A.J. Hackett, of Christchurch, ONZM, for services to adventure tourism
Mr Hackett introduced bungy to the world when he jumped from the Eiffel Tower, having developed the modernised elastic bungy cord. He opened the world’s first full-time commercial bungy site at the Kawarau Bridge, near Queenstown, with Mr Henry van Asch. He pioneered stringent national safety standards that have been used as a base for regulating the industry worldwide. He has exported bungy to Australia, Indonesia, Kuala Lumpur, China, France, the United States, Mexico, Europe, Russia and Singapore. His stunts, including jumping from the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado and the Macau Tower in China, have earned him Guinness World Records. He has made extensive donations, and, internationally, his sites support not-for-profit and charitable organisations. Mr Hackett has also personally supported snow sport athletes and young entrepreneurs in New Zealand.