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Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
King's Birthday Honours Recognise Services To Education
Press Release – New Zealand Government Minister of Education Education Minister Erica Stanford has congratulated the recipients of the King's Birthday 2025 Honours List who have been recognised for their services to education. 'I'd like to congratulate the people honoured today, who have all made a significant contribution to education in New Zealand and around the world,' Ms Stanford says. The list includes three appointments as Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit, four Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit, eight Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit, three Companions of the King's Service Order, and three recipients of The King's Service Medal. Dr Nina Hood becomes a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education. 'Dr Hood has been instrumental in improving training and support for educators throughout New Zealand. She founded not-for-profit organisation The Education Hub, dedicated to closing the gap between educational research and classroom teaching. Through her leadership, critical issues have been addressed including literacy curriculum design, neurodivergent learning support, and online learning. She's now contributing to curriculum at an international level, establishing a global conversation on education reform, effective pedagogy and rigorous curriculum design. Through 2023 and 2024 Dr Hood helped establish The Teachers' Institute, a charitable trust which offers school-led teacher education and professional development.' Distinguished Professor Emeritus Paul Spoonley is appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. 'Professor Spoonley served 42 years as a teacher and researcher in sociology with Massey University, retiring in 2021. During that time, he served in various roles including Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Co-Director of the National Centre of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and was appointed as a member of the Independent Panel of New Zealand Police's Understanding Policing Delivery. He has been a research fellow at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity Germany since 2013 and is a Fellow and Board member of Auckland Museum. He has published 29 books and has more than 300 peer-reviewed academic journal articles. 'New Zealand's education system is world-leading. Dr Hood, Professor Spoonley and the other honourees have played an important part in achieving this. I thank them all for their incredible contribution and service to New Zealand,' Ms Stanford says.
Sunday World
05-05-2025
- Sunday World
Cocaine fiend sniffed so much gear he thought people had broke into his home
'Paranoid' drug user told cops he was convinced his home was being robbed This is the cocaine fiend who shoved so much gear up his nose he thought people had broken into his home and repeatedly called 999. Matthew McCavana appeared at Antrim Magistrates Court this week where it emerged he told cops who lifted him for repeatedly making hoax emergency calls that he was 'paranoid on cocaine'. The 20-year-old, of Stiles Farm in Antrim, admitted a charge of wasting police time after he made nine calls to the 999 emergency number. Sources in Antrim have described McCavana as an 'eejit' who is 'more of a nuisance' than anything more serious. 'He's only 20 but if anyone wanted an example of why cocaine is not a fun drug to get hooked on they should look at him,' said a source in the town who knows McCavana. 'The cops had been out to him before and he can get a bit feisty and there was one time they went to a relative's house looking for him and the cops were attacked by a dog. 'Hopefully he gets help and sorts himself out – he's so young to be hooked on something like cocaine.' Court News NI reported how McCavana committed the offence on August last year. McCavana admitted breaching a Community Service Order he had originally been given for the offence. Matthew McCavana Today's News in 90 Seconds - May 5th He also committed a similar offence in February this year and admitted improper use of a communications network and attempting to damage a police vehicle. A prosecutor told the court there had been 'nine hoax calls' to police which began at 7.15am on August 24 last year. The mobile number used was linked to the defendant. McCavana had repeatedly reported to police there were 'persons in his address' but when police had gone to his home at 8.15am they established that was not the case. He was warned about not making any further calls but shortly after officers left his address, he made six further calls to the 999 system. Police returned to his address and he was arrested for wasting police time by 'false reporting'. When interviewed, he admitted making the calls but despite this McCavana made yet more calls in a separate incident in February. On February 13 between 7.41am and 7.59am police received seven calls to 999 from a phone number associated with the defendant. Matthew McCavana During the night numerous calls had earlier been received from the same number. Police attended his address and there was 'no emergency'. When he was arrested he tried to 'escape' from a police vehicle by trying to open a door and then tried to smash a window with his fists. A defence barrister said the defendant had been 'in a state of paranoia as a result of taking cocaine'. She said the defendant fully appreciated the 'strain' on public resources 'never mind people making false reports and if he had been in his right mind he would never have been behaving in such a manner'. District Judge Natasha Fitzsimons said the defendant had previously been given a Combination Order aimed at helping him to have a 'meaningful life'. The judge deferred sentencing for three months to July to see if McCavana could avoid trouble and he has to engage with Community Addictions.
