The New Year's Honours list fills the front pages of the morning papers, including the knighthoods to Sir Paul Holmes, Sir Mark Solomon and Allied Press chairman Sir Julian Smith.
NZ Herald
The New Zealand Herald devotes its entire front page to broadcaster Paul Homes being awarded a knighthood. Of the award he tells the paper "it feels wonderful, it's just a lovely little bonus at the end of a hard year and it's been a hard year. Life has been, and is, bloody wonderful."
Sir Paul said Prime Minister John Key rang him on Christmas Day to deliver the news.
Waikato Times
The Waikato Times also leads on the award to Sir Paul Holmes. The paper says he was a last minute addition to the list and is currently battling cancer.
The front page also carries a profile of Chiefs rugby team coach Dave Rennie who is a finalist for the Waikato Person of the Year Award.
Dominion Post
The Dominion Post also gives most prominent coverage to Sir Paul Holmes, who is pictured at his Hawke's Bay home.
The paper also talks to equestrian Mark Todd, who has received a knighthood. He says the award will take a bit of getting used to, and is quoted as saying: "I imagine I'll get some ribbing when I compete next year, but I can live with it."
One man is dead and another missing in separate incidents in the Tararua ranges. A Greytown man died when his inflatable boat flipped on the Waiohine River on Sunday and a Wellington runner, Alastair Shelton, has been missing since Saturday.
the Press
Sir Paul Homes is also the lead angle of the coverage of the New Year Honours in The Press. The paper also profiles Ngai Tahu chairman Sir Mark Solomon who says he was blown away by his knighthood.
An award has also been given to James Stuart-Black who led the Urban Search and Rescue teams during the Christchurch earthquakes. He says he believes passionately in doing work that helps others.
ODT
The Otago Daily Times devotes most of its front page to the knighthood awarded to Julian Smith, the chairman and managing director of Allied Press, the company that owns the ODT.
Sir Julian is in the fifth generation of his family to work in newspaper publishing, and says he is mindful that he would probably not be in a position to do the things he has done if it wasn't for those who have gone before.
An award to Moeraki restaurateur Fleur Sullivan is also on the front page.
