Margaret Austin
Hon Margaret Austin, of Christchurch, received the Insignia of a Companion of the NZ Order of Merit, for services to the community, on 1 April 2008. Since retiring from political life in 1997, Mrs Austin has served as chair of the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO and was made chair of the of the Chairpersons Group at UNESCO Headquarters in 2002. She served as Chancellor of Lincoln University for 10 years until 2005 and was made a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand in 2003, having served as a Council member for several years.