mini传媒

Melanie Mark-Shadbolt

Ng膩ti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ng膩ti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Te Atiawa, Ng膩ti Raukawa, and Te Arawa
BA 2002

Passionate about the environment, indigenous rights, and the empowerment of communities to manage their own resources, Melanie Mark-Shadbolt聽is currently Deputy Secretary聽T奴matak艒kiri聽(M膩ori Rights & Interests) for the Ministry for the Environment,聽as well as聽a Co-Founder and Trustee of聽Te聽Tira聽Whakam膩taki聽- a M膩ori environmental not-for-profit. Her expertise in biodiversity and driving environmental outcomes are underpinned by an indigenous worldview. With over 13聽years of leadership experience at board, CE and senior management level, Melanie is passionate about using strong research and policy to empower communities and create a healthier environment for all New Zealanders.

Sir Charles Moihi Te Arawaka Bennett DSO PMN

Christchurch Training College 1936, BA 1936, LLD 1973

Second eldest of 19 children, Sir Charles聽Moihi聽Te聽Arawka聽Bennett began his career as a teacher and South Island M膩ori rugby representative. He was recruited as an announcer for the New Zealand Broadcasting Service and just a year later, enlisted at the outbreak of war in 1939. Fighting in Greece and Crete, he led an intelligence unit responsible for reconnaissance, often speaking in聽te聽reo聽M膩ori to prevent enemy interception. From 1959 to 1963, Sir Charles became New Zealand鈥檚 2nd聽high commissioner to Malaya and was the Labour Party president from 1972 to 1976, living a life of valuable public service.

Photo credit: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections: Accession 1327

Dr Rosemary Banks

BA 1973, MA (Hons) 1976, LittD聽2015

Dr Rosemary Banks has had a distinguished diplomatic聽career,聽promoting New Zealand鈥檚 interests on the global stage for more than 40 years. After serving in the Pacific and Australia she was appointed Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade responsible for Multilateral Affairs, and later become聽Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York in 2005. As Ambassador to France and聽Portugal,聽Banks also represented New Zealand at the OECD. Her final posting was as Ambassador to the United States from 2018 to 2022, the first woman to hold this position. Dr Banks has also served as a Crown negotiator for the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process.

Rt Hon. Sir Andrew Tipping KNZM PC

LLB 1966, BA 1966, LLM 1967, LLD 2002

Recognised as one of the most distinguished graduates of the University of mini传媒鈥檚 School of Law and lauded for his substantial and permanent contribution to shaping law in New Zealand, Sir Andrew has served as a judge at the highest levels.聽In聽1986聽he was聽appointed a Judge of the High Court in Christchurch, before becoming聽a Judge of the Court of Appeal of New Zealand and a Privy Counsellor聽in 1997. Upon its establishment in 2004, Sir Andrew was聽appointed to the Supreme Court, serving on that Court until his retirement in 2012.聽He聽is a former council member of the New Zealand Law Society and former member and chairman of the Tribunals Committee and the Legal Aid Committee.

Hon. Amy Adams

LLB (Hons) 1993

Appointed in 2022, the current Chancellor of the University of mini传媒, Honourable Amy Adams has had an illustrious career spanning both politics and law. After spending 16 years as a practising lawyer, Amy was elected MP for Selwyn from 2008 to 2020, further serving as Cabinet Minister for six years and holding portfolios in Environment, Communications and Justice in the Fifth National Government. Instrumental in building world-class fibre internet networks across New Zealand, developing New Zealand鈥檚 first ever National Freshwater Quality Standards and overhauling the Family Violence Legislation, Amy also became the first ever Minister in charge of Social Investment, leading the way in forming a citizen-centric, cross-Government approach.

Dr Sandra Manderson QSM

Teacher鈥檚 College Diploma 1976, BSc 1977, MSc 1987, MBA聽1993, LLD 2015

Deciding at the age of six that she wanted to join the NZ Police, it was Sandra Manderson鈥檚 passion for community that saw her do just that in 1978. Sandra鈥檚 career has seen her trailblaze a path for women in policing, and she was the first woman in NZ to achieve the rank of Superintendent. Awarded a Queen鈥檚 Service Medal in 1993 for services to the community, her career has聽also聽seen her travel the world, working in Thailand and the US before returning to NZ in 2011 to assist with the aftermath of the February earthquake. Sandra retired from the New Zealand Police in 2018 after 40 years of service.

Justice Vui Clarence Nelson

LLB 1978

A born and bred Samoan聽matai, Justice Vui is currently serving as the聽Senior Judge聽of the Supreme Court of Samoa. He has been a judiciary reformer and tireless advocate of human rights throughout his career, particularly聽on behalf of children.聽Justice Vui聽was behind the first Pacific-based聽Young Offenders Act and聽Community聽Justice聽Act, established the Samoa Youth Court and聽Olomoana聽Centre to聽house young people in聽conflict聽with the law, which also聽provides them聽opportunities to upskill.聽He was the first Pacific Islands judge to be appointed to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child聽and continues his long service to Samoa and聽its聽people.

Hon. Margaret Austin CNZM CRSNZ

BSc 1954, Christchurch Teacher鈥檚 College 1954聽

After a career in teaching, Hon. Margaret Austin was first elected to Parliament in 1984 as the MP for聽Yaldhurst, serving as Minister of Research, Science and Technology, Internal Affairs,聽and聽Arts聽and聽Culture聽(1990).聽She聽previously聽served as Chancellor of Lincoln University,聽and Chaired the National Commission of UNESCO, working for the Director General. Margaret聽was made a聽Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 2003, and in 2008 was awarded as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM). Her relationship with UNESCO聽led to working internationally, and eventually international recognition of the importance of astronomy, with the International Dark Sky Association awarding the Aoraki-McKenzie Dark Sky Reserve Gold聽status.