Dalton, campaigners, scientists, fashion designer on NZer of Year shortlist

Thursday, 28 December 2017

Team New Zealand's victory in the America's Cup has been recognised in the New Zealand of the Year awards shortlists.

America's Cup team boss Grant Dalton, mental health advocate Mike King, Auckland University microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles and fashion designer Annah Stretton are among 10 people on the shortlist for the 2018 New Zealander of the Year Award.

Others are Christchurch surgeon Philip Bagshaw, equal pay campaigner Kristine Bartlett, violence prevention promoter Lesley Elliott, Skylight Trust chief executive Heather Henare, environmental scientist Dr Mike Joy, and She# founder Dr Mahsa Mohaghegh.

Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles is on the list for raising the awareness of important public health issues.

Organisers said 1118 nominations were received for the award. A judging panel will announce the three finalists for the award, and in five other categories, in January, and winners will be announced on February 22.

The shortlist for the Young New Zealander of the Year category includes America's Cup-winning helmsman Peter Burling and musician Lizzie Marvelly. The senior New Zealander category includes artist Billy Apple, child health researcher Professor Bob Elliott, prison reform campaigner Kim Workman, and former All Black Bryan Williams.

Kristine Bartlett, centre, celebrates the pay equity win with Telani Esene, left, and Eneata Apineru.

Mike King made the shortlist for his work with mental health.

* National Portrait: Kristine Bartlett, equal pay campaigner

* Team NZ boss Grant Dalton on 'brutal' recovery mission of 2013

She# founder Dr Mahsa Mohaghegh has been recognised.

* Women of Influence alumni: Mahsa Mohaghegh**

The America's Cup gets another mention, with the Team New Zealand design team on the short list for the innovator of the year category, which also includes neonatology researcher Professor Jane Harding.

The community of the year includes three groups that provide food for people in need - Bellyful, Eat My Lunch, and Kaibosh Food Rescue. The awards also have a category for local hero.

The full list:

2018 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award:

Philip Bagshaw - general surgeon, instrumental in creating the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust, which provides free hospital care

Kristine Bartlett - rest-home carer and face of the campaign for pay equity for 55,000 low-paid, mostly women, care and support workers

Grant Dalton - chief executive of Team New Zealand, which won yachting's America's Cup

Lesley Elliott - works to promote violence prevention and healthy relationships, following the murder of her daughter Sophie

Heather Henare - chief executive of Skylight Trust, and former chief executive of Women's Refuge for 10 years

Dr Mike Joy - high profile campaigner to improve the state of the country's waterways

Mike King - working to change the way Kiwis think, act and feel about mental health

Dr Mahsa Mohaghegh - information technology and software engineering lecturer, working to address gender and diversity gaps in science and technology

Annah Stretton - fashion designer, who established Reclaim Another Woman (RAW) which aims to break the cycle of offending among women prisoners

Dr Siouxsie Wiles - head of the Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab at Auckland University, who is raising the awareness of important public health issues, such as antibiotic-resistant superbugs

University of Auckland Young New Zealander of the Year: Peter Burling, David Cameron, Kristina Cavit, Tom Francis, Alexander Kuch, Lizzie Marvelly, Grace Stratton, Josiah Tualamali'i, Rees Vinsen, Logan Williams

Metlifecare Senior New Zealander of the Year: Billy Apple, Peter Carrington, Mark Dunajtschik, Prof Bob Elliott, Christine Hartstone, Robert Kinsela 'Kim' Workman, Margaret Dunkley, Peter McLaren, John Peebles, Bryan Williams

Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year: Bellyfull (Wellington), Canterbury Charitable Hospital Trust (Christchurch), De Paul House Emergency Housing (Auckland), Eat My Lunch (Auckland), I Have A Dream (Whangarei), Kaibosh Food Rescue (Wellington), Pillars (Auckland), Te Iwi O Te Roroa (Waipoua), Whangawehi Catchment Management (Hawke's Bay), Zealandia (Wellington)

Sanitarium New Zealand Innovator of the Year: Robert Bell, Rick Fright and Bruce McCallum, Kevin Halsall and Marcus Thompson, Nick Hammond, Prof Jane Harding, Chris Heaslip, Fraser Smith and Matt Yallop, Ian Taylor, Team New Zealand Design Team, Brianne West

Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year: Joseph Fa'afiu (Auckland), Ricky Houghton (Kaitaia), Dave Letele (Auckland), Janice Lee (Invercargill), Mohamud Mohamed (Auckland), Alexandra Nicholas (Auckland), Pamela Anne O'Keefe (Hastings), David Rule (Auckland), Farida Sultana (Auckland), Caine Warren (Auckland)