A renowned children's author and a key player in the National Women's Hospital cervical cancer inquiry were among a group of five who head this year's Queen's Birthday Honours. Writer Joy Cowley, medical academic Professor Linda Holloway, founder of Villa Maria wines George Fistonich, Chief District Court Judge David Carruthers, and Judge Anand Satyanand are all made Distinguished Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit. The DCNZM is the equivalent of a knight or dame companion under the old honours system. The tourism industry has been recognised with the co-founder and director of the A J Hackett Bungy enterprise, Henry van Asch, being appointed an ONZM and the writer of the Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook, Ian Brodie, made an MNZM. [More]