At today’s investiture ceremony, Dame Cindy presented Dame Joan Withers with the insignia of a DNZM, for services to business, governance and woman. Dame Joan has held many senior leadership roles in the media and business industries, including Chair of The Warehouse Group and TVNZ, Director of Sky Network TV and Chief Executive of Fairfax New Zealand. She was a foundation member of Global Women – an organisation aiming to encourage and increase diversity in business senior leadership. Several recipients were also recognised for their contributions to the New Zealand Police, including Inspector Freda Grace, who has served 40 years with New Zealand Police, supporting women on specialist squads such as the Armed Offenders Squad, and establishing the Critical Incident Liaison Officer programme. Congratulations to all this morning’s recipients.
The eleven Honours recipients at this afternoon's investiture ceremony included Michael Hollings, who became the first Royal New Zealand Honours recipient to receive the insignia for a King's Service Order (KSO), in recognition of his work in distance education, the revitalisation of te reo Māori within the Public Service, kohanga reo and theatre. Tere Gilbert (ONZM) was also recognised for her services to Māori language education. ONZM insignia were presented to Professor Emerita Nicola Peart for her services to the law, and to Gordon Glentworth for his services to the livestock and dairy industries.
Former senior diplomat Chris Seed (CNZM), Department of Conservation scientist Richard Coon (ONZM) and Cook Island cultural advocate Bridget Kauraka (MNZM) were among the ten recipients of Royal New Zealand Honours at an investiture ceremony at Government House this morning. This round of ceremonies is the first to include King's Birthday Honours, and will see the inaugural presentation of insignia for the King's Service Order and the King's Service Medal.
Following the death of Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, Dame Cindy Kiro released the following statement:
His Majesty King Charles III also offered a message of condolence to the people of Aotearoa New Zealand, following the death of Kiingi Tuheitia.
"My wife and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the death of Kiingi Tuheitia.
I had the greatest pleasure of knowing Kiingi Tuheitia for decades. He was deeply committed to forging a strong future for Māori and Aotearoa New Zealand founded upon culture, traditions and healing, which he carried out with wisdom and compassion.
I remember with immense fondness meeting Kiingi Tuheitia many times, including when Her Majesty and I were hosted so warmly and graciously at the Tuurangawaewae Marae in 2015, and then again during our meeting at Buckingham Palace last year. His death is a particular shock in view of the fact that I had only very recently spoken to Kiingi on the telephone at the beginning of August.
Kua hinga te tōtara i Te Waonui a Tāne. (A mighty Totora tree has fallen.)
My wife and I extend our deepest condolences to Kiingi Tuheitia’s whaanau and friends and all those who will mourn his loss. Our special thoughts and prayers will be with you at this most difficult and heartbreaking of times."
Dr Davies hosted a very special lunch in the Government House ballroom today, with the manaakitanga coming from local Wellington tamariki participating in the Garden to Table school programme. First, the children learned of the importance of pollinators, before visiting the Government House garden to harvest some vegetables. Next, the students showed their skills working alongside the Government House chefs and the front of house team, experimenting with salads and galettes, and discovering the art (and maths!) of table settings. Once the kai was ready and the ballroom was prepared, Dr Davies joined the tamariki for a delicious, seasonal lunch. For 15 years, Garden to Table has been working with schools across Aotearoa to educate thousands of students about how to grow, harvest, prepare and share healthy kai. Last year, their students prepared over one million vegetable-based meals.
Dame Cindy and Dr Davies had the honour of welcoming the 2024 recipients of the Royal Humane Society Silver Medals, which recognise each of their exceptional acts of bravery. Matt Atkins, Jeremy Lee, Constable Bruce Whitley, father and son Tim and Matt Dodge, and Senior Constable Kurt Waugh were recognised today for their efforts to rescue others in life-threatening situations, despite the considerable risk to their own safety. The Royal Humane Society of New Zealand has been recognising the acts of bravery of people – like today’s recipients – for 126 years. He toa taumata rau. Bravery has many resting places.
Today, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies welcomed the recipients of the Child Cancer Foundation's Life Membership and Star Awards to Government House Auckland, for a very special ceremony to recognise their outstanding involvement with the Child Cancer Foundation. Barbara Richardson, Christine Donovan, Raewyn Sawyers, and Sue Green were honoured for their years of contributions to the Foundation, helping support children and their families through a cancer diagnosis. Mae, William, Maggie and Roman were the inspirational recipients of the Star Awards. These awards reflect the bravery each child has shown when they shared their own cancer stories to raise awareness and help other children like them affected by cancer. The ceremony also recognised the Rongotea Lions, who were awarded regional and national Lions Kindness awards, and who have been nominated for the World Lions Kindness award.
Last night at Government House Wellington, Dame Cindy had the pleasure of launching Antarctic Heritage Trust's new educational virtual reality experience of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s Discovery Hut. Through the use of a VR headset and controllers, participants in the experience will be able to come face-to-face with penguins, take a ride in a hydrogen balloon, and explore inside the hut itself.
Scott's Discovery Hut is significant in that it was the first expedition base built on Antarctica’s Ross Island, during Captain Scott's National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904. This special experience, developed by StaplesVR, will now be taken to schools and communities across Aotearoa, so they too can step into the shoes of Scott and his team, and be inspired by the spirit of exploration and courage they so outstandingly embodied.
This morning Dame Cindy received the credentials of five diplomatic representatives: HE Mr Johnny Sexwale, High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa; HE Mr Hadera Abera, Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; HE Mr Sidya El Hadj; Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania; HE Dr Abu Bakarr Karim, High Commissioner of the Republic of Sierra Leone; and HE Mr Ali Saad Mohamed Habab Al-Hajri, Ambassador of the State of Qatar.
This afternoon at Government House, Dame Cindy gave a warm welcome to people who were involved in the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. During six years of hearings, 2,797 people shared their experiences and insights about abuse in care in Aotearoa, and the final report was presented to Dame Cindy last month. Today Dame Cindy thanked the survivors for putting their trust in the Commission. She noted that she had spent much of her career as an advocate for the wellbeing of children and young people, and so the kaupapa of the Commission was close to her heart. The arts as a means of expression were highlighted with a performance by Fa'amoana Luafutu and a display of art from Te Roopu Toiora, a survivors' arts collective.
His Majesty King Charles III offers his congratulations to the New Zealand Olympic Team following their outstanding success at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
In what was a truly special event on Saturday, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies welcomed guests to Government House for Hākari Fusion, a Wellington on a Plate event celebrating Aotearoa’s oldest form of cooking – the hāngī. Hāngī Master Rewi Spraggon joined the Government House chefs to create a feast cooked in the House’s new permanent hāngī pit, which combined traditional and modern cooking techniques. The evening was filled with music, waiata and kapa haka, and showcased local kai that included plants grown on the grounds. The event was free to the public, with 180 lucky guests selected from a ballot, becoming the first of many to enjoy hāngī cooked on site at Government House Wellington.
Last night, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies hosted The Honourable Droupadi Murmu, President of India, and her delegation for a very special State Banquet at Government House Wellington. The menu included food lifted from the newly-built Government House hāngi – and the evening provided an opportunity to reinforce the strong bond of friendship between New Zealand and India, as well as to celebrate the diverse contributions of New Zealand's Indian communities.
Dame Cindy and Dr Davies hosted a State Ceremony of Welcome this morning for The Honourable Droupadi Murmu, President of India. President Murmu is in Aotearoa New Zealand for three days as part of a wider visit to the Pacific and Southeast Asia. President Murmu is the 15th President of India, and is the second woman to be elected to this role. Today’s Ceremony of Welcome was supported by the New Zealand Army, the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band and the New Zealand Defence Force Cultural group. We wish President Murmu all the very best during her time in New Zealand.
As patron of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, and as the New Zealand team’s chief cheerleader, Dame Cindy is in Paris with Dr Davies to support the 200-strong team of Aotearoa’s athletes competing at the 2024 Olympic Games. This marks 100 years since the last time the Olympics were held in Paris, which coincidentally is where Sir Arthur Porritt, our only Governor-General who was also an Olympian, won bronze in the 100m sprint.
Dame Cindy and Dr Davies were welcomed to the New Zealand team base for a ceremony to name the Te Pou Hāpai (flag bearers) to lead our team down the Seine River during the opening ceremony, followed by a reception hosted by President Macron for Heads of State and Government. The flag bearers wear a kākahu each – Te Māhutonga and Te Hono ki Matariki – the creation of which was led by master weaver Ranui Ngarimu. As a special connection, Ranui is both the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s kuia, and is one of Dame Cindy’s kuia.
Once the games began, Their Excellencies have been cheering on the team at the many historic locations the games are being held, including equestrian eventing at the Château de Versailles, and tennis at Roland-Garros. NZOC Chef de Mission Nigel Avery gave Their Excellencies a tour of the New Zealand base at the Olympic Village, where athletes live, train and recover during the Olympic Games. Dame Cindy and Dr Davies ended their time supporting our Olympians in the best way possible, watching our mighty Black Ferns win NZ’s first medal – a back-to-back Olympic gold medal in front of 66,000 people in Stade de France, and celebrating the triathlon team’s success after their race.
This afternoon Dame Cindy received a farewell call from His Excellency Mr Grzegorz Kowal, the departing Ambassador of the Republic of Poland. We congratulate His Excellency on the success of his posting, and wish him and his family all the very best for the future.
New official portraits have been released of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla, wearing their New Zealand Royal Honours. The portraits were taken in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace in June.
His Majesty the King is wearing the Badge of the Sovereign of the Order of New Zealand (ONZ) suspended around his neck. The Order of New Zealand, instituted in 1987, is New Zealand’s most senior Royal Honour. On the left side of His Majesty’s jacket, the King wears the Star of a Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (GNZM). The New Zealand Order of Merit, a distinctive New Zealand Order of Chivalry of which the King is Sovereign, was instituted in 1996. Above the Star, His Majesty wears a set of insignia which includes the Badge of a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order (QSO); the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal; and the New Zealand Armed Forces Award. As Prince of Wales, His Majesty was appointed as an Extra Companion of the Queen’s Service Order in 1983.
Her Majesty the Queen wears the Badge of an Additional Member of the Order of New Zealand. Her Majesty’s appointment to the Order was announced on the King’s Birthday and Coronation Honours List 2023.
The portraits were taken by photographer Millie Pilkington, whose previous work includes wedding photography for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The photographs are available here and can be downloaded in accordance with the terms of use.
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As their patron, Dr Davies welcomed Mission to Seafarers Oceania to Government House this evening to celebrate the charitable organisation’s 125th anniversary of active service. The Mission to Seafarers Oceania is part of an international network of Missions, found in over 200 ports around the world, helping hundreds of thousands of seafarers each year. The support they provide includes welfare checks during ship visits, giving spiritual guidance, providing a space to relax off ship, and gifting a whole heap of knitting. In his speech, Dr Davies reflected on his own experiences as a seafarer – visiting the Auckland Mission was his first welcome to New Zealand back in the early 80s.
The Mission’s global president, HRH The Princess Royal, provided a congratulatory message for the evening, noting her visit to the Wellington Mission last year.
This evening, Dame Cindy welcomed members of the Port Nicholson Rotary Club to celebrate their 35th anniversary. The Port Nicholson Rotary Club have been active in Wellington's community fundraising for projects like the whānau room at the Wellington Children’s Hospital, and supporting young leaders with scholarships. Their current major project is Lifting the Lid – a programme aimed at helping Wellington schools access help for students who have, or who are at risk of developing mental health issues. Since being launched in Te Whanganui a Tara in late 2022, they are helping 12 schools and hundreds of students in the area.
During World War II, the eyes and ears for the Allied effort in the pacific were coastwatch stations, keeping watch for ships and planes, and monitoring radio activity. They were manned by a mixture of Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force soldiers, civilian radio operators, and local Pacific Island radio operators. To give civilian coastwatchers more legal protection should they be captured, an attempt was made to attest them into military service. For the Cook Islands coastwatchers and a small number of Post and Telegraph coastwatchers, this did not eventuate and their service was not formally recognised. Today, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies, joined by representatives from the New Zealand Defence Force, welcomed descendants from these coastwatchers to recognise their service during the war.
Dame Cindy particularly acknowledged Willie Cuthers, who’s efforts to honour the service of his grandfather and his compatriots set in motion the official recognition the of civilian coastwatchers in the Pacific, and military historian John Crawford.
Mānawatia a Matariki! In the spirit of this year’s theme - Matariki heri kai - Dame Cindy and Dr Davies welcomed some of The Auckland City Mission’s street whānau and staff to Government House Auckland to share a hāngī lunch, and to enjoy a concert by the Harmonic Resonators. The Auckland City Mission – Te Tāpui Atawhai has provided wrap-around support for Aucklanders in need for over 100 years, working towards ending food insecurity, enabling access to housing, administering very low-cost healthcare, and providing drug and alcohol detox and mental health support to people and families of greatest need. Last year, they provided over 50,000 food parcels, 20,000 low-cost health consultations and 480 housing solutions for people when they need it most. To learn more about the important work the Auckland City Mission – Te Tāpui Atawhai does, go to their website.
Since 2009, Garden to Table has been enabling New Zealand tamariki and rangatahi to grow, harvest, prepare and share healthy kai through their schools programme. What began with 3 schools has grown to over 300, stretching across the country from Northland to Rakiura. To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the programme in Aotearoa, Dr Davies welcomed members of the Garden to Table Trust, its supporters and some partnering schools to Government House Auckland yesterday evening. Dr Davies reflected on Garden to Table's positive impact on our young people, noting what Dame Cindy experienced seeing the programme in action at Papatoetoe West School in 2022, and when he welcomed students to Government House for a pollinator pathway lesson last year.
Ngāti Porou Hauora is the sole primary healthcare provider for a challenging geographic area that stretches over 200km of Tairāwhiti coastline. This morning, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies visited Te Puia Springs Hospital, where they met staff and patients and toured the facilities. Built in 1903 with gifted use of land and support from Te Whānau a Iritekura, Te Puia Springs Hospital was initially used to care for returning soldiers suffering from tuberculosis, and later a maternity annex was added. Dr Davies has his own very personal connection with the hospital, where he spends periods working as a locum and relieving doctor.
They then travelled to Ruatoria for the investiture ceremony of Ta Selwyn Parata KNZM, which took place in the presence of many hundreds of proud and joyful Ngāti Porou, as well as iwi from across Aotearoa, and distinguished guests including former Prime Ministers, a former Chief Justice, and former and current Government Ministers.
During Cyclone Gabrielle, the Waipaoa River changed its course and drowned the small community of Te Karaka. This morning Dame Cindy and Dr Davies visited Claude Ruru to see his house, which like many in Te Karaka, has been raised metres to withstand future flooding events. They then viewed a temporary village before going to Mahaki Tiaki Tangata Evacuation Site.
After seeing the temporary housing ‘pods’ provided to whānau in Te Karaka, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies visited Buildsmart in Gisborne, which has provided many of the pods and is constructing hundreds of relocatable houses for iwi in the region. Their Excellencies then visited residents in Gisborne whose houses were flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle.
You can find more images from Their Excellencies' time with the Te Hapara residents in the Te Hapara image gallery.
Dame Cindy and Dr Davies then made their way up the iconic State Highway 35 to beautiful Uawa Tolaga Bay. First, they visited the Māori health promotion, advocacy, and support agency Te Whare Hauora o te Aitanga a Hauiti. During and after Cyclone Gabrielle the organisation provided extensive practical and mental health support to the community, and continue to work to empower whānau in all areas relating to their own health and wellbeing.
Finally, Their Excellencies visited the Uawa Tolaga Bay Volunteer Fire Brigade for the very special investiture ceremony of Mr Eruera Kaiwai, QSM. Eru, as he is widely and fondly known, has been a volunteer with the Tolaga Bay Fire Brigade since 1957. He is a kaumātua at Puketawai Marae, and has been a minister at tangihanga, weddings, and hui. Eru also helped to establish Ngāti Radio and chairs Tolaga Bay Golden Oldies. Our very warmest congratulations to Eru, his whānau and friends.
Wairoa was one of the hardest-hit regions by Cyclone Gabrielle. This morning, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies met the Mayor, Craig Little and Councillors, as well as members of the Response Team helping whanau with the repair of houses. They saw first-hand the impacts of flooding during site visits to the magnificent Takitimu Marae and a private home currently being repaired and refurbished.
You can find more images from Their Excellencies' time in Wairoa in the Wairoa image gallery.
This afternoon, Dame Cindy visited Nuhaka School. Following Cyclone Gabrielle, the school community was forced to relocate several times, with their buildings entirely flooded out. The school has found a temporary home at the meetinghouse of the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints until they can be returned to their original site, which is be reopened in early 2025.
In her speech, Dame Cindy acknowledged the bravery and resilience of the Nuhaka School community: ‘The beautiful wairua of this school represents the courage and resolve of many dedicated people, and carries the hopes and dreams of many more. I wish everyone here, all the very best for your future.’
This morning, between rain and bursts of brilliant sun, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies were welcomed into the Hawke’s Bay region with a beautiful pōwhiri at Waipatu Marae. Waipatu is a hub of impressive community facilities and has been a haven for people displaced by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Their Excellencies met members of the community affected by the cyclone, and toured the marae’s extensive community garden, as well as Māmia, a support unit for mothers and babies. In her speech at the marae, Dame Cindy spoke of how deeply honoured she was that members of the community had come in such numbers to warmly welcome her and Dr Davies to the region.
Woodford House was the next stop, where the students gathered in the school's historic chapel and performed waiata for Their Excellencies. A tour of the school followed, including a visit to a science lab, and the girls had an opportunity in a Q&A session to ask Dame Cindy about her role.
The day concluded with a community reception in Havelock North for volunteers, first responders, and a broad range of people from across Hawke's Bay communities who were involved in the response and recovery efforts following Cyclone Gabrielle.
Since 1965, the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust has been providing New Zealanders of any age, in any industry, and at any stage in their career, the chance to travel overseas to learn from others. These learnings are then brought back to Aotearoa, and applied for the betterment of our communities. Yesterday in the Legislative Council Chamber at Parliament, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies joined the newest fellows in celebrating the work they have achieved on their fellowships, which ranged from sustainable urban design and water management practices, to digital health equity and investigating young people’s democratic participation. They also honoured the Churchill McNeish Writers’ Fellows, who undertake writing residencies around the world. This event was a full-circle moment for Dr Davies, who received a Churchill Fellowship in 2018 to study approaches for improving primary healthcare for the long-term homeless.
This morning, in the Grand Hall of Parliament, Dame Cindy had the great pleasure of hosting renowned primatologist and environmental activist Dr Jane Goodall, who is visiting New Zealand on her Reasons for Hope Tour.
During the event, Jane shared her reasons for hope in conversation with Ms Nicola Toki, the CEO of Forest & Bird. She also discussed her ongoing research interests, as well as her work as a UN Messenger of Peace and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and Roots & Shoots – a youth conservation education programme which reaches millions of young people in more than 60 countries around the world.
In her speech, Dame Cindy acknowledged Dr Jane's remarkable contributions over the past six decades: 'Such a long and distinguished career not only reflects your steely determination, legendary work ethic, and uncanny powers of observation – but also an abiding sense of joy and wonder in the world around you, as well as a generosity of spirit, which, for so many years, has compelled you to share that joy and wonder with others.'
On this crisp Wellington morning, four new diplomatic heads of mission were welcomed to Government House for their credentials ceremony. HE Ms Manahi Anahiro Pakarati Novoa, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile; HE Dr Faisal Aziz Ahmed, High Commissioner for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; HE Mrs Elisabeth Koegler, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria; and HE Mr Stavros Venizelos, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic, presented their credentials to Dame Cindy as they begin their diplomatic posting to Aotearoa. In a particularly special ceremony, HE Ms Manahi Pakarati, who is Chile’s only diplomat of Polynesian Rapanui descent, gave her speech entirely in Te Reo. We wish them all the very best for their new roles.
Today's Guard of Honour and Māori cultural group were from the Royal New Zealand Navy, and the band from the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Today at Government House, a very special ceremony was held to commemorate the Change of Command for the new Chief of Defence, AM Tony Davies. AM Tony Davies, previously Vice Chief of Defence, has been with the Royal New Zealand Air Force since 1984. He received an MNZM for his role as Mission Commander of a mid-winter medical rescue in Antarctica in 1998, rescuing eleven people from McMurdo Station. In her address at the promotion of AM Davies, Dame Cindy also thanked outgoing Chief of Defence AM Kevin Short for his immense contributions to our Defence Force, including his time as the longest serving CDF for 50 years. AM Short chose today, D-Day, to conclude his military career in honour of his Grandfather who landed on the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago.
On this brisk, beautiful morning in Wellington, Dame Cindy recognised the achievements and service of 12 further recipients of Royal New Zealand Honours. Among those recognised was Professor Tim Bell for his contributions to computer science education, in particular through his work on compression, which transforms text into a format that enables efficient storage and transmission. Ms Rose Wilkinson was also acknowledged for her advocacy for the rights of blind and vision-impaired people – while Mr Lyall Bailey received his QSM for his years of service to the Winton community, including through running a rural mail service with his wife. Our very warmest congratulations to all recipients.
