Emeritus Professor Janet Holmes was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to linguistics.
Emeritus Professor Holmes has taught linguistics at all levels at Victoria over the past 45 years and continues to supervise international doctoral students. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
She is Director of the Wellington Language in the Workplace project—an ongoing study of communication in the workplace which has described small talk, humour, management strategies, directives, and leadership in a wide range of New Zealand workplaces
Colin Hemmingsen, who started New Zealand’s first tertiary jazz programme—now the Bachelor of Music in Jazz—at Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music (NZSM), was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music.
Mr Hemmingsen has had a dual jazz and classical career for more than 30 years and was New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s principal bassoonist until 1992.
He retired from his position as Senior Lecturer at NZSM at the end of 2013. He continues to teach in the Jazz Programme as an Artist Teacher with specialities in reeds and improvisation.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Grant Guilford congratulated both Emeritus Professor Holmes and Mr Hemmingsen and the 16 other New Zealanders with connections to Victoria who were also recognised for their achievements in their fields.
The full list of Victoria University staff, alumni and friends who were recognised in the 2016 New Year Honours:
The New Zealand Order of Merit
Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM)
Jane Campion
For services to film
Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM)
Hon Justice Terence Arnold
For services to the judiciary
To be Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM)
Dr Max Wenden Abbott
For services to health, science and education
Hon Justice Pamela Jean Andrews
For services to the judiciary
Hon Justice Alan Donald MacKenzie
For services to the judiciary
Ginny Radford
For services to Girl Guides
To be Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM)
Professor Emeritus Janet Holmes
For services to linguistics
Professor Helen May
For services to education
Dr Andrew Durrad McEwen
For services to forestry
To be members of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM)
John Te Manihera Chadwick
For services to Maori and the law
Colin Hemmingsen
For services to music
Conrad Smith
For services to rugby
Rachel Emere Taulelei
For services to the food and hospitality industry
John Stuart Taylor
For services to education
To be members of the New Zealand Order of Merit (QSO)
Judge Leslie Herrick Atkins QC
For services to the judiciary
Sandi Joy Clare Beatie
For services to the State
Heta Kenneth Hingston
For services to Māori and the judiciary
The Queen’s Service Medal (QSM)
Bruce William Cronin
For services to the community