Honouring a Legacy of Leadership and Service
In late-May/early-June 2026, Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia lost a number of deeply influential figures. Although they travelled different paths, they shared some powerful commonalities. Their focus was on enriching the lives of those around them and world is a better place because of their legacies. We wanted to pay tribute to them and recognise their vast contributions.
Tā (Sir) Hirini Moko Mead (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tūhoe and Tūhourangi) (1927-2026) was a respected leader, pioneering scholar, and cultural guardian. He was a founding professor of Māori at Victoria University of Wellington and established the first Department of Māori Studies in Aotearoa New Zealand. His belief that tertiary institutes were failing Māori communities led to working alongside Ngāti Awa leaders to establish Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in Whakatane in 1992. What began as a local endeavour evolved into an internationally recognised institute with campuses in Te Tai Tokerau and Tāmaki Makaurau, serving more than 10,000 students a year. He was knighted for his services to Māori and education in 2009.
Tā (Sir) Dr Tāmati Reedy (Ngāti Porou) (1936-2026) was a distinguished leader, academic, and language advocate. His academic career ranged from being a Fullbright scholar through to becoming the University of Waikato's first Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori. He was the secretary of the Māori Affairs Department during the passing of the Māori Language Act 1987 which declared Te Reo to be an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand. He was deeply engaged in the development of kōhanga reo and Māori immersion education, and contributed to the creation of Te Whāriki, New Zealand's first national early childhood curriculum. In 2010, he was appointed to the Waitangi Tribunal and was knighted for his services to education in 2011.
Emeritus Professor Whatarangi Winiata (Ngāti Raukawa) (1934-2026) was an economist, educator, and constant advocate for Te Reo Māori. Regarded as one of the most influential Māori leaders of his generation, he devoted decades to progressing Māori development, amplifying iwi aspirations, and restoring the role of Te Reo Māori within education and public life. From leading the establishment of tertiary institution, Te Wānanga o Raukawa in Ōtaki, to playing a leading role in a number of significant Treaty negotiations, his influence was far-reaching. In 2022, he was recognised as a living taonga by the National Iwi Chairs Forum when he was presented with the highly prestigious Te Whare Pūkenga Award.
Professor Richard Scolyer AO (1966-2026) was an Australian cancer researcher and former Australian of the Year. Despite the high risk, he fast-tracked a revolutionary cancer treatment by volunteering to be ‘patient zero’ in a radical approach to treating his own aggressive brain tumour. Born and raised in Tasmania, he dedicated his 35-year working life to patient care, cancer research, and improving lives. He developed the Melanoma Institute of Australia where his work helped to revolutionise the treatment of the deadly skin cancer, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Sydney in recognition of his outstanding contributions to melanoma science.
All of these men lived lives of service, working for the good of others in their communities and beyond. They invested in people, not just ideas, and had the courage to question the status quo and the drive to make a difference. They used their knowledge for purpose rather than prestige and built institutions that outlive them, so that their impact is structural and not temporary. All four are remembered not just for their brilliance, but for their humility, generosity, and compassion.
Their legacies leave us with many lessons we can take forward in our own mahi. They teach us that a meaningful life is built around contribution; leadership is action, not just belief; courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s acting despite it; thinking long-term matters since the greatest work is done for people you may never meet; and lastly, character is your greatest legacy. May they rest in peace.