The Governor-Generals' Blog archive

Today Dame Patsy visited Our Lady's Home of Compassion in Island Bay to meet the sisters and posthumously present the Queen's Service medal awarded to the late Sr Catherine Hannan.

This evening concluded the Queens Birthday honours list investiture ceremonies at Government House Wellington, where 13 recipients were presented with their insignia.

Central Otago poet Dr Brian Turner, ONZM and former Silver Fern Joan Harnett-Kindley, ONZM were among the 12 investiture recipients this afternoon at Government House.

Another ten outstanding New Zealanders received their honour insignia from Dame Patsy this morning: Professor Richard Bedford, CNZM for services to governance; Steve Tew, ONZM for services to rugby and sports administration; Jackie Edmond, MNZM for serv

At this afternoon's investiture ceremony, insignia were presented to Helene Quilter, QSO for services to the State; Dr Garry Forgeson, ONZM for services to oncology; Tony Wilding, ONZM for services to the dairy industry and the community;&nbsp

This morning's honour recipients were senior diplomat John McKinnon, CNZM; media educator Dr Brian Pauling, ONZM; pioneering aviator Rona Fraser MNZM; gerontologist Dr Sally Keeling, MNZM; publisher Don Long, MNZM; eminent weaver Veranoa Hetet

South Island rural communities were well represented in this morning's investiture ceremony for 12 honour recipients at Government House. Five volunteers from Fire and Emergency New Zealand received honours, and recipients were also acknowledged fo

Eleven outstanding New Zealanders received their insignia at this afternoon's investiture ceremony for honour recipients at Government House.

Ten more New Zealanders received their honours insignia at a ceremony at Government House in Wellington this afternoon.

This afternoon marked the start of the Wellington ceremonies celebrating the Queen’s Birthday honour recipients, recognising some people doing amazing things for their community.

This morning Dame Patsy opened the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand's conference in Wellington. The Society has been a Governor-General patronage since it first started in 1931- Lord Bledisloe was a great supporter.

Just over a year ago at Government House Wellington, Dame Patsy opened the McCahon Centenary celebrations, and tonight Government House Auckland hosted a reception to bring it to a close.

Dame Patsy and Sir David attended the Graeme Dingle Foundation Excellence Awards, where Dame Patsy presented the Sir Edmund Hillary Youth Achievement Award to Nicola Biss.

This afternoon, Dame Patsy and Sir David hosted the 2020 graduates of the New Zealand Olympic Women in Sports Leadership Academy.

Nine more New Zealanders were recognised for their acheivements at an investiture ceremony in Christchurch this morning.

On the 8th of October, Dame Patsy held the 30th Frances Clarke Memorial Awards.

This afternoon Dame Patsy and Sir David received a farewell call from Ambassador for the Argentine Republic, HE Fausto Lopez Crozet and wife Adriana Tabiera Britos.

Members of Wing 100, the Police Centennial Wing, received the 35 year clasp for their Long Service and Good Conduct medals at Government House in Wellington this afternoon.

Recipients of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand Silver Medal were honoured at Government House Wellington this afternoon. These awards are given to those who demonstrate extraordinary acts of bravery when other lives are in danger.

Today Dame Patsy attended a service at the Royal New Zealand Police College to mark New Zealand, Australian and South Pacific Rembrance Day.

Our final ceremony in this month's round of investiture ceremonies in Auckland saw recognition for services to the music industry, engineering, mathematics education, people with disabilities, art education, youth, and services to Niuean art and the com

This morning six New Zealanders received their insignia for honours received this year. Services to health, the community, governance, people with disabilities, music education, surf life-saving and conservation were acknowledged.

This afternoon seven Honour recipients were recognised for their contributions to education, services to health, the arts, hospitality, philanthropy, and their communities.

This morning's investiture ceremony acknowledged services to medicine and health, Maori and Pasifika, education, fashion, seniors, our communities and historical research and heritage preservation.

This morning's investiture acknowledged contributions to financial literacy, education, local government, wildlife conservation, publishing and literature, and recipients included author Dr Tessa Duder CNZM; financial literacy expert Mary Holm, ONZM; an

Six recipients this afternoon were honoured at Government House Auckland for their contributions to arts, culture and their communities.

Services to education, poetry and refugees were some of the fields recognised this morning at Government House Auckland. Recipients included a leading Māori educator and a former New Zealand Poet Laureate.

This afternoon Government House Auckland welcomed recipients being recognised for services in hockey, police, education and the community.

This morning's investiture ceremonies at Government House Auckland featured a new format in light of the current rules around the size of gatherings and social distancing.

Some of the most popular items in Government House Wellington are the needlepoint chairs surrounding the dining table in the Norrie room.

The Governor-General's role in the election process included the signing of a proclomation dissolving Parliament and yesterday, the signing of the writ and associated documents, directing Alicia Wright, the Chief Electoral Officer to hold a general elec

The Waitangi Day Garden Reception has become something of a highlight in the Government House calendar. Unfortunately event planning in the Covid-19 era requires us to do things differently, so there will be no public ballot for next year's event.