The Order of NZ

The award to Don McKinnon of membership of The Order of New Zealand got me wondering about how often people with political affiliations get appointed to it.

Not that there is anything wrong with political affiliations.  Few would say someone who spent ten years as Head of the Commonwealth is undeserving, and I am sure he got it more for that than his years as National Deputy PM.

Anyway which appointees have had political affiliations:

National

Jim Bolger
Don McKinnon
Labour

Whetu Tirakatene-Sullivan
Ken Douglas
Mike Moore
Cath Tizard
Jonathan Hunt
Paul Reeves
Arnold Nordmeyer
Jim Knox
Sonia Davies
David Lange

So has it been each party appointing their own supporters to the highest honour?  Well let us see who appointed each:

Appointed by National

Mike Moore
Jim Bolger
Ken Douglas
Whetu Tirakatene-Sullivan
Appointed by Labour

Cath Tizard
Jonathan Hunt
Paul Reeves
Arnold Nordmeyer
Jim Knox
Sonia Davies
David Lange
Don McKinnon

So National has appointed one Nat, and three Labour members (plus many who are not political).  Labour has done seven Labour and one National (plus others).

Incidentally there are only 18 ordinary members at the moment, so two more appointments can still be made without waiting for someone to die.