Prior to 1985 the New Zealand armed forces received the same Meritorious and Long Service Awards awarded in the United Kingdom.
Since the end of World War 2 there have been constant moves towards an independent New Zealand honours system.
This has resulted in a new system of New Zealand honours, gallantry and bravery awards, and campaign medals.
The following are a list, in order of precedence as defined in references below.
Those Meritorious and Long Service medals which have been independently issued by New Zealand to its armed forces are in bold.