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Professor Emeritus Paul Spoonley has been named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sociology.

It was 46 years ago that Professor Spoonley got his first staff position at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa 51��ɫ and began to teach, write and research about sociology. He retired from the university in 2021 but has remained linked to Massey as an Honorary Research Associate within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

During his tenure at Massey, he held various roles including as Academic Director, Regional Director (Auckland) and Distinguished Professor, while fostering strong relationships with local authorities and the community through community-based research.

Professor Spoonley served as Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences between 2013 and 2019, and was Co-Director of the National Centre for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism. He was appointed as a member of the Independent Panel of New Zealand Police’s ‘Understanding Policing Delivery’ and was Chair of the Research Management Committee. He was a member of the Marsden Fund Council and chaired the Social Sciences Panel from 2017 to 2024.

Professor Spoonley has published 29 books, has more than 300 peer-reviewed academic journal articles and is a regularly commentator in the media. He has been a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity in Germany, since 2013 and is a Fellow and Board member of Auckland Museum.

He says it was a pleasant surprise to learn he was being recognised on this year’s list.

Dr Malcolm Mulholland, Ngāti Kahungunu, has been named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health and Māori.

He currently serves as a Research Development Advisor within Research Operations and is a prominent academic who has contributed to Aotearoa New Zealand society through governance and education since the late 2000s, and more recently through his advocacy work.

In 2019, Dr Mulholland co-founded He Reo Tūroro o Aotearoa, Patient Voice Aotearoa, an organisation which increases awareness of issues affecting patients and to improve patients’ rights and health outcomes through the health system. Through his role, he contributes to the efforts of a wide range of disease groups and has shared his extensive knowledge in the media as a regular commentator, alongside writing opinion pieces.

Through Patient Voice Aotearoa, he has assisted in the formulation and delivery of more than 20 petitions to Parliament, with requests for more than 50 medicines to be funded, particularly around cancer treatment. He has provided advice to Select Committee and accompanied patients and families to meetings with ministers and officials to voice their concerns and needs.

Dr Mulholland has published a range of work on Māori history, race-relations and social politics, including Beneath the Māori Moon: An Illustrated History of Māori Rugby and A History of St Joseph’s Māori Girls College.

In 2024, he was crowned a Kiwibank Local Hero for his advocacy work.

Dr Mulholland was driving to Thames as part of a nationwide roadshow on the state of the health system when he received the email asking him if he would accept the honour. 

Former staff member Professor Emeritus Ian George Mayhew has been named a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the veterinary profession, especially equine medicine.

Professor Mayhew is a world authority in the field of equine neurology and large animal medicine, and joined Massey as a Professor of Equine Studies in 2006, enabling the Veterinary School to become a world leader by ensuring compliance for accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical association.

He was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus in 2017 and has been Editor for the New Zealand Equine Veterinary Association since 2014. Internationally, he has been a Board member of various professional colleges in the United States, Europe and New Zealand, and was President of the European College of Veterinary Neurology for three years. In retirement, Professor Mayhew implemented a test in New Zealand for inherited deafness in certain dog breeds.

Massey alumni who are recipients of this year’s King’s Birthday Honours:

Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM):

• The Honourable Steven Joyce (Bachelor of Science) for services as a Member of Parliament
• Dr Lesley Rameka (Bachelor of Education) for services to Māori and early childhood education.

Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM):

• John Struthers (Diploma in Plant Science, Bachelor of Science) for services to cycling, the cycling industry and business
• Gail Spence (Postgraduate Diploma in Second Language Teaching, Master of Education Administration) for services to language education
• Peter Nation (Postgraduate Diploma in Banking) for services to the agricultural industry and governance
• Neil Walker (Bachelor of Business Studies) for services to primary industries and the community
• Pancha Narayanan (Master of Business Administration) for services to multicultural communities.

Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM):

• Norm Williamson (Bachelor of Agricultural Science) for services to agriculture
• Elizabeth Graham (Bachelor of Education) for services to Māori and education
• Dr Alishia Moeahu (Doctor of Philosophy) for services to Māori culture
• Ross Lawrence (Diploma in Agriculture) for services to the ski industry
• Welmoed (Chris) Duggan (Bachelor of Science) for services to science education
• Viliami Teumohenga (Diploma in Science and Technology, Bachelor of Information Sciences) for services to education and the Pacific community.

King’s Service Medal (KSM):

• Kereama Nathan (Master of Education) for services to Māori
• Julia Castles (Bachelor of Education) for services to language education and migrant communities.