New Year honours 2021: The Southern recipients
| Published date | 31 December 2020 |
| Date | 31 December 2020 |
| Publication title | Otago Daily Times: Web Edition Articles (New Zealand) |
DR LISA ARGILLA
Dunedin
For services to animal welfare and conservation.
Dunedin's Wildlife Hospital founder and director Lisa Argilla is surprised and overwhelmed after receiving an MNZM for services to animal welfare and conservation.
"I've always looked at the honours and the people who receive them every year, and thought these people are amazing with the things they've achieved and done.
"I never considered I'd potentially be among these people, so I'm truly humbled."
Dr Argilla said founding the Wildlife Hospital in 2018 was her proudest achievement.
"It was my concept and idea, but it was definitely not something I could have achieved alone.
"I've had such an amazing group of people behind me, to help and support that."
Since opening, the hospital has treated more than 1300 animals across 63 different species, and more than 34% of patients were classified as nationally threatened.
Between 2011 and 2015, she was veterinary science manager at Wellington Zoo, where she played a pivotal role in establishing a world-class native wildlife treatment facility and began her involvement with the Kea Conservation Trust.
She has volunteered with the kakapo and takahe recovery groups, the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust and the Department of Conservation over the past 12 years.
She provided hand-rearing and veterinary support during the 2016 kakapo breeding season, and she is well known for her successful treatment of Happy Feet (the emperor penguin), which was stranded in New Zealand on its way back to the Antarctic in 2011.
For her services to the environment, she also won a Wellingtonian of the Year award in 2011.
DICK AND JILLIAN JARDINE
Queenstown
For services to philanthropy and conservation
Remarkables Station owners Dick and Jillian Jardine have given a significant amount of land in the Wakatipu Basin for the purposes of education, conservation and recreation.
Last month, they announced they would give almost all of their landmark high country station — 900 hectares of freehold land — to the QEII National Trust in 2022.
The handover date will coincide with the 100th anniversary of their family's ownership of the land, which will be placed under a covenant in the coming months that will protect it in perpetuity.
It will be managed by the trust as a working farm.
"Having QEII as the caretaker of this property gives us the comfort and assurance to proudly pass over this gift for all New Zealand to enjoy and appreciate," Mr Jardine said at the ceremony to announce the gift.
The area to be given encompasses 9ha of land the couple gave to the trust in 2013. Known as the Jardine Boulders, it is known for glacial boulders that are popular with rock climbers.
In 2016, the Jardines gave their former home and the 4ha lakefront site it sits on to the University of Otago, which is plans to develop the property as an academic research retreat.
That was not the couple's first act of charity for the university; in 2012, they organised a fundraising event for a neurology chair.
They have also supported cultural activities in Queenstown, including making a significant contribution to the establishment and development of the Lakes Music School "Turn Up the Music".
The couple were unavailable for comment on their New Year Honours.
JAMES (JIM) KELLY
Dunedin
For services to the trade union movement.
For more than 30 years, Jim Kelly has advocated for equitable treatment of workers in New Zealand, particularly in the rail industry.
Despite his many achievements and long-term commitment to the sector, he was very surprised when he learned he would receive an MNZM for services to the trade union movement.
"I'm over the moon. It's very humbling to get something like this. I'm in good company, absolutely."
Mr Kelly was president of the Combined Union of Railway Employees from 1990 until 1995, when it amalgamated into the Rail and Maritime Transport Union (RMTU).
He was then elected as national president of the RMTU from 1990 until 2011.
During that time, he was involved in many changes that affected the industry, including wage, welfare and health and safety changes.
Mr Kelly was also vice-chairman and advocate for workers whose unions were affiliates with the Council of Trade Unions, at regional and national levels.
He also represented...
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