21 Facts About Paul Reeves

Paul Reeves served as the third Chancellor of Auckland University of Technology, from 2005 until his death.

Paul Reeves was educated at Wellington College and at Victoria College, University of New Zealand, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1955 and a Master of Arts in 1956.

Paul Reeves went on to study for ordination as an Anglican priest at St John's College, Auckland, receiving his Licentiate in Theology in 1958.

Paul Reeves served two further curacies in England, first at Kirkley St Peter, then at Lewisham St Mary.

In 1971 Paul Reeves was appointed Bishop of Waiapu and consecrated to the episcopate on 25 March.

Paul Reeves was Bishop of Auckland from 1979 to 1985, and additionally as Archbishop and Primate of New Zealand, the leader of New Zealand's Anglicans, from 1980 to 1985.

Paul Reeves was a supporter of Citizens for Rowling.

Paul Reeves's appointment was met with some scepticism due to his previous political involvement in Citizens for Rowling, opposing the 1981 Springbok Tour, and the fact that he was an Anglican bishop.

Paul Reeves hosted the first open day at Government House on 7 October 1990, and employed the first public affairs officer, Cindy Beavis, to promote the governor-general's role.

In November 1987 Paul Reeves made comments critical of Rogernomics, stating that the reforms were creating "an increasingly stratified society".

Paul Reeves later recalled that this marked a "parting of ways" with the government.

Paul Reeves was Deputy Leader of the Commonwealth Observer group to South Africa, Chair of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and Visiting Montague Burton Professor of International Relations at the University of Edinburgh.

Paul Reeves went on to chair the Fiji Constitution Review Commission from 1995 until 1997, culminating in Fiji's readmission to the Commonwealth, until its suspension in 2000.

On 12 December 2007 it was reported that Paul Reeves was involved with "secret talks" to resolve Fiji's year-long political crisis, following the 2006 Fijian coup d'etat.

Paul Reeves served as the Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology, from February 2005 until August 2011.

In July 2011, Paul Reeves announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer, and therefore was retiring from all public responsibilities.

Paul Reeves died from cancer on 14 August 2011, aged 78.

Paul Reeves was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, he was appointed a Chaplain of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem in April 1982, Knight Bachelor in the 1985 Queen's Birthday Honours, a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George on 6 November 1985, a Knight of Justice of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem in 1986, and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order on 2 March 1986.

Consequently, when Reeves went to receive the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George from the Queen, he was already Sir Paul.

On Waitangi Day 2007 Paul Reeves was awarded New Zealand's highest honour, being admitted to the Order of New Zealand.

Paul Reeves has received other honorary degrees, including an LLD of Victoria University of Wellington, a DD of the General Theological Seminary, New York, and the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Edinburgh.