On 1 October 2026, the 8th annual Te Hapai Hapori | Spirit of Service Awards were held in Wellington
A few months earlier, I had been invited to join the team presenting the yellow-legged hornet response for these awards. These awards recognise initiatives and individuals that deliver great outcomes for New Zealand and New Zealanders. Run by Te Kawa Mataaho, The Public Service Commission they celebrate the mahi of public servants that help to make New Zealand a better place for us all. The awards dinner was fully sponsored, meaning the event did not have to rely on government funding, and the food and wine were unsurprisingly excellent. I was confident that we would win. After all, killing hornets is much cooler than AI use by the Ministry of Justice or Health New Zealand.
I had a free afternoon following a midday flight down to our windy capital, so I raced around Wellington photographing decorated bee sculptures. Bee in the City, is a free, citywide public art trail featuring giant bee sculptures across the CBD, waterfront, and local gardens. I snapped 32 out of 50 before getting dressed for dinner. A couple more were added to my tally in the wee hours of the morning while out celebrating our win.
The overall winner received the Prime Minister’s Award and the Rt. Hon Christopher Luxon awarded this year’s Prime Minister’s Award to the National Infrastructure Plan from the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga. The plan offers a 30-year, evidence-based roadmap to improve how infrastructure is planned, funded and maintained, supporting better long-term outcomes for New Zealand. They also won their category – Excellence in Public Policy Award.
All entries deserved to be there, it was a hard choice for the judges, the standard was very high. Other entries:
- Better Outcomes Award – Clean Air Rotorua, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Rotorua Lakes Council, and National Public Health Service – Bay of Plenty and Lakes. This initiative is achieving long-term transformation in air quality by combining regulation, support and community partnerships to reduce pollution and improve public health outcomes.
- Maori Crown Award - Takai Here, Ministry of Social Development; Te Runanganui o Te Ati Awa ki te Upoko o te Ika a Maui; Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira. A trust-based, iwi-led collaboration, Takai Here drives intergenerational change through integrated kaupapa Maori approaches across employment, education, health, and wellbeing, enabling whanau to access opportunities, build capability and thrive.
- Public Sector Director of the Year Award - Bill Moran MNZM, Deputy Chair, WorkSafe New Zealand. Bill has strengthened board cohesion, sharpened focus on preventing harm, and upheld the importance of trust between regulator, workers, and industry.
- Young Leader of the Year Award - Luisa (Lu) Avia, Chief Advisor, Ministry for Pacific Peoples. A trusted and influential young leader, Lu operates at the highest levels of government with confidence and humility and creates pathways that empower others across the public service.
- Lifetime Achievement Award is Raj Rajasekar for his work with Ministry for Primary Industries. For over five decades, Raj has dedicated his career to serving New Zealand through some of the country’s most important international trade, food standards and biosecurity work.
- Innovation Award is the yellow-legged hornet response, Ministry for Primary Industries. Biosecurity New Zealand’s response to the incursion of the yellow-legged hornet, using advanced technology, large‑scale field operations and strong community partnerships to protect key industries and strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity resilience.
A reminder that as the season starts and our bees are building up numbers to collect nectar for your honey, so too could hornets be coming out of winter (if there are any). I reckon that we have killed them all, but we really have to be sure, so please keep an eye out. If you see a suspected yellow-legged hornet or nest, take a photo if it is safe to do so and report it immediately to Biosecurity New Zealand by calling 0800 809 966 or online at MPI Pest and Disease Reporting.
Ken Brown is a beekeeping tutor, President of Auckland Beekeeping Club and Auckland Regional Hornet Champion, tirelessly raising awareness and support for the yellow-legged hornet response.
