There are three knights and three dames in today's Queen's Birthday honours.

MORE: Queen's Birthday Honours - The Full List

READ: Strong female advocates honoured

Today's highest award goes to Sir Peter Gluckman - who's been the Prime Minister's chief science advisor since 2009.

He's been made a member of the Order of New Zealand.

The dames are: Auckland's City Missioner Diane Robertson, Bronwen Holdsworth - for services to business and the arts, and Therese Walsh for her contributions to sports after leading New Zealand's Cricket World Cup campaign.

Those Knighted include Jim McLay who spear-headed New Zealand's bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, former Maori MP Pita Sharples and Peter Talley for services to business.

READ: Sharples dedicates honours to community

Newly-named Dame Diane Robertson trained as a teacher, later re-trained a counsellor and therapist and then moved up into becoming Auckland's City Missioner in 1998.

Dame Diane has been involved with numerous initiatives in her nearly 20 years as Missioner, that've helped those that had considered themselves helpless.

She said she's amazed and surprised to have received such an honour.

But the biggest thank yous come from the people she's helped in some way.

"That to me is the real reward of working in this area - knowing that there can be a huge impact on somebody else's life."

She's hugely proud of is the Mission's work in opening New Zealand's only hospice for people with HIV or AIDS.

"We worked with a group of people who were really excluded and who needed help. We were there and proud to be there."