Sir Peter was one of six men appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM), while June Jackson was made a dame, for her services to the Maori community.
Sir Peter started the Mad Butcher chain more than 40 years ago in Mangere, south Auckland. His forceful delivery in infamous television advertisements gave his small meat business a profile, pushing it on to success.
As a strong rugby league supporter, Sir Peter worked to raise the sport's profile over many years and was manager of the Kiwis in their victorious 2005 Tri-Nations series.
Sir Peter, chairman of the Mad Butcher and the Suburban Newspaper Trust, was awarded a knighthood alongside businessmen, a sports hero and a High Court judge.
Oscar-winner Richard Taylor, former All Blacks coach Fred "the needle" Allen, philanthropist Bruce Douglas, Justice John Williams, and businessman David Levene were also appointed KNZMs.
Dame June, like Sir Peter a south Aucklander, was honoured for her work with prisoners, urban Maori and the Waitangi Fisheries Commission.
She told NZPA her award was also for the disproportionate number of Maori in prisons.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would receive this honour. Never. I am overwhelmed by it."
Her honour was about the people, not the high fliers, and could be an inspiration for people, she said.
Dame June was instrumental in taking legal action to the Privy Council in 1996 on behalf of urban Maori to force a fairer share of the Crown's fisheries settlement for those with few if any tribal affiliations.
She was chief executive the large Manukau Urban Maori Authority for 19 years before retiring last year, and is still on the Parole Board, where she is the longest-serving member.
She is still chief executive of Nga Whare Waatea marae in Mangere and in 1995 was awarded a Queen's Service Medal. Dame June on the honours list as Temuranga Batley-Jackson.
She chose Batley-Jackson to honour both her husband and her "wonderful, humble parents".
Dame June's son is broadcaster and former Alliance MP Willie Jackson, an opponent of the honours system.
Sir Richard, co-founder and co-director of Weta Workshop in Wellington, said the first thing he would do today was call his father in England to tell him about the knighthood.
Weta, founded in 1994, is the special effects company best known for its work on The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
The company designed and produced all the weapons, armour, creatures, makeup, and miniature models for the films. Sir Richard received four Oscars and three Baftas for Lord of the Rings, and an Oscar and a Bafta for work on King Kong.
He doubted his title would go down well at Weta, and predicted his crew would quickly drop it.
Sir Fred captained the All Blacks in six tests, then coached them for 14 tests in the 1960s. After he walked from the job the only undefeated coach in their history, he continued to be a dominant figure in the sport as a selector and administrator.
Appointed an OBE in 1991, he was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2005.
Auckland philanthropist Sir Bruce founded one of the fast-growing pharmaceutical companies, Douglas Pharmaceuticals, in 1967, and the company now exports to more than 35 countries.
He was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1988 for his services to the industry.
Sir Bruce has since provided funding for a Neurological Foundation research fellow, and bought lifesaving equipment and an MRI scanner for Auckland's Starship Hospital.
Sir John Williams has been a High Court judge since 1995. Made a Queen's Counsel in 1988, he was later appointed as Master of the High Court of New Zealand (now Associate Judge) in 1989, a position he held until 1995. He is also a judge of the High Court of the Cook Islands.
Involved in local politics, he served as a Palmerston North City councillor from 1983 to 1989.
Sir David Levene first worked in the family paint business in 1947, and took over management of the firm in 1952 when he was 23. The company adopted many retailing innovations over the next four decades, as it became a household name.
Sir David sold the business in 1994 and has since continued to have numerous business interests and work in a range of community activities, including horticulture, property development, high technology start-ups and television production.
He established a scholarship fund at Massey University, and sponsored the Auckland University Mentoring and Tutoring Education Scheme (MATES) which works with year 12 and 13 students identified as having the potential to succeed in tertiary education.
Among other honours recipients were Auckland businessman and philanthropist Michael Horton, Kathmandu-founder Jan Cameron, an Aussie, former Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons and poet Sam Hunt -- all Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
