He worked tirelessly for the welfare of the Nepalese people, he celebrated cultural diversity and he was always a champion for the dignity of every human being. It is no exaggeration to say that every New Zealander, particularly those of my generation, grew up in awe of this man and his achievements. In contrast to the more cynical age of today where the accolade of celebrity is awarded to the most lowly television "personality" and where “heroism” is defined in the shallowest terms, Hillary deserved the honour and acclaim associated with the truly famous.

In a sporting forum such as this, it is also worth paying tribute to another of Hillary's wonderful attributes: He never sought glory at the expense of his own humanity. This could be seen in his modest refusal to accept the credit for his feat in conquering Everest, insisting from the beginning that Norgay's contribution be recognised. And remember this was a time when the media was even more jingoistic than it is today, treating members of the third world as virtually invisible.

And recall that Hillary’s achievements were at the cost of heart-breaking personal tragedy. In 1975, his beloved wife and youngest daughter were killed in a plane crash near Kathmandu while travelling to visit Hillary, who at that time was helping to build a hospital in the Himalayas.

Hillary was a great New Zealander - perhaps THE greatest. More importantly, he was a great human being.