The 1980 New Year Honours in New Zealand were appointments by Elizabeth II on the advice of the New Zealand government to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by New Zealanders. The awards celebrated the passing of 1979 and the beginning of 1980, and were announced on 31 December 1979.
The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour.
Knight Bachelor
James Muir Cameron Fletcher – of Auckland. For services to industry and the community. Valdemar Reid Skellerup – of Christchurch. For services to industry and the community.
Order of the Bath
Companion (CB) Military division Rear Admiral Neil Dudley Anderson – Chief of Naval Staff.
Order of Saint Michael and Saint George
Companion (CMG) William Milton Douglas Bremner – of Auckland. For public services and services to the textile industry. Raymond Douglas Jamieson – of Wellington, lately chief judge of the Arbitration Court.
Order of the British Empire
Dame Commander (DBE) Civil division Miriam Patricia Dell – of Wellington; president of the International Council of Women. For services to women.
Knight Commander (KBE) Civil division Dr John Malfroy Staveley – of Taupō. For services to New Zealand blood transfusion services.
Commander (CBE) Civil division Philip William Blakeley – lately Deputy Secretary of Energy, Electricity Division, Ministry of Energy (general manager, New Zealand Electricity Department 1972–78). Ronald Victor Giorgi – of Hastings. For services to the community. Sydney James Guppy – of Nelson. For services to sport. The Honourable Eric Henry Halstead – lately New Zealand ambassador to Italy. Thomas Michael Hunt – of Wellington; lately Commissioner of Inland Revenue. Phillip Keith McCliskie – of Nelson. For services to the fruitgrowing industry. Bruce Edward George Mason – of Wellington. For services to literature and the arts. John Sutherland – of Wellington. For services to the community.
Military division
Brigadier John Lindsay Smith – Brigadiers' List, New Zealand Army.
Officer (OBE) Civil division Frederick Joseph Burnard Beattie – of Wairoa. For services to the community. Keith Spencer Calder – of Rotorua. For services to local affairs. Alford Dornan – of Wellington. For services to the Boys' Brigade. Dr Lloyd Allister Drake – of Papatoetoe. For services to sports medicine. Minnie Maria Dronke – of Lower Hutt. For services to the performing arts. Robert Duthie – of Auckland. For services to the library profession. William Douglas Goodfellow – of Auckland. For services to the community. Henry James Hopkins – of Christchurch; lately professor and head of the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Canterbury. Constance Violet Kirkcaldie – of Wellington. For services to the arts and community. William Donald McKenzie – of Invercargill. For services to the farming industry. Dr Stanley William Paterson Mirams – of Wellington, lately director of Mental Health Division, Department of Health. Mona Joy Reid – of Invercargill. For services to the Royal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children (Plunket). Angus Ross – of Dunedin. For services to historical research and education. Douglas Marshall Shirley . For services to the city of Dunedin. Leo John Sullivan – of Orewa. For services to local government. Russell William Thomas – of Christchurch. For services to sport and community. Edwyn Peter Wilding – of Ohai. For services to local and community affairs. Edna May Wills – of Hāwera. For services to sport and the community.
Military division
Commander Iain Malcolm McGibbon – Royal New Zealand Navy. Brigadier Alfred Connel Hamilton – Brigadiers' List, New Zealand Army. Group Captain John Jeremy Gordon – Royal New Zealand Air Force.
