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The Governor-General of New Zealand

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  • The Governor-General
    • Biography of The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, GNZM, QSO
    • Biography of Dr Richard Davies
    • Media statements
    • Speeches by The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro
    • The Governor-General's blog
  • Office of the Governor-General
    • Coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort
      • About the Coronation service
      • The King of New Zealand
      • Get involved
      • Coronation events
    • Roles and functions of the Governor-General
      • Constitutional role
        • New Zealand’s Constitution
        • Credentials ceremonies
        • The Executive Council
        • The Reserve Powers
        • The Royal prerogative of mercy
      • Ceremonial role
        • Investiture ceremonies
        • New Zealand Royal Honours
      • Community role
      • International Role
    • Conditions of Appointment
      • Administrator of the Government
      • The Governor-General Act
      • The Governor-General's Flag
    • History
      • New Zealand's Governor-General - an historical perspective
      • Former Governors-General
    • Invitations, patronage and cards
      • Invitations for the Governor-General
        • Dress code for Government House events
      • Hosting the Governor-General
      • Order of precedence in New Zealand
      • Applying for vice-regal patronage
      • Current Vice-regal patronages
      • Congratulatory messages
    • Contacting the Governor-General
      • Guidance for writing to the Governor-General
    • Official portraits
    • Royal Commission Reports
  • Government House
    • Government House Wellington
      • Government House tours
        • Accessibility Information
        • Group tours
        • School tours
      • Rooms of Government House
        • Bledisloe Conservatory
        • Blundell and Porritt Rooms
        • Fitzroy Room
        • Galway and guest suites
        • Liverpool Room
        • Main Hallway
        • Maota Ariki
        • The Ballroom
        • The Council Room
        • The Landing
        • The Norrie State Dining Room
        • The Taupaepae
      • Artwork and artifacts
        • Carved coats of arms
      • Government House centenary
      • Government House conservation
        • Conservation rationale
        • The project in detail
    • Government House Auckland
      • Visiting Government House Auckland
      • The gardens at Government House Auckland
    • Other Government Houses
    • Staff at Government House
      • Management of Government House
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  4. Rooms of Government House
  5. The Council Room

The Council Room

Leather chair.
A detail of one of the leather-covered Council Room chairs.

Until the early 1970s, the Executive Council met in the Council Room and Ministers presented regulations requiring the Governor-General's signature.

The room is now used for business meetings, such as the Rhodes and Georgetti Scholarship Committees. The distinctive red GVI chairs were remade for the cancelled visit of King George VI.

The Room also acts as the Government House library, and contains clipping books of newspaper stories which provide a valuable record of events at Government House and the role played by successive Governors-General.

A rimu library shelving unit runs the length of the western wall, with a timber ladder on wheels that slides the length of the unit.

The kowhaiwhai carpet, designed by Andrew John Tama-Kainga McLeod, was developed in homage to 20th Century New Zealand artist Theo Schoon, a notable 20th Century New Zealand artist. Schoon was one of the first European artists in New Zealand to blend European modernism with motifs from Māori art.

More images of the Council Room

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  • Government House Wellington
    • Government House tours
    • Rooms of Government House
      • Bledisloe Conservatory
      • Blundell and Porritt Rooms
      • Fitzroy Room
      • Galway and guest suites
      • Liverpool Room
      • Main Hallway
      • Maota Ariki
      • The Ballroom
      • The Council Room
      • The Landing
      • The Norrie State Dining Room
      • The Taupaepae
    • Artwork and artifacts
    • Government House centenary
    • Government House conservation
  • Government House Auckland
  • Other Government Houses
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Coronation of King Charles III

Acknowledging the new King of New Zealand

Find out more

Book a tour of Government House Wellington

Government House Wellington.

Our Visitor Centre runs free, guided tours for individuals, groups and schools.

Bookings are required.

Find out more about tours

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The Governor-General
  • Biography of The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro, GNZM, QSO
  • Biography of Dr Richard Davies
  • Media statements
  • Speeches by The Rt Hon Dame Cindy Kiro
  • The Governor-General's blog
Office of the Governor-General
  • Coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort
  • Roles and functions of the Governor-General
  • Conditions of Appointment
  • History
  • Invitations, patronage and cards
  • Contacting the Governor-General
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