New Zealand Antarctic Medal

New Zealand Antarctic Medal
Awarded by New Zealand
Type	Medal
Eligibility	for outstanding contribution to exploration, scientific research, conservation, environmental protection, or knowledge of the Antarctic region; or in support of New Zealand’s objectives or operations, or both, in the Antarctic region.
Status	Currently awarded
Post-nominals	NZAM
Statistics
Established	1 September 2006
First awarded	30 December 2006
Total awarded	9 as of 31 December 2009
Precedence
Next (higher)	Queen's Service Medal (QSM)
Next (lower)	New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration (DSD)
Related	Polar Medal
Ribbon bar of the medal

The New Zealand Antarctic Medal was created 1 September 2006, as a New Zealand Royal Honour to replace the British Polar Medal.

History

The Polar Medal was instituted in 1904 and awarded to those who had made notable contributions to the exploration and knowledge of Polar Regions and who, in doing so, had undergone the hazards and rigors imposed by the Polar environment to life and movement, whether by land, sea or air.

In 1995, the Prime Minister’s Honours Advisory Committee recommended that the Polar Medal should be created under a New Zealand Royal Warrant. It also recommended that it should be renamed as “The Antarctic Medal” to reflect the fact that it is in relation to Antarctica that New Zealand’s endeavors and achievements have been made. The New Zealand Antarctic Medal was formally instituted by The Queen on 1 September 2006.

Eligibility

The New Zealand Antarctic Medal may be awarded to those New Zealanders and other persons who either individually or as members of a New Zealand mission in the Antarctic region have made an outstanding contribution to exploration, scientific research, conservation, environmental protection, or knowledge of the Antarctic region; or in support of New Zealand’s objectives or operations, or both, in the Antarctic region. The Medal will not be awarded for acts of bravery, for short-term acts of extreme endurance, for long service or for service in Antarctica generally.^[1]

Recipients

As of 31 December 2009, nine individuals have received the medal.^[2]

• Professor John D. Bradshaw
• Dr. Karl Erb
• Dr. Clive Howard-Williams
• Dr. Frederick J. Davey
• Dr. Timothy G. Haskell
• Professor Peter J. Barrett
• Dr. David L. Harrowfield
• Professor Timothy R. Naish
• Mr Alexander R. Pyne

See Also

• New Zealand Honours System
• Polar Medal

Notes

1. ^ http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/overview/antarctic-medal.html
2. ^ http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/nzam.html

References

1. Beehive New Zealand Antarctic Medal
2. New Zealand Defence Force Archived Medal News 2006