Rahul Bhattarai
Former National Party MP David Carter has been awarded the Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services as a speaker of the House.
Sir David Carter on becoming speaker in 2013: I was reluctant initially to give up my role in agriculture.
Photo: YouTube / NZ Parliament
The retired MP said it came as a surprise when he received the offer letter for the knighthood about six weeks ago.
Carter was speaker of the House of Representatives from 2013 to 2017 and held ministerial portfolios in the fourth and fifth National governments. The speaker s role is absolutely essential to a well functioning democracy. It was a privilege to have been speaker and it s a privilege to have received this award subsequent to being speaker of the New Zealand parliament, he said.