Members of the business community have been the big winners in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, while those in politics have largely missed out.

Four of the six new knights have had distinguished careers in business and have put much back into the community through acts of philanthropy or other achievement.

They are:

• Auckland’s Mad Butcher – now Sir Peter Leitch – who is best known for his rugby league connections and generosity to south Auckland community organisations. His business, the eponymous chain of meat shops, has gone national through high-impact personalised advertising.

• Sir Richard Taylor, head of special effects company Weta Workshop, joins Sir Peter Jackson as the second knight companion in the NZ Order of Merit (NZM) to be associated with The Lord of the Rings trilogy. More recently, Sir Richard and his team won an Oscar for their work on the world’s biggest grossing film, Avatar.

• Sir David Levene is an NBR Rich Lister, who after selling the Levene DIY stores has continued in business with Quadrant Properties and interests in horticulture, technology and film-making. His philanthropic foundation is a big donor to medical research and charities.

• Sir Graeme Douglas has used his success as the founder of the largest New Zealand-owned pharmaceutical manufacturer to support an athletics stadium in West Auckland.

The other knights are 90-year-old Sir Fred Allen, one of the country’s most fanous All Black rugby players and coaches, and a judge, Sir Hugh Williams, who sits in the High Court.

Manuaku Maori advocate June Jackson (officially Mrs Temuranga Batley-Jackson and mother of broadcaster Willie) has become a Dame.

New Companions

Five business identities have become Companions of the NZM: founder of the Kathmandu retail chain Jan Cameron, Auckland property investor Michael Friedlander, retired newspaper publisher Michael Horton, Auckland company director Alison Paterson and Kevin Rimmington, a long-time chief executive of New Plymouth-based TSB Bank, originally Taranaki Savings Bank.

Among other companions are former Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons, poet Sam Hunt and Dr Hylton Le Grice, a leading member of the Auckland medical profession and an arts patron.

New Officers

Among Officers of the NZM are Wellington company director and businessman Nigel Gould (Centreport, Massey University), architect Maurice Mahoney (co-founder of Warren and Mahoney), Auckland businessman Tony Timpson (carpet manufacturer Cavalier Corporation) and Queenstown tourism identity Robert “Jules” Tapper.

In the arts, theatre director Colin McColl and poet Ian Wedde have been recognised, as well as Manukau educationalist and writer Stuart Middleton. Wellington political scientist Nigel Roberts is similarly recognised.