Marine leader recognised in Queens Birthday List

by Media Services on 6 Jul 2004 Australian boating legend John Haines has been recognised in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours list. John Haines has been appointed a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia by Her Majesty the Queen, and is entitled to use the initials AM after his name.

The award was announced and approved by His Excellency, Major General Philip Michael Jeffery, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia.

The award was officially bestowed upon John Haines for 'service to recreational boating, particularly as a boat designer and builder, to industry associations, and as a contributor to the development of national safety standards'.

“The Order of Australia is a wonderful but humbling accolade,” John Haines said.

“My entire working life has been dedicated to designing and manufacturing boats. Along the way I have strived to present the very best products possible in the belief that by being the market leader, boating families enjoy safer boating and our competitors are forced to lift their product quality to remain competitive.”

John Haines is an absolute icon of the Australian recreational boating industry. The brand name Haines is a household name that is well know amongst boat owners and non boaters alike.

The Haines story began in the 1960s when brothers John and Garry Haines launched a boat building business in Queensland. The Haines name grew through staggering product sales, backed by the brothers' exceptional performance in offshore, ski and circuit racing where the Haines name was engraved on an endless number of trophies and records.

After parting with the Haines Hunter company acrimoniously in the 1980s, John Haines returned triumphantly to the Australian boating industry with the Haines Signature brand. The launch of the Haines Signature at the 1984 Sydney Boat Show proved to be a defining event in the company's history.

Today The Haines Group remains a wholly private family owned company. Headed by John Haines and his wife Alida, their adult children John (jnr) [Production Director] and Greg [Marketing Director] are very much involved in the business on a daily basis.

Throughout his extensive career in the Australian marine industry, John Haines has been held in an exalted position as an industry icon. In many ways he is the father figure of recreational boating in Australia.

The Haines Group markets the Signature, Haines Traveler, Clark Tinnies and Nautiques line of boats and is also the authorised distributor of Suzuki Outboards in Australia and New Zealand.