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They are champion athletes, advocates in some of the premier privacy and health issues of our times, and the last surviving member of the 28th Maori Battalion.
They join 177 other New Zealanders recognised with honours.
Among the super six appointed Dame or Knight Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit are two of our most triumphant sportswomen - canoeist Lisa Carrington and swimmer Sophie Pascoe.
New Zealand’s most successful Olympian, Dame Lisa has her own super six - five gold medals and a bronze from three Olympics, among almost two dozen medals won across her canoe racing career.
The 32-year-old also supports the next generation of canoeists, coaching young paddlers at her home club in Ohope and working with Canoe Racing New Zealand to grow the sport.
Dame Lisa said the honour had been a tough secret to keep.
"It was a letter from the honours office, saying you are being considered for this honour and would you accept it," she said.
"I just had a look and was like ‘Wow’. And then I had a chat with Bucky [fiance Michael Buck] about it, because it’s highly confidential."
New Zealand’s most decorated Paralympian Dame Sophie is even more familiar with the dais and has a medal treasure chest containing dozens of swimming medals, including 19 from four Paralympics — 11 of them gold.
The 28-year-old is also an advocate for equality and changing perceptions of people with disabilities.
"Obviously, swimming has enabled me to make a positive impact in the pool but also the Paralympic movement," Dame Sophie said.
"My advocacy for equality for people with disabilities ... being the youngest [dame or knight] now is very overwhelming and a huge honour and I accept it with pride."
Former privacy commissioner Marie Shroff is the third new Dame Companion in today’s honours, recognising her contribution as New Zealand’s privacy regulator between 2003 and 2014, a period of significant technological and social change.
Dame Marie was also instrumental in launching the Privacy Foundation New Zealand, of which she was the inaugural chairwoman, and has also been on the Media Council and the board of Consumer New Zealand and the Equal Opportunities Trust.
Dame Marie has chaired the New Zealand Electoral Commission board since 2019.
Three men are now Knight Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit - Chris Farrelly and Prof Jim Mann, for services to health, and Robert Gillies, the last remaining member of the 28th Maori Battalion, for services to Maori and war commemorations.
Sir Chris Farrelly has been honoured for a long list of health and community related initiatives.
He was also founding chief executive of the Primary Health Organisation Manaia Health in Whangarei and as founding member and chairman of Te Tai Tokerau Healthy Homes Project, he supported efforts to insulate more than 12,000 homes.
Prof Sir Jim Mann has been recognised for his pioneering research relating to non-communicable disease prevention, and management of the University of Otago's Departments of Medicine and Human Nutrition.
Sir Robert was a member of B Company during World War 2 and served in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, primarily in Italy.
He has represented the men and service of the battalion nationally and internationally for decades and is already a Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
