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Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Willie Apiata has topped a list of most trusted New Zealanders for the third year in a row.
Sports stars, politicians, creative artists and television personalities all make the list in the New Zealand Reader's Digest poll.
The sixth annual poll finds the Queen's approval also means a lot to Kiwis. Three of the top 10 most trusted people in New Zealand have had knighthoods bestowed upon them and one has had the country's highest award for gallantry.
Also doing well this year were Fair Go Presenter Kevin Milne (2), former Olympian and scientist Sir Peter Snell (3), author Margaret Mahy (4), and former All Black and mental Illness spokesperson John Kirwan (5).
Sarah Lang from Reader's Digest told Breakfast Mahy's inclusion in the top five probably comes from everyone growing up with her stories.
Not so surprisingly, politicians come in near the tail end of the list. Winston Peters is at number 80, followed by Tariana Turia (81), John Banks (82), Rodney Hide (83), Sir Roger Douglas (84) and Hone Harawira (85).
Luckily for Prime Minister John Key, he comes in ahead of his colleagues, down 17 places from last year to 70th place.
"He slipped 17 points from last year ... I think it's kind of natural in mid-term when you're putting a few unpopular policies out there," Lang says.
After a tough year in business and a string of company collapses, it's also not surprising that several people in business fell down the list in 2010, such as Sir Bob Jones, down five places to 71, and Graeme Hart, down three places to 68.
Sir Stephen Tindall, however, moves up five places to 28.
This year's top 20 features a scattering of personalities across professions, in contrast to the 2009 list, which was dominated by athletes.
Still, sports stars feature heavily throughout the list.
Lang says sports people always do well in the list, because as a nation "we define ourselves" by our sportspeople.
"Sports people have the qualities Kiwis really admire, passion, hard yakka."
Lang says most people in the list project an "honest, humble Kiwi battler" image who do their bit for others.
The poll also asked people to rank the people in their day-to-day life they trusted the most, with partner coming out tops followed by mother, then best friend.
Fathers come in fourth, followed by your child, then brothers and sisters and pets.
Lang says pets coming in above the in-laws is not surprising.
"I think one respondent put pets are uncorrupted by society, there's always going to be happy to see you."
Fire-fighters were the most trusted group of professionals.
The poll surveyed 500 people.
Do you agree with the list? Let us know what you think on our message board below:
Add a Comment:
Post new commentbrontill said on 2010-06-28 @ 23:16 NZDT: Report abusive post
New Zealand doctors 5th most trusted? That is some kinf of mistake, is not it? I would put NZ doctors (especially the parasites calling themselves GPs) far below the prostitues and telemarketers!
Lum said on 2010-06-28 @ 21:14 NZDT: Report abusive post
How could the original eight five most trusted New Zealanders not even include people like Sir John Walker!?! reader digest if you are going to poll like this do a bit more research and do a better job.
Oops said on 2010-06-28 @ 17:55 NZDT: Report abusive post
Why is Willie Apiata the most trusted?!?!!? I certainly don't trust him! Don't get me wrong, I think he earnt the VC, but someone who is trained to lie, to hide secrets from even their closest loved ones, and who is able to do things that otherwise would be deemed illegal puts him at the complete bottom of my list! Maybe some people need to think about what he's had to do in order to get where he is before deciding he's trustworthy...
Reg Nicholson said on 2010-06-28 @ 14:05 NZDT: Report abusive post
What has happened to Brian Tamaki? He was on he bottom of the list last year (or the year before). Has he now dropped off the list altogether?
shadow_matrix said on 2010-06-28 @ 12:07 NZDT: Report abusive post
if it was a most trusted list then no politician would be on the list at all... they wouldnt even be on the top 1000 list..... top 1 million. At least good to see the stupid ones as the bottom.