John Tyson Bezett (attended King’s High School from 1958 to 1959)
Due to his contributions to sport and recreation, John was recently appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
As a junior in school, John was a keen rugby player. He continued this passion with the Green Island Rugby Club after leaving school. Along with several King’s boys, John took the train from Mosgiel to Dunedin to get to school. He would board the train at Green Island Station and disembark at the Caversham Station. He was cheerful and outgoing and got along pretty well with the train boys. Although John left school at an early age, he has continued to learn new skills, become a successful businessman, and served the community well as a competent City Councillor. He has demonstrated exceptional vision in developing the Master’s Games and many city projects.
John trained as a jeweller and watchmaker with a local firm. He eventually started his own shop and, in 1979, set up and incorporated the company J. T. Bezett Jewellers and Watchmakers Limited.
John served on the Dunedin City Council from 1986 to 2016. He was Chair of the Dunedin City Council Economic Development Committee and was involved in upgrading the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, Dunedin Town Hall and Dunedin Centre. He oversaw the construction of Forsyth Barr Stadium and modernised Otago City’s water and wastewater systems. He has been an advocate for the St. Clair Sea Wall Construction and the return of the St. Clair Hot Water Salt Pools. He was instrumental in getting Basketball Otago and almost all the other sports using the Dunedin Stadium to move to the Edgar Centre, and for Ice Sports to take over the Dunedin Stadium. John said his election success over the years resulted from portraying himself as ”someone with basic common sense, no-nonsense; I mean, there’s no bullshit with me.”
John became the Chairman of the New Zealand Masters Games in 1993, a year after its launch, and stepped down from this role in 2021. The Games are New Zealand’s largest sporting event, involving approximately 5,000 competitors and contributing $3-5 million to the economy each year. In 2014, the New Zealand Masters Games awarded him a Life Award for his contributions.
John remains active daily. He bikes to work, swims regularly, and enjoys running. At the games, he competed in the triathlon and swam as part of a team in the half-Ironman event.