Proud to be made a knight – Otago Daily Times

Sir John Key says he is immensely proud of his knighthood in the Queen's Birthday Honours to mark his eight years as prime minister of New Zealand.

But when people start calling him ``Sir'', it may take some getting used to. ``I suspect they'll stick with John,'' he said. ``I'll be more than happy with that.''

Sir John was made a Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, a level one honour which most former New Zealand leaders have been offered.

Business leaders, sports stars, a television producer joined Sir John as those recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours announced today.

Former All Black Michael Jones, of Auckland, has become a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the Pacific community and youth.

Television producer Julie Christie, of Auckland, who has worked in the television industry for almost 30 years, is now a Dame Companion for her services to governance and the television industry. Emeritus Professor Peggy Koopman-Boyden, from Hamilton, has been made a dame for her research into the country's older population.

Adventurer and philanthropist Graeme Dingle, of Auckland, has been made a Knight Companion for his decades of work with youth, getting them into the outdoors to build their confidence.

Prof Timoti Karetu, of Havelock North, has been made a knight for services to the Maori language.

Sir John said Prime Minister Bill English initially texted him to tell him what the honours and appointments committee had in mind, telling him he had better accept it.

The later citation prepared by officials includes mentions of Sir John leading New Zealand's response to the global financial crisis, a series of major disasters, Treaty of Waitangi settlements, closer relations with the United States, withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, securing a seat on the UN Security Council - and the national cycleway project, which particularly amused Sir John.

``I said to Bill, I've got to be the only person in the world that's got a knighthood for a cycleway.''

But he said the honour reflected a huge team effort including ``millions of New Zealanders who through their voting patterns allowed us to be the Government''.

``There are so many people who have part of the story and in my case it was an incredibly capable and talented cabinet and caucus.

``I'm immensely proud of the honour but also very cognisant of the fact that it is something you share through the deeds and actions of other people.''

That included his family. Sir John and his wife, Bronagh, Lady Key, told their children, Max and Stephie, about the honour last weekend and he said they were thrilled for him.

Sir John's family was invited by the Queen to spend a weekend at Balmoral Castle in 2013 and he is a strong supporter of New Zealand's constitutional monarchy.

He said his reintroduction of titular honours (damehoods and knighthoods) in 2009 had nothing to do with the monarchy.

``And it wasn't because I wanted to get one, despite the rumours,'' he said.

It was because the abolition of them in 2000 by Helen Clark had led to a level of confusion with the public and they had not known the various levels and what they meant.

Commenting on being made a knight instead of a member of the Order of New Zealand, he said: ``It's horses for courses. They are both level one honours. They are both in my mind the same.

``They offered me the knighthood because they knew I had brought them back and that would seem a natural fit.

``When I was prime minister and I chaired the committee, I offered Helen Clark the Order of New Zealand because having abolished damehoods, it would be insulting of me to offer her that.''

He said he wanted his investiture to take place in New Zealand.

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Proud to be made a knight - Otago Daily Times