NZ science honours

Here in the Herald and the RSNZ press release here.
Well done, but from my end of the career ladder, these look like awards for excellence based on a career that started in the 60's and hence do not count against my current views on NZ science funding.
Even the occasional 'they're doing it right here in NZ' puff pieces that pop up now and again are more accurately described as 'against the odds' success stories. Sci/eng types tend to be fairy statistacally numerate and we'll head off to places where success tends to be expected, not the result of an eloborate funding crap shoot...