Humbled kaitiaki honoured
Dipton has a new knight in town, with Bill English receiving top honours in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.
The former prime minister was one of three Southlanders who received national recognition for their services.
To go with the knighthood for English, Ali Timms was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit and Stewart Bull was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal.
All three have given longstanding service to the Southland region in their respective fields.
English served for 24 years as MP for Clutha Southland, along with his roles as finance minister and later prime minister.
Timms was an Environment Southland councillor for three terms and then chairwoman from 2010 to 2016, while Bull has been a long-standing member of the Southland Conservation Board and has also been prominent in Ma¯ori affairs.
In total, 192 New Zealanders were honoured in the Queen’s list.
Invercargill mayor Tim Shadbolt said it was pleasing to see Southlanders recognised at a national level.
‘‘We’re a pretty region down here.
‘‘They’re good role models for successful our young people to look up to, and I think it does put the region in a more positive light.’’
Bull said he was humbled to be recognised in the Queen’s Birthday list, but said the work he did for conservation and Ma¯ori was not for recognition.
‘‘It’s about kaitiakitanga. It’s really about stewardship.’’
Bull has been awarded a Queen’s Service Medal O¯for services to conservation and Ma¯ori.
A member of the Southland Conservation Board for more than 15 years, he also has been the board representative on the