Mrs Christine Panapa (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Tahu, Ngāti Whaoa, Ngāti Pikiao) was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 for her services to sport and Māori. Mrs Panapa has been a committee member since 1971 and Chairperson since 2000 of Te Mahurehure Cultural Marae Society Inc. Since 2018 she has continued to support Māori housing, economic development and education as a director of Te Kainga Atawhai, a subsidiary of Te Mahurehure Marae. Te Kainga Atawhai has completed a number of capital works projects, including Te Taumata O Kupe complex opened at Te Mahurehure Marae in 2023, dedicated to research and teaching of Māori navigational and exploration traditions. Te Taumata O Kupe won the supreme and best in category awards at the Designers Institute of New Zealand’s annual Best Design Awards. Mrs Panapa helped steer the project to completion over four years through the COVID-19 pandemic and other fiscal and supply chain challenges. She also helped Te Kainga Atawhai complete a 14-unit housing complex at the marae in partnership with Kainga Ora and Te Puni Kōkiri. She was previously President of New Zealand Women’s Rugby League from 1994 to 2013 and Chairperson of Kiwi Ferns Rugby League from 1994 to 2016. Mrs Panapa was Tāmaki Makaurau Treasurer for the Labour Party from 2010 to 2021.
Christine is to be appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit
