Wira Gardiner
Wira Gardiner of Wellington, received the Insignia of a Distinguished Companion of the NZ Order of Merit for services to Maori, on 4 September 2008. He has been involved in working and advocating for Maori for more than 20 years. He was the founding director of the Waitangi Tribunal in 1988, the founding general manager of the Iwi Transition Agency in 1989, and the first chief executive of Te Puni Kokiri. He has also been an advisor to tribes on major investment opportunities and to government departments and agencies on Treaty policy and established Conflict Management Pacific in 1996 to help mediate and negotiate settlements. He has held a number of directorships and written several books.