Twelve Pacific People are among 178 New Zealanders recognised in this yearKing’s Birthday Honours.
Leading the honours is former Olympic and Commonwealth discus champion Beatrice Faumuina.
Beatrice who was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2005 has been made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) for services to sport and governance.
The former athlete has held governance roles in sport and business, and has worked in international relations. Some of her roles include from 2015 to 2018 the New Zealand Trade Commissioner and Consul General in New York, and a member of the New Zealand and Samoa Trade Investment Commission.
Nine Pacific people have been made Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM), as follows:
Lemalu Freddie Ah Kuoi For services to rugby league and the community.
Mr Ah Kuoi made his international rugby league debut for the New Zealand Māori team at the age of 18 in 1975, before playing 28 tests for the Kiwis, the New Zealand Rugby League Team. He captained the Kiwis for six tests in the 1980s, and at the age of 23 was the youngest Pasifika player to captain the side.
After living in the United States for 17 years, Mr Ah Kuoi returned to New Zealand in 2015 and established the ‘WAI- Who Am I’ course, delivered through the Department of Corrections to help mentor and develop young offenders in the community through physical training and life coaching.
Esitone Leota Pauga For services to Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
Esitone has served for more than 40 years with Fire and Emergency New Zealand
(FENZ) and the preceding New Zealand Fire Service (NZFS). He became a career firefighter in 1981 and served until he retired in 2025. He was an operational firefighter for 32 years before attaining the role of Assistant Commander in 2013 and Area Commander in 2015, latterly holding roles with FENZ national headquarters.
He co-founded Afi Pasefika (Pacific Fire) in 1996, an initiative which has become an important part of the People Led Network and Pacific representation and advocacy within FENZ. He led a team of firefighters to Samoa as part of New Zealand’s contribution to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2024.
Okesene Seanoa Faraimo For services to the community, Tokelau language and culture.
Okesene is a community advocate and faith-based leader who spent more than 25 years as a social worker. He was Secretary for the Fakaoko Wellington Tokelau Society, and is a member of the National Tokelau Aotearoa Leaders Council, where he works to promote the revitalisation of Te Gagana Tokelau (the Tokelau language) and culture.
He was the former President of the Mafutaga Tupulaga Tokelau Porirua Organisation, promoting wellbeing through sports development programmes for Tokelau youth.
Fane Fusipongi Ketu’u JP For services to Tongan language education.
Fane is an educator and mentor, dedicated to the preservation of the Tongan language, art and culture in New Zealand. She has advocated for the preservation of Lea Faka-Tonga for more than 40 years, teaching in schools, communities and churches.
She worked with NZQA and the Ministry of Education to develop Lea Faka-Tonga Achievement Standards, and helped establish Tongan language as a formal subject in NCEA and tertiary education.
Inspector Neru Grant (Nu) Leifi For services to the New Zealand Police and the community.
Inspector Leifi has served with the New Zealand Police since 1985, and is the Māori, Pacific and Ethnic Services Manager for Canterbury Police.
Inspector Leifi has been heavily involved with Police outreach to the Christchurch Pacific community, particularly in schools, university and the church.
He established partnerships with Pacific community leaders and has led initiatives to prevent family violence. He has strengthened Police connections in the wider Pacific through the Pacific Policing Programme.
Filomena Talaleomalie Mena Loheni For services to Pacific fashion.
Filomena founded Mena Designs in 2002, described as having altered the fashion landscape in Samoa.
Under her guidance the company expanded to New Zealand in 2006 becoming a household name amongst the Pacific community in New Zealand. Mena Designs has been showcased globally including in Fiji, Japan, Canada, and the United States of America.
In 2007, Mena International became the first Pacific business invited to showcase at New Zealand Fashion Week.
Tofa Robertina O’Halloran For services to education and the Niuean community.
Tina O’Halloran has worked to preserve Niuean culture and language through education and community involvement for more than 60 years.
She was one of the first Niuean teachers in primary school education. She has voluntarily led community language classes, including the Tutala Faka Niue series where she taught conversational Vagahau Niue (Niuean language). She is a published author and member of the Niue Writers Group.
She has helped develop several learning resources, including ‘Ponataki’ and ‘Haia! An Introduction to Vagahau Niue’ and is working on the production of a Niuean thesaurus.
Mrs Vania Nive Hannah Wolfgramm For services to rugby.
Vania is a former New Zealand rugby representative, and has made significant contributions to women’s and Pacific rugby development.
She played for the Black Ferns XV from 2003 to 2007, the Black Ferns Sevens in 2008, and played 45 games representing Auckland in the Farah Palmer Cup.
She became a Women’s Rugby Development Officer with New Zealand Rugby (NZR) in 2012, and later appointed Game Development Manager of Women’s Rugby in 2020.
She was key in the development of the Ako Wāhine and Teine Toa programmes, which provide leadership pathways for women and Pasifika youth in sport and governance. As a member of NZRs Pacific Advisory Group, she co-developed the Pasifika Cultural Competency programme, and played a key role in shaping the Pasifika Strategy 2024-2029.
The King’s Service Medal (KSM) has been awarded to two Pacific people.
Reverend Tapita Taia Ching For services to the Pacific community and education.
Reverend Ching has contributed to the Pacific community in Nelson across education, culture and church ministry.
Reverend Ching is a bilingual support worker, teacher aide and school chaplain at Victory Primary School. She has provided translation assistance to help Pacific parents to engage with their children’s education. She established Moana Pasifika at the school, a cultural group dedicated to Pacific identities, values and languages.
She was ordained in 2016 and attained Priesthood in 2018, and currently serves as Pou Mihana (Lead Enabler) for Nelson within Te Hui Amorangi o Te Waipounamu, the Anglican Māori Diocese serving the South Island.
Vaitoelau Kumitau For services to the Niuean community.
Vai is a respected elder in the Niuean community, providing cultural support and guidance to families and students, particularly in Dunedin.
She has worked alongside the Vagahau Niue Trust to organise activities during Niuean Language Week, elevating the visibility of Niuean culture at a regional level.
She is a founding member of the Pacific Trust Otago, whose work benefits all Pacific communities in the Otago region. In 2024, Ms Kumitau was among 50 influential Niueans honoured as part of the Niue 50th Constitution Day Celebrations in Auckland.
