Senior New Zealander of the Year wants to leave his money in the community where he made it
Thursday, 30 March 2023
No stranger to awards and recognition, Wellington philanthropist Sir Mark Dunajtschik, 87, is “proud” to now add Senior New Zealander of the Year Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau to his growing list of accolades.
Although for the Yugoslavian-born, Wellington-based businessman, who made his fortune through property investment, the thought behind his philanthropic work is pragmatic. He made his money in the New Zealand community, he told Stuff.
“I can’t take it with me, and I like to put it back in the community where it belongs”.
That giving back includes bankrolling the capital’s new children’s hospital (which opened in 2022) with a $53m donation. In July 2022, the 87-year-old pledged up to $50m towards a mental health unit in Wellington.
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Thursday night’s recognition was presented to Dunajtschik at the 2023 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards in Auckland, which the philanthropist attended with his partner of “about 50 years”, Dorothy Spotswood.
“I am pleased that the community at large appreciates my contribution. That’s all I can say. I’m pleased the community appreciates that I have contributed to the wellbeing of people in New Zealand,” he said.
He has already collected a slew of local awards in recent years, including the Wellington Business Icon Award and Wellingtonian of the Year, and in 2022 received a knighthood for services to philanthropy.
Dunajtschick – a concentration camp survivor – once lived in a facility for people with mental and physical disabilities (because it was the only place he could find). He said his time there helped spark his desire to help others.
“I have the means to support and help make life better for other people and again I want to leave [my money] here where I made it,” he said.
“I learned in the early stages of life to appreciate that when you have a healthy body and a healthy mind, life can be very good for you,” he said, adding that he wants to give back to others that are not so lucky.
Dunajtschik was born to German parents and he immigrated to New Zealand from Germany in the 1950s. He spent about 62 years on a resident’s visa until being granted New Zealand citizenship about three years ago.
Around 150 people attended the annual event on Thursday night, which was hosted by Toni Street and Scott Morrison at Auckland’s Cordis.
The awards began in 2010 and celebrates New Zealanders from all walks of life across seven categories, including Young New Zealander of the Year, Community of the Year and the coveted New Zealander of the Year.