About the
Awards Programme
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. From the grassroots to the global stage, these awards celebrate New Zealanders whose actions shape our communities, challenge the status quo, and move us forward. Aged 15 or 100, known by many or by few – they’re leaders, advocates, builders, and breakers of new ground.
Nominations open to the public annually across July-August, and can be made in one or more of the seven award categories:
Te Koruru Patron
Miriama Kamo
“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.”
Award
Criteria
Nominees of this Award must:
- Be an individual that – through their achievements – has made an outstanding contribution to our country.
- Have had significant impact on Aotearoa, particularly over the last 12 months.
- Be a role model for New Zealanders.
- Meet Awards Conditions of Entry
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION:
Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you, particularly over the past 12 months, to nominate them as the New Zealander of the Year Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa. - 10 points: PURPOSE:
Who benefits from the work, contribution, or influence of this person – and how? - 10 points: LEADERSHIP:
How does this person set a positive example for other fellow New Zealanders. - 10 points: COMMITMENT: Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, create change, and give back?
- 10 points: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & INNOVATIVE THINKING:
How thoughtful, creative, and unique is this person’s approach to their challenge, opportunity, or situation? - 10 points: PROVEN IMPACT:
How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their area of influence? How is has this been measured? - 10 points: LONG-TERM IMPACT:
If known, how does this person plan to grow and/or adapt their work, contribution, or influence in the future? How would winning this award impact this person and the work that they are doing?
Nominees of this Award must:
- Be aged between 15-30 years, at the close of nominations on 24 August 2025.
- Have had significant positive impact over the past 12 months.
- Be a role model for young New Zealanders and highlight that change is possible at any age.
- Meet the Awards Conditions of Entry.
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION
Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you over the past year to nominate them as Young New Zealander of the Year Te Mātātahi o te Tau. - 10 points: PURPOSE:
Who benefits from this person’s work, contribution, or influence – and how? - 10 points: LEADERSHIP:
How does this person set a positive example for other young people and showing them the potential for change. - 10 points: COMMITMENT:
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, create change, and give back? - 10 points: PROVEN IMPACT:
How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their area of influence? How has this been measured? - 10 points: LONG-TERM IMPACT:
If known, how does the nominee plan to grow and/or adapt their work, contribution, or influence in the future? How would winning this award impact this person and the work that they are doing?
Nominees of this Award must:
- Be over the age of 70, upon the close of nominations 24 August 2025
- Have had significant impact in their senior years
- Be a role model for New Zealanders and highlight that change is possible at any age
- Meet Awards Conditions of Entry.
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION:
Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done later in life to inspire you to nominate them as Senior New Zealander of the Year Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau. - 10 points: PURPOSE:
Who benefits from the work, contribution, or influence of this person – and how? - 10 points: LEADERSHIP & SERVICE:
How does this person set a positive example of being a senior member of the community – showing potential for making change at any age. - 10 points: COMMITMENT:
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond following their career, achievements, or service to create change and give back? - 10 points: PROVEN IMPACT:
How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their area of influence, particularly during their senior years? How has this been measured? - 10 points: LONG-TERM IMPACT
How would winning this award impact this person’s legacy and their mahi (past or present)?
Nominees of this Award must:
- Be an individual who 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.
- Have had significant impact over the last 12 months.
- Be a role model for New Zealanders and highlight a brighter future for New Zealanders.
- Meet Awards Conditions of Entry.
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: INNOVATION:
Describe the innovation of your nominee and the thoughtful, creative, and innovative approach it takes to resolve a challenge. - 10 points: NEED:
What problem does the innovation solve? And how is it unique to the market? - 10 points: COMMITMENT:
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to develop the innovation to this point (this may still be ongoing). - 10 points: COMMITMENT:
How has the innovation clearly demonstrated a positive impact on the targeted community (particularly over the last 12-months)? How has this been measured? - 10 points: POTENTIAL:
Describe the opportunity the innovation has to generate economic, social, and/or environmental benefits for a local industry sector, the nation, and or globally. - 10 points: LONG-TERM IMPACT:
How is the nominee planning to enhance, grow, and/or adapt the innovation in the future to best meet the changing needs of the targeted population? How would winning this award impact this person and the work that they are doing?
Nominees of this Award must:
- Be more than one person (duo, group, community or organisation) who has made – or is making – a significant contribution to their region, town, suburb, community (be it geographical, or interest specific), iwi, or local group. 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.
- Have had significant impact over the last 12 months.
- Be role models for New Zealanders and highlight collective action toward positive change.
- Meet Awards Conditions of Entry.
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION:
Describe the community, group or duo you are nominating and the work that they do (particularly over the past 12-months) that has inspired you to nominate them as Community of the Year Ngā Pou Whirinaki o te Tau. - 10 points: PURPOSE:
Who benefits from the work of this community, and how? - 10 points: COMMITMENT:
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). - 10 points: PROVEN IMPACT:
How has this community clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their area of influence? How has this been measured? - 10 points: LONG-TERM IMPACT:
If applicable, how would the nominee/s enhance, grow, and/or adapt their approach in the future to best meet the changing needs of their community? How would winning this award impact this group and the work that they are doing? - 10 points: THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & INNOVATIVE THINKING:
How thoughtful, creative, and unique is this community’s approach to their challenge, opportunity, or situation?
Nominees of this Award must:
- Be an individual who has made (or is making) a significant contribution to their region, town, suburb, community (be it geographical community, or community of specific interest), iwi, or local group.
- Have had significant impact over the last 12 months.
- Be a role model for New Zealanders and highlight selflessness for their community.
- Meet Awards Conditions of Entry.
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION:
Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you over the past year to nominate them as Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau. - 10 points: PURPOSE:
Who benefits from the work, contribution, or influence of this person – and how? - 10 points: LEADERSHIP:
How does this person set a positive example for other members of their local community? - 10 points: COMMITMENT:
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, create change, and give back? - 10 points: PROVEN IMPACT:
How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive impact in their local community? (be it geographical community, or community of specific interest).
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How do the New Zealand Local Hero Awards work?
- All Local Hero nominations are divided up into their regions across Aotearoa.
- Nominations for each region are then sent on to the panel Local Hero Judges for that area, for their consideration – who score the nominees based on the criteria above.
- The top 100 (highest scoring) Local Hero nominees across New Zealand will be honoured as the Local Hero Medallists.
- The 100 Local Hero Medallists will also go forward into the next round of Awards judging, to be considered for the national title of New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau. The 10 semi-finalists for this national title will be announced in December, the top three finalists in February, and the ultimate winner will be revealed at our Awards Gala in March.
Nominees for this Award must:
- Demonstrate tangible actions, with proven impact, towards global sustainability goals focused on environment – including (but not limited to) 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.
- Show significant impact within the past year.
- Serve as role models fellow New Zealanders (and beyond) – inspiring a sustainable and thriving future for Aotearoa.
- Meet Awards Conditions of Entry.
Judges will review each nominee using the following criteria:
- 10 points: OVERALL INSPIRATION:
Describe the person you are nominating and what they’ve done to inspire you over the past year to nominate them as the New Zealand Sustainability Leader of the Year Te Toa Taiao o te Tau. - 10 points: PURPOSE
How does the planet benefit from the mahi, contribution, or influence of this person – and how? - 10 points: COMMITMENT
Describe the commitment of time, risks, and challenges overcome to create an impact to this point (this may still be ongoing). What have they done that has gone above and beyond to show leadership, creativity/innovation, and create change? - 10 points: PROVEN IMPACT
How has this person clearly demonstrated a positive contribution, with proven impact, towards sustainability (particularly over the last 12 -months)? How has this been measured? - 10 points: LONG-TERM IMPACT
If known, how does the nominee plan to grow and/or adapt their work, contribution, or influence in the future? How would winning this award impact this person and the work that they are doing?
This category is determined by the Judging Panel and is not open for nomination. The recipient is selected based on nominations made across all other Award categories.
