For this afternoon’s ceremony, eight recipients were welcomed to Government House Auckland, including Tony Shaw, who received an ONZM for services to people with intellectual disabilities and the community. Mr Shaw has been heavily involved with IHC New Zealand, including serving as President and Chair of the National Board. Also among those recognised were Rū Amato and Paora Moyle, who received a KSO to recognise their services to survivors of abuse in care.
The New Year 2025 investiture ceremonies in Auckland began today with recognition of eight outstanding New Zealanders. Five of today’s recipients were recognised for acts of bravery, including the late Mr Hussein Al-Umari, whose outstanding bravery and selflessness saved the lives of others during the Christchurch Mosque attacks.
Also among those honoured was Professor Helen Pilmore, who received a CNZM for services to nephrology and transplantation services.
Today, Dr Davies joined the Diplomatic Spouses Association for a potluck at Homewood, the residence of the British High Commissioner, complete with everyone’s favourite dishes from their home country - Dr Davies representing New Zealand well with a classic pav. Dr Davies has a particularly strong connection to the DSA, and with Homewood. His Aunt was Lady Liz Mallaby, wife of Sir George Mallaby, who served as British High Commissioner to New Zealand in the 1950s. At Lady Mallaby’s suggestion, the British Government purchased Homewood, making Sir George the first British High Commissioner to live there.
Today Dr Davies visited the Titahi Bay Boat Club to join Sailability Wellington in celebrating the recent success of their team at the 2025 Para Sailing International Championships, held as part of the Hansa World Championships in Australia. It was a successful showing for the Sailability Wellington team, particularly for Xervier Doney. He won the Hansa 303 Worlds singles, and alongside his father Paul, also won the doubles. Sailability Wellington is an inclusive sailing club, helping people of all abilities learn the skill of sailing. They are currently developing a new class of boat, the ParAble-Whakatauki, with accessibility as the main feature.
This morning 13 Honours recipients received their insignia at Government House. They included Māori language educator Dr Peter Cleave, ONZM; founder of Sudima Hotels in New Zealand, Mr Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala, ONZM; and economist Dr Bryce Wilkinson, ONZM. Constable Kurt Maney received the insignia of the New Zealand Bravery Medal for his efforts to save lives in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.
For the final Wellington New Year 2025 investiture ceremony, thirteen recipients were welcomed to Government House this afternoon. Among them was Megan Tamati-Quennell, who received a CNZM for services to Māori and First Nations art, Professor Louise Parr-Brownlie, receiving an MNZM for services to neuroscience, and Sharon Stevens-Cottle, receiving an MNZM for services to dance and theatre. Also recognised was Debra Sorensen, who received a ONZM for services to Pacific Health. She is CEO of Pasifika Medical Association Group, has supported Pacific disaster relief work, and is also the CEO of the Super Rugby Franchise Moana Pasifika.
For this morning's investiture, ten recipients were honoured for their contributions to New Zealand. Among them was Māori language educator Professor Rawinia Higgins, who is Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori at Victoria University. She has held many significant governance roles, including Chair and Commissioner of Te Taura Whiri i te reo Māori, and as a member of the Waitangi Tribunal. Also among those recognised was Henare O’Keefe, a former Hastings District Councillor who has dedicated much of his career to helping the youth of Hawke’s Bay, and has been a foster father to over 200 children.
Floral art enthusiasts from across Aotearoa have braved the extreme weather to congregate in Wellington to celebrate the 60th year of Floral Art Society of New Zealand. This evening Dame Cindy was on hand to present awards to the winning designers, who were recognised for their innovation and creativity.
Fourteen honours recipients received their insignia from Dame Cindy at this morning's investiture ceremony. They included Ms Laurie Hilsgen, who received an Honorary CNZM for services to family carers: former Head of Department at Dunedin School of Medicine, Emeritus Professor Murray Tilyard, ONZM; and Dr Ingrid Huygens, MNZM for her services to education and Māori.
At this afternoon’s ceremony, eleven recipients received their insignia, including KiwiHarvest founder Deborah Manning. KiwiHarvest redistributes excess food and ensures it goes to people in need – distributing the equivalent of 27 million meals over the past 12 years. Also among those recognised was Esther Fung, an elder of the Chinese New Zealand community, who is a trustee of the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust. Congratulations to all of this afternoon’s recipients.
This morning, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies hosted 13 recipients of Royal New Zealand Honours, who were acknowledged for their outstanding services and achievements across diverse areas of endeavour. They included Mrs Arihia Bennett, CNZM, for services to Māori, governance and the community; Mrs Prue Lamerton, ONZM for services to nuclear medicine; and Dr Taku Parai, ONZM for services to Māori, governance and the community.
This afternoon’s investiture ceremony acknowledged eleven honours recipients, including former Chief of Navy Read Admiral (Rtd.) David Proctor, and former Chief of Army Major General (Rtd.) John Boswell, who were recognised for their outstanding leadership in our Defence Force. Also recognised was Colin Monteath, who received the NZAM for his significant contributions to photography, literature, and research in the Antarctic.
This morning Dame Cindy and Dr Davies hosted an investiture ceremony for 13 recipients of Royal New Zealand Honours. They included environmental law expert Honorary Professor Sir Peter Skelton; Sam Whitelock, ONZM, New Zealand's highest capped All Blacks player; and Suzanne Prentice, CNZM, who was recognised for her music career and her community work.
This afternoon, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies hosted an investiture ceremony for four recipients of a New Zealand Bravery Decoration for their acts of exceptional bravery in a situation of danger, and seven recipients of a New Zealand Bravery Medal for acts of bravery.
Dame Cindy acknowledged their exceptional courage and presence of mind as they sought to aid people in dire need of assistance, without pausing to consider the very real risk to their own lives.
This afternoon Dame Cindy presented insignia for Royal New Zealand Honours to people who have worked on behalf of people who have suffered abuse in care.
The twelve honours recipients have all contributed in their own way to raising public awareness of this abuse, providing support and advocacy, representing the interests of survivors, and seeking redress for them.
“This Anzac Day marks 110 years since the Gallipoli landings by soldiers in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps – the ANZACS. It signalled the beginning of a campaign that was to take the lives of so many of our young men – and would devastate the communities they left behind at home. One year later, in 1916, grieving New Zealanders gathered to express their sorrow at the first Anzac Day commemoration.
Today, in our towns, cities and hamlets across the length and breadth of Aotearoa – your comrades have gathered in the chill light of dawn, alongside their families and communities, to commemorate Anzac Day.
This morning, your thoughts may be turning to your experience of military service – and to those who are missing from among your ranks.”
At dawn, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies joined around 15,000 people at the Auckland War Memorial Museum to commemorate the Anzac Day Civic Dawn Service. To conclude the service, Vanguard Military School performed a haka tautoko next to a field of crosses, representing those who have lost their lives in all conflicts impacting New Zealanders.
Later this morning, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies attended the Te Atatū Community Anzac Day Service, led by the Te Atatū RSA. After a parade through the streets, the service was held in the community hall, and featured students from Rutherford College, members of the Henderson Community Board and local youth organisations.
Matariki is a significant time of year to remember those we have lost, to gather and celebrate the present, and to look forward to the future. To celebrate Matariki this year, members of the public are invited to register for a ballot for a chance to experience the manaakitanga of Government House Wellington, by attending a special hāngī dinner hosted by the Governor-General on Thursday 19 June.
The hākari will be cooked in the Government House hāngī pits, prepared by our chefs and hāngī master Rewi Spraggon. This event is free to attend, with numbers strictly limited. The ballot is open to guests 18 and older, unless accompanied by an adult.
The ballot opens on Thursday 17 April, and closes Friday 2 May. Successful entrants will be notified during the week of Monday 19 May.
Today Dame Cindy received the credentials of new diplomatic envoys to New Zealand. In the morning, Her Excellency hosted HE Mr Daniel Sloper, High Commissioner of Australia; HE Mr Cristiano Maggipinto, Ambassador of Italy; and HE Ms Isaura Duarte, Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia.
In the afternoon, Dame Cindy hosted HE Mr Phan Minh Giang, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam; Ms Carolina Molina Barrantes, Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica; and Mr Junior Aini, Ambassador of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
This afternoon, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies joined the Wellington Sikh community to celebrate Vaisakhi at Gurudwara Sahib in Naenae. Vaisakhi is the traditional Sikh harvest festival, and is a time to show gratitude for the crops harvested that year. During the three-day celebration, the holy book Guru Granth Sahib is recited continuously. Dame Cindy and Dr Davies also shared a meal in the langar (community kitchen), with a team of volunteers who regularly feed hundreds of people every day.
This morning, Dame Cindy welcomed the Good Deed Group for a morning tea at Government House Auckland, to acknowledge the wonderful volunteer work they do in their communities. The group, predominantly made up of immigrant women from Iraq and Syria, live by the philosophy that small acts of generosity can create a lasting impact. The Good Deed Group gives back to their communities in many ways, including by fundraising for charity, and ensuring low decile school children have warm clothes and healthy lunches.
Dame Cindy joined the crowds who braved the rain today to help celebrate Polyfest in Auckland, now in its 50th year. What began with just four schools has grown to become the largest Māori and Pacific Islands festival in the world, with 77 secondary schools competing. Dame Cindy got the chance to meet with some of the performers, including Kelston Girls' College, who performed E Karanga E Te Iwi E.
For the final day of Dame Cindy and Dr Davies regional visit to Te Tai Tokerau, they received a very warm welcome with a pōhiri at Te Ahu Centre, which included iwi representatives, and Far North Mayor Moko Tepania. Students from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rangi Āniwaniwa gave a wonderful waiata tautoko in support. After the pōhiri, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies planted a pōhutukawa to commemorate the visit to Te Tai Tokerau.
Next they visited the dedicated volunteers who give their time and aroha at a foodbank established by the Far North Community Foodbank Trust in Kaitaia. They are standing next to seven days' worth of supplies for a client. People across the Far North region are referred to the Foodbank, which provides food parcels and essential household items. There is increasing demand for the goods supplied by the Foodbank, which is largely dependent on donations.
The very final stop in Kaitaia was at Rakau Ora, where Dame Cindy and Dr Davies met the good people who are providing free, urgent mental health care for people in Kaitaia. The staff are professionally qualified and are also able to bring their own lived experiences in assisting people who have addiction and mental health issues. A tattoo removal service and needle exchange are available, and a drop in hub allows people to come by at any time.
When Kaikohe whānau Clara and Manga Aperahama-Kopa realised there was no school in the Kaikohe area that could cater for their son, Manga, who was born with a rare brain disorder, they turned the family home into a te reo immersion ECE where he and other tama ariki would be able to learn alongside tamariki. Dame Cindy and Dr Davies visited the now hugely successful kura this morning, to meet Manga (affectionately known as Mungzy) and his friends at Te Puna Reo o Manga Tangaroa. The students put on a concert to welcome Dame Cindy and Dr Davies, before showing giving a tour of the kura, where tamariki Māori of all abilities can find a place to learn. The kura has since gained nation-wide attention, with their own show ‘Super Kura’ on Whakaata Māori.
Dame Cindy and Dr Davies next visited the Peru Packhouse – a Mahinga Kai specialising in growing peruperu potatoes. To determine when to plant and harvest the peruperu, Moana Timoko and her partner Tahu Warmington use ngā taka o te marama, which is a traditional Māori lunar calendar. Five years ago, they started with 1000 peruperu seeds, now they have around three million in their seed bank. They encourage the wider community to come and work in the mahinga kai to learn these traditional gardening techniques, and to take home some peruperu for themselves.
Their work extends beyond kai, too. Tahu is a self-described “mad scientist”, and has turned the peruperu into gas for the motorbikes they use on-site, into spirits for drinking, and into alcohol disinfectant.
The last stop for Dame Cindy and Dr Davies in Kaikohekohe was to visit the Te Kohekohe Community Housing development, which was built in partnership between Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi and the council. One of the main drivers for this development came from Te Hau Ora o Ngāpuhi, who were treating patients for respiratory illnesses caused by cold, damp homes. To treat the cause, they partnered with Far North Holdings, a trading and asset management branch of the Far North Council, to build 60 warm and affordable homes for people in need. Dame Cindy and Dr Davies met with some tenants at Te Kohekohe, and heard about the future plans for further safe, affordable housing in the area.
Day two of the regional visit to Te Tai Tokerau began with Dame Cindy being interviewed by the Luke Bird, Marica Hopa and Phoenix Ruka – hosts of E Ara E Mara on Ngāti Hine FM, followed by a breakfast with Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocorullo and Deputy Mayor Phil Halse.
Next, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies visited Te Kura o Otangarei to learn more about the kura’s involvement with the I Have A Dream programme. This initiative pairs students – or dreamers – with a navigator, who becomes a positive role model for the student. The navigators support the dreamers from when they begin school, right through to tertiary study. After the students at Te Kura o Otangarei led a mihi whakatau to welcome Dame Cindy and Dr Davies, they took part in some activities with the dreamers and the navigators, and were also gifted some classic red bands personalised by the students.
Next, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies experienced their very first journey as crew in a waka tētē. Renowned waka hourua captain Jolene Busby was on board to direct the crew, which included students from Te Kapehu Whetu Kura. The hour-long journey on the calm waters of Hātea River started and ended at Whangārei Marina, and provided opportunities for Dame Cindy and Dr Davies to practise vital skills such as paddling, keeping time with other kaihoe, and bailing water out of the waka. Mid point was in front of Te Kapehu Whetu Kura, where the assembled students performed haka and sang waiata.
Dame Cindy and Dr Davies began a regional visit to Te Tai Tokerau today, and were welcomed to the region with a stirring pōhiri at Terenga Paraoa Marae in Whangārei. In her speech, Dame Cindy reflected on her strong connections to the area, and to the people of Te Tai Tokerau.
“My story begins with the connections I share with you, and which have sustained me throughout my life. I am grateful for the aroha and support I have received over the years, and I am so proud to be the first Governor-General from Te Tai Tokerau.”
After a warm welcome at Terenga Paraoa Marae, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies visited the Wairau Māori Art Gallery and the Hundertwasser Gallery. The Wairau Māori Arts Gallery is the first dedicated public art gallery for contemporary Māori art, with exhibitions changing every three months. The current exhibition, Toka Tū, consists of artists who have been teachers and pillars of their community for decades. Dame Cindy and Dr Davies also visited the Hundertwasser Gallery, which showcases the work of Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who lived and worked in Northland from the 1970s till his death in 2000.
The next engagement of the day was the Hihiaua Cultural Centre, which sits alongside the Hātea River. The centre is designed to be a place to reclaim, restore, and renew Māori identity and culture, with stage one of the centre functioning predominantly as a whakairo and arts space. Dame Cindy and Dr Davies learned more about the stage two plans for Hihiaua, which will feature an indoor/outdoor performance space. While Hihiaua champions toi Māori, all cultures are welcome and celebrated at this centre.
The final engagement of the day ended on a melodic note, with Dame Cindy and Dr Davies heading to Pehiāweri Marae to join their weekly Waiata Joy session. Waiata Joy is open all ages and abilities – anyone who would like to give waiata a go is welcome. The group is skillfully led by Joby Hopa, who is a tutor for the renowned Hātea Kapa Haka group.
This morning at Government House Wellington, Dame Cindy hosted a reception for Community Networks Wellington and representatives of their member organisations from across the region's community and social sector. The reception offered an opportunity for CNW, and for the Governor-General, to thank all those present for their work to support the most vulnerable and marginalised members of our communities.
As Her Excellency remarked in her speech, quoting the words of the whakataukī: ‘Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa. Let us keep close together, not far apart.’
This morning in beautiful Governors Bay, Dame Cindy attended the Cholmondeley Children's Centre's 100th birthday celebration. Hugh Heber Cholmondeley gifted the land and original Cholmondeley House to the children of the Banks Peninsula area in 1925 in memory of his late wife Margaret. The current, purpose-built centre opened in 2015, and offers respite care to tamariki aged 5-12 in times of family stress or crisis.
As Her Excellency remarked in her speech: 'This extraordinary achievement stands testament, not only to the generous and deeply caring vision of Hugh Heber Cholmondeley, but also to all of the staff, supporters, and volunteers who have worked to uphold that vision over this past century.'
Following Her Excellency's time at the Cholmondeley Children's Centre, Dame Cindy attended another significant community event – the opening of the new Canterbury Coastguard building in Lyttelton. This state-of-the-art facility replaces the Coastguard’s previous headquarters, which were badly damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes and demolished in 2020.
For nearly 50 years, the Canterbury Coastguard has been providing support to fellow boaties and other recreational users of the Lyttelton Harbour and Canterbury coast. In Lyttelton, the Coastguard is supported by 24 volunteer crew members, who are out on the water most weekends and public holidays, and on call 24/7.
This evening Dame Cindy and Doctor Davies hosted a reception launching the Seeing Streets Differently campaign for Blind Low Vision NZ. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the barriers and hazards blind and low vision people face when they try to navigate their way in our streets. Ultimately, Blind Low Vision NZ would like to see consistent standards applied across New Zealand. Guests at tonight's reception were invited to wear glasses that replicated a variety of vision impairments, and then experience moving around a room with the aid of a guide.
Last night, Dame Cindy and Dr Davies hosted a dinner in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Council for International Development. The Council's 96 members help Aotearoa to meet its responsibilities for international development and humanitarian aid. Dame Cindy noted that in these challenging and uncertain times, the demands on their services will undoubtedly increase, and the support of the Council and its advocacy for NGOs and the people they work for, will be more vital than ever.
To commemorate Commonwealth Day, Dame Cindy attended a ceremony at Parliament, featuring performances by Teina Mai Sasa’e Wellington East Girls College Pacific Group, and Natraj School of Dance.
Dame Cindy delivered a message from His Majesty King Charles III, which reflected on this year’s Commonwealth Day theme – together we thrive.
In his message, His Majesty noted: “In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth’s remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship.”
This afternoon at Government House Wellington, Dame Cindy hosted the Caring Families Aotearoa Excellence in Foster Care Awards – a very special event recognising fourteen extraordinary caregivers for their commitment and manaakitanga, not only to the foster children in their care, but also to their wider communities.
As the Governor-General remarked in her speech: 'I know that many of you receiving awards today might feel you are not worthy of any kind of recognition. I wish to insist on the opposite: I can think of few more deserving of acknowledgement and thanks for the work you do, and the deepest care you show to these most vulnerable members of our society.'
