Excellence award for long-term public servant

We’re over the moon for our colleague, Apanui Williams (Api) Kaitohutohu Matamua / Principal Advisor Māori Crown Relations, who has been awarded Te Tohu Amorangi a Te Kawa Mataaho, the Public Service Commissioner's Commendation for Excellence. 

He received the award at the recent Rā Ratonga Tūmatanui – Public Service Day Awards – that recognise public servants who exemplify the spirit of service and make a real difference through their everyday work for New Zealand or New Zealanders.

For more than 40 years, Api has gone above and beyond to bring out the best in people so that the Public Service puts its best foot forward to partner with Māori.

One of his great strengths is to see both Crown and iwi perspectives, and bridge the gap in between. Api challenges our people to lift engagement with iwi and to be more than reactive, plus he also works hard to weave in te ao Māori as part of our culture and capability.

Api has been in the public service since the 1970s, starting in Rotorua with The New Zealand Forest Service.

Before LINZ, Api was involved in an inter-agency programme. It was the first of its kind to merge and match digital spatial data between the Department of Survey and Land Information, Land and Deeds, Valuation and the Māori Land Court. It was ground-breaking work and the type of thinking that forms the basis of inter-agency mahi now.

At LINZ, Api has supported and advocated for Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board’s mahi with place names in Aotearoa New Zealand. In respect to our Treaty commitments, he has been the driving force in giving strategic advice and also hands-on practical implementation.

See all the awardees on Public Service Commission's website.