language Act 1987.
Recipient of the Queen’s Service Medal for services to veterans
Gavin Nicol has supported Returned and Services Association (RSA) veterans and their families for 40 years.
Nicol is local and district support adviser for the RSA in Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki, leading a small group of volunteers helping veterans and their families in need.
He undertakes personal support for veterans on a one-on-one basis and delivers training at the district level for new local support advisers.
Within the wider community, he has been on the parish council of St John’s Church Ōpōtiki, chairman of chaplaincy at Whakatāne Hospital, and a cadet officer for New Zealand Cadet Forces.
Recipient of the Queen’s Service Medal for services to cycling
Kevin McComb has promoted cycling in the Eastern Bay of Plenty as president of the Whakatāne Cycling Club for 32 years.
McComb competed in New Zealand’s track cycling team at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton.
In 1987 he set up the Whakatāne Cycling Club, serving as its president until 2019. As president, McComb organised events to promote cycling in his community, helped launch many sporting careers and initiated events and trophies in honour of recently deceased cyclists.
Through his fundraising efforts in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, McComb has secured sponsorship for elite athletes, bikes and equipment for newcomers and a simulator for a severely injured club member.
