The Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa honour those who use their passion to make our country a better place. The awards recognise a diverse range of Kiwis making a difference. Whether they’re aged 15 or 100, they’re contributing to grassroots communities or putting New Zealand on the world stage, they inspire us all.
Any member of the public can nominate an individual or community organisation in the Awards programme. Nominations for the 2023 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa open on 27 July and close on 31 August. Kiwibank Local Hero Medal recipients are awarded throughout the month of December. All other category semi-finalists are announced January 2024, with finalists announced March 2024. The winners will be announced on 30 March at the New Zealander of the Year Awards Gala.
Nominations can be made in one or more of the seven award categories:
Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year
Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa
University of Canterbury Young New Zealander of the Year
Te Mātātahi o te Tau
Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year
Te Mātapuputu o te Tau
Spark New Zealand Innovator of the Year
Te Pou Whakairo o te Tau
Ministry for the Environment New Zealand Environmental Hero of the Year
Te Toa Taiai o te Tau
Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year
Ngā Pou Whirinaki o te Tau
Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year
Te Pou Toko o te Tau
Each category will have one award winner selected from three finalists. All New Zealand citizens 15 years of age and over are eligible to be nominated for the Awards.
The regional and national judging panel includes representatives comprising of the awards sponsors, community leaders and independent experts.
An official Awards Gala Presentation Dinner will be held in March 2024 (date to be confirmed) in Auckland where nominees, semi-finalists and finalists will be formally recognised. Tickets and advance bookings for this public event will be available from mid-December 2023.
Our broadcasting partner is TVNZ and our media partners are Augusto and GoMedia. Together with their support, all New Zealanders have the opportunity to nominate someone in their local region.
“I’m honoured to take on the role of Te Koruru Patron of the Awards. The Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa allow us all to acknowledge and celebrate those who act as ‘pou,’ as support and strength for whānau, for communities, for our country and beyond.
These are people we know and those we discover; those special Kiwi whose passion and determination have seen them inspire, innovate, and work for the betterment of Aotearoa and its people. As an awards judge, I’ve been lucky to help acknowledge the achievements of our nominees and winners, and I’m humbled by the opportunity to continue doing this as Te Koruru Patron.”
To be eligible for this award, the nominee must have, through their achievements, made an outstanding contribution to the wellbeing of Aotearoa, particularly across the last 12-months.
Nominators should consider talking about the following areas in their nomination:
To be eligible for this award, the nominee must be aged between 15-30 years.
Nominators should consider talking about the following areas in their nomination:
To be eligible for this award, the nominee must be aged over 70 years and continue to make a positive contribution in Aotearoa, following their career in any service, sector or field. The nominee must be a role model to the wider community, particularly over the past 12-months.
Nominators should consider talking about the following areas in their nomination:
To be eligible for this award, the nominee must have conceptualised and developed an innovation involving a product, service, technology, idea/theory or process across any industry sector including (but not limited to) health, science, technology, robotics, business, education, environmental, sustainability, agriculture, disadvantaged communities, and non-profits.
Nominators should consider talking about the following areas in their nomination:
To be eligible for this award, the nominee must be a regional or national community group, iwi, geographical region or collective of people – in any sector including (but not limited to) business, leadership, culture, voluntary work, disaster relief, environmental work, health, education, sporting clubs, or working with the disadvantaged.
Nominators should consider talking about the following areas in their nomination:
To be eligible for this award, the nominee must be an individual who has made (or is making) a significant contribution to their region, town, suburb, community, iwi, or local group. The impact can be across any field or have displayed courage in overcoming personal adversity.
Nominators should consider talking about the following areas in their nomination:
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How do the Kiwibank Local Hero Awards work?
To be eligible for this award, the nominee must have taken tangible action with proven impact towards protecting and restoring nature and the natural environment in Aotearoa.
Nominators should consider talking about the following areas in their nomination:
* What do we mean by positive impact to the environment? A nominee may be working towards reducing the impacts of: Climate change, air and water pollution, water scarcity, food insecurity, deforestation, rising sea levels, loss of species and habitat biodiversity, or loss of indigenous environmental knowledge and traditions. Or working in protection and restoration such as driving social change for the benefit of the environment, restoring lands and waterways or pest management.
Contact
PO Box 1158
Christchurch 8140 New Zealand
0508 692 927
office@nzawards.org.nz
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