Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has talked about how proud she is of equal pay champion Kristine Bartlett for winning the 2018 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Award tonight.
Ms Ardern gave her thoughts on the winner to 1 NEWS reporter Chris Chang.
"There is so much that's special about Kristine and the fact that she has won this award tonight, here is someone that has slogged away in her role, but is so under recognised.
"It makes me so proud to see her now being recognised," she said.
Ms Bartlett was overcome with emotion after winning the prestigious award.
The kind-hearted Kiwi won the award for changing the lives of thousands of New Zealand women and low-paid workers, when she successfully secured landmark equal pay legislation for caregivers in the aged-care sector.
The rest-home carer of 24 years was the face of the challenging campaign for pay equity on behalf of 55,000 low-paid, mainly female care and support workers.
Ms Bartlett changed the lives of thousands last year by securing landmark equal pay legislation for caregivers in the aged-care sector.
The other finalists for the title of Kiwibank 2018 New Zealander of the Year were mental health advocate Mike King and microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles.
Earlier in the evening the other awards were won by those listed below:
• University of Auckland Young New Zealander of the Year: David Cameron (Auckland)
• Metlifecare Senior New Zealander of the Year: Kim Workman (Lower Hutt)
• Mitre 10 Community of the Year: Canterbury Charitable Hospital Trust (Christchurch)
• Sanitarium Innovator of the Year: Team New Zealand Design Team (Auckland)
• Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year: Ricky Houghton (Kaitaia)
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