__NOTOC__ The New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM) is the fourth-level civil decoration of New Zealand.
It was instituted by Royal Warrant on 20 September 1999 as part of the move to replace British bravery awards with an indigenous New Zealand Bravery system. The medal, which may be awarded posthumously, is granted in recognition of "acts of bravery". The medal is primarily a civilian award, but it is also awarded to members of the armed forces who perform acts of bravery in non-operational circumstances (given that the New Zealand gallantry awards may only be awarded "while involved in war and warlike operational service (including peacekeeping)".New Zealand Defence Force - Text of the Royal warrant for the New Zealand Gallantry awards system - s.5
Bars are awarded to the NZBM in recognition of the performance of further acts of bravery meriting the award. Recipients are entitled to the postnominal letters NZBM.
The medal replaced the award of the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct and the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in respect of acts of bravery in, or meriting recognition by, New Zealand.
Recipients
The following is a list of recipients of the New Zealand Bravery Medal. As of December 2025, 154 people had received the medal.
Name Awarded Stephen Acton 23 June 2014 Mark John Allen 2 December 2013 Sophie Christina Allison 6 December 2024 Ronald Stewart Andrew 6 December 2024 Michael Thomas John Andrews 6 December 2024 Meli Graham Leighton Benjamin Balenivalu 6 December 2024 Mark Thomas Bancroft 6 December 2024 Philip Samuel Blakeman 14 October 2006 Roger Terry Blumhardt 29 January 2005 Peter Winston Booth 2 April 2011 Jan Margaret Boyd 2 December 2013 John Boyd 2 December 2013 Richard Mervyn Bracey 13 December 2025 Lance Henry Bradford 16 December 2021 Roger William Bright 3 May 2008 Zak Randall Bristow 6 December 2024 Michael John Brooklands 23 June 2014 Peter Robert Broughton 23 October 1999 Adam John Brown 6 December 2024 Paul Buckley 2 April 2011 Brendon Drew Burchell 23 October 1999 Luke Jonathan Burgess 23 June 2014 Patrick Martin John Burke 29 January 2005 Susan Rebecca Burke 13 December 2025 Alan Maurice Butcher (posthumous) 23 June 2014 Shaun Bruce Campbell 14 October 2006 Michael James Cannon 23 October 1999 Kevin Carr 23 June 2014 Gregory Edward Ross Cater 2 December 2013 Paul Lindsay Chandler 29 January 2005 Tracey Lee-Anne Chapman 23 October 1999 James Iain Christie 2 April 2011 Bradley James Clark 2 April 2011 Hope Angeline Louise Clayton 6 December 2024 Daniel James Cleaver 29 January 2005 Nicholas John Clere 2 April 2011 Shane Andrew Cole 23 June 2014 James Phillip Collins 2 December 2013 Maurice Ugo Conti (honorary) 2 April 2011 Sophie Conti (honorary) 2 April 2011 Nicolas Warren Corley 2 April 2011 Hayden Paul Cornwell 13 December 2025 Shane Allan Cowles 23 June 2014 Kevin Rex Crozier 23 June 2014 Brendan John Dobbyn 29 January 2005 Peter James Duncan 29 January 2005 Keran Mana Durrant 14 October 2006 Grant Wayne Exeter 2 April 2011 Friederike Faber 13 December 2025 Graham Robert Ford 29 January 2005 Karen Ruth Foster 23 October 1999 Anne Michele Francis 23 October 1999 Donald Garry Fraser 2 April 2011 Lisa Kay Franken 23 October 1999 Kali Peaua Fungavaka 14 October 2006 William John Funnell, MBE 23 October 1999 Harshad Ashok Ghodke 13 December 2025 Stephen Robert Gibb 23 October 1999 William John Gilchrist 29 January 2005 David Joseph Goldfinch 6 December 2024 Richard Mark Green 23 June 2014 Terrence David Gyde 23 June 2014 Peter Alexander Hanne 2 April 2011 Joshua Claude Head 6 December 2024 Christopher Michael Thomas Henry 1 August 2016 Matthew John Hollis 29 January 2005 Christine Margaret Jackman 2 April 2011 Craig Munro Jackson 23 June 2014 Carl Jennings 1 August 2016 Tyson Wiremu Job 14 October 2006 Danny Edward Johanson 23 June 2014 Graham John Watkin Jones 29 January 2005 Heath Courtenay Jones, NZBD 13 December 2025 Christopher Mark Jowsey 29 January 2005 Martin Joseph Kay 2 December 2013 Ethan James Kennedy 29 January 2005 Lois Patricia Kennedy 2 December 2013 Alexander James Christian Henry Kerr 13 December 2025 Rodney James Khan 6 December 2024 Michael Douglas Kneebone 23 June 2014 Joshua James Kumbaroff 23 June 2014 Daniel James Lee 23 June 2014 Michael John Lennard 23 June 2014 Maxwell Allan Lewis 6 December 2024 Ryan William Lilleby 1 August 2016 Edward Michael Luxford 2 December 2013 Jade Ronald Lynn 2 December 2013 Wayne Maley 16 December 2021 Kurtis Anthony Maney 6 December 2024 Michael Anthony Marvin 26 October 2022 Jan Yvonne McCrea 23 October 1999 Christopher Steven McDowell 1 August 2016 Ross William McEwan 23 October 1999 John Joseph McNamee 23 October 1999 Mark Garry Miller 16 December 2021 Johan Artemus Mulder 2 December 2013 Hamish Everett Neal (posthumous) 29 January 2005 Patrick Noiseux 6 December 2024 Thomas Deane O'Connor 1 August 2016 Conor Liam O'Leary 2 April 2011 David Leonard O'Loughlin 29 January 2005 Officer A (name withheld) 6 December 2024 Officer B (name withheld) 6 December 2024 Officer C (name withheld) 6 December 2024 Officer D (name withheld) 6 December 2024 George Puturangi Paekau 1 August 2016 Dion Wayne Palmer 14 October 2006 Kerry Charles Palmer 14 October 2006 Simon James Payton 23 June 2014 Liam Pham 2 December 2013 Richard Frank Platt 23 June 2014 Dean William Pleydell 23 October 1999 Mark Mattie Povey 23 October 1999 Floyd Steven Pratt 23 October 1999 Ryan Ross Ramsay 6 December 2024 Kenneth William Reilly 2 December 2013 Heike Pio Jan Reitsma 6 December 2024 Patrick Anthony Rice 23 October 1999 David Gwyther Richards 1 August 2016 Michael James Robinson 16 December 2021 Daniel James Rockhouse 31 December 2014 Paul John Rodwell 23 June 2014 Police Officer S (name withheld) 4 June 2018 Shaun Paul Sexton 14 October 2006 Scott Martin Shadbolt 23 June 2014 John Rodney Sherman 6 December 2024 Kevin Albert Singer 29 January 2005 Mark Charles Smith 29 January 2005 Stephen James Smith 2 April 2011 Steven David Smylie 23 June 2014 Caine Francis Spick 29 January 2005 Cory John Stewart 23 June 2014 David Edward Whawhai Stewart (posthumous) 23 October 1999 George Allan Stewart 3 May 2008 Jaime Eliza Stewart 6 December 2024 Anthony Wayne Tamakehu 23 June 2014 Duncan Taylor (posthumous) 29 January 2005 Joan Diane Taylor 14 October 2006 Mark Taylor 2 April 2011 Sonny Wayne Terure 23 October 1999 Ngametua Tetava 31 December 2004 Pamela Ruth Thompson 6 December 2024 Jeremy Franco Toschi 6 December 2024 Keith Desmond Troon 23 October 1999 Christopher Charles Turnbull 2 December 2013 John Vaughan (posthumous) 29 January 2005 Hugo Johannes Josephus Verhagen 14 October 2006 Andrew Stephen Warne 2 December 2013 James Nicholas Watkins 1 August 2016 Cameron Joel Whittaker 6 December 2024 Mark David Whittaker 23 June 2014 Colin John Wiggins 2 December 2013 Michael David Yeates 23 June 2014 Jonathan Jordan Young (posthumous) 13 December 2025
See also Orders, decorations, and medals of New Zealand New Zealand gallantry awards New Zealand bravery awards New Zealand campaign medals
Notes
References Mackay, J and Mussel, J (eds) - Medals Yearbook - 2005, (2004), Token Publishing.
External links New Zealand Bravery Medal, New Zealand Defence Force The New Zealand Bravery Awards, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet – list of awardees