Peter Boshier received the KNZM distinction while Dr James Farmer KC received the CNZM
Former chief ombudsman Peter Francis Boshier and New Zealand Bar Association founding member Dr James Alfred Farmer KC were among the 178 individuals recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours List.
Boshier received the distinction of Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the state and the judiciary. He was the chief ombudsman from 2015 to 2025; in this role, he addressed complaints about and examined the administrative conduct of public sector agencies, including official information requests.
He prioritised accelerating and improving the effectivity of resolutions in relation to Official Information Act (OIA) and other complaints. He coordinated with government agencies to enhance practices and bolstered his team’s tracking and investigation of prisons, secure aged care and public mental health facilities. During his chief ombudsman tenure, the prevalence of agencies proactively sharing information on their websites increased. Overall, he considered over 14,000 OIA complaints and held 37 proactive investigations of central government agencies’ official information practices.
Boshier was Australasia and Pacific Region president in the International Ombudsman Institute and served as the institute’s second vice president. He was the sole New Zealander to be elected Association of Family and Conciliation Courts president in the US.
He joined the Family Court bench in 1988 and became principal Family Court judge in 2004. In 2012, he was named a law commissioner.
Farmer, a commercial barrister, received the distinction of Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the law. He spearheaded the country’s biggest civil case, acting for Equiticorp’s statutory managers in a 13-month trial.
He acted for the Commerce Commission in cases that set positive precedents for competition in national markets. He founded and presided over the New Zealand Industrial Relations Society. As a founding member, he headed up the launch of the NZBA and was twice president.
Farmer taught law at the University of Auckland and the University of Cambridge. He was a volunteer at various community law projects, mentored Pacific Island lawyers and conducting pro bono work that involved undertaking public interest briefs in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
He sat on the Air New Zealand board and was named acting chair in 2001. During this time, he led government negotiations that delivered the company from insolvency.
Jennifer Margaret Hughey (Christchurch) received the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit distinction for services to community law and governance. Paul Joseph Davison KC (Auckland) received the Companion of the King’s Service Order distinction for services to public service and the law.
Australia’s Professor Alan Dudley Hemmings received the New Zealand Antarctic Medal for services to Antarctic law and environmental protection.
