Wellington - Corporal Willy Apiata, 35, who won the Victoria Cross after rescuing a comrade under enemy fire in Afghanistan in 2004, has been voted the most trusted New Zealander in an annual survey published on Monday.

Apiata succeeded Mount Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary, who died in January after topping the Reader's Digest Most Trusted Person list for the last three years.

Athlete Peter Snell, who won three gold medals at Olympics in the 1960s, was runner-up in a list which saw sportsmen and women take nine of the top 12 places.

Prime Minister Helen Clark was the highest rated politician, being ranked at number 66 of the 85 people named. Politicians took seven of the bottom 11 places and were ranked second to bottom in a list of 40 most trusted professions, ahead only of telemarketers. (dpa)