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Dame Patsy's visit to Auckland City Mission found the organisation in good heart, after being on the front lines helping Aucklanders in desperate need navigate the Covid-19 crisis. Demand for food parcels doubled during lockdown and has yet to fall.…

Dame Patsy and Sir David visited the Auckland Festival Trust this afternoon. Like many events, the Auckland Arts Festival 2020 was affected by the March lock down, with the final few performances of the festival cancelled. Dame Patsy heard how the Trust…

Dame Patsy and Sir David met the team behind the team when they visited the offices of the New Zealand Olympic Committee in Auckland today. The 22 staff members are responsible for every facet of organisation for New Zealand's Olympic and Commonwealth…

Dame Patsy and Sir David are in Auckland for most of this week. Their first visit was to Tourism New Zealand for a chat with CEO Stephen England-Hall and GM NZ and Government Relations Billie Hall about how the organisation has turned its focus from…

As patron of the Te Papa Foundation, Dame Patsy and Sir David  were the first guest through the doors at Te Papa Tongarewa after being closed for the longest time in its 22 year history. They weren’t the only ones eager to have a visit, many patrons were…

Last night's dinner for officials leading New Zealand's response to COVID-19 was an opportunity to test out Government House's hospitality protocols under Level Two. Small dinners and lunches have a limited number of guests, who use hand sanitiser and…

While many New Zealanders worked from home where possible during alert level 4 COVID-19 restrictions, some needed to leave their bubble to ensure a small bit of essential normality took place for our households. A large group of essential workers were…

With the sudden alert level 4 announcement, schools had to react quickly to shift learning from the classroom to an online environment. Dame Patsy paid a visit to Government House’s neighbour, Wellington College, to see how the staff and students managed…

This evening Dame Patsy hosted government officials who have been trusted leaders of New Zealand's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were particularly appropriate guests for the first dinner since lockdown began, and included Dr Ashley Bloomfield,…

On this AIDS Candlelight Memorial day, the COVID-19 virus is obliging us to gather in a virtual space  and reflect on the terrible toll of the HIV virus, which has been responsible for over 30 million deaths worldwide since the 1980s. This year, many of…

Dame Patsy is patron of a wide range of charities and organisations. She has recently sent them letters of support, acknowledging that they are working in testing times and have had to adapt how they work in our communities. One such patronage is the…

He toi whakairo, he mana tangata: Where there is artistic excellence, there is human dignity. New Zealanders have turned to music, song and performance to connect with each other in these anxious times. From people joining their neighbours in driveways to…

Like other New Zealanders, Dame Patsy and Sir David were unable to attend public commemorations to mark Anzac Day 2020, due to the restrictions imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They joined thousands of fellow citizens across the country who chose…

Dame Patsy speaks about how proud she is of the country's response to the Covid-19 crisis and urges everyone to keep up the good work

Media advisory on behalf of Dame Patsy Reddy, Governor-General of New Zealand, The Governor-General, Dame Patsy Reddy, will be donating twenty percent of her salary over the next six months in support of a number of charities. Dame Patsy says she is…

Image of a message from HM Queen Elizabeth II April 6 2020 The message reads: As people across New Zealand and the Commonwealth are experiencing unprecedented changes to their lives, concern for family and friends, and financial uncertainty, you are in my…

Like other New Zealanders, we are doing everything we can to support measures that will help contain COVID-19. My constitutional duties will continue, but all community engagements and events in my programme have been postponed. David and I are sad that…

  As a consequence of the Alert Level 4 restrictions announced today by the Prime Minister in response to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Dame Patsy’s public engagements have been cancelled. Her programme will be re-evaluated when the lockdown has been…

Dame Patsy shares her thoughts on the current situation with Covid-19. Here are the links she refers to in the video: Unite against Covid-19 site Ministry of Health website Dr Siouxsie Wiles article on stopping the spread Dr Siouxsie Wiles article on…

All tours of Government House Wellington and Auckland are postponed until at least 14 April, 2020, when the tour programme will be reviewed again. If you have queries about tours later in the year, please email the Visitor Centre team bookings@govthouse.…

Dame Patsy spoke at a training session for the Returning Officers and Registrars of Electors taking part in this year's General Elections.  Dame Patsy spoke about the Governor-General's role in New Zealand's democratic system and where it sits in the…

Best wishes to the volunteers, sponsors and food donors supporting the new Kaibosh branch in Paraparaumu. When Dame Patsy opened the premises this evening, she noted how the organisation is a poster child for practical projects that promote sustainability…

Why paint the town red when you can paint it rainbow! The Capital put on a fantastic evening for the Wellington International Pride Parade, bringing together members of the LGBTQI+ community to show their pride and bring their aroha to the thousands…

On the 9th of March, Dame Patsy delivered Her Majesty The Queen's Commonwealth Message for Commonwealth Day. The theme for this year's Commonwealth Day was "Sustainable Future", a message reflected by Speaker of the House, the Rt Hon Trevor Mallard when…

Dame Patsy and Sir David hosted a dinner for members of the Order of New Zealand at Government House in Wellington. The ONZ is New Zealand's most senior honour and recognises "outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or…

This morning, Dame Patsy and Sir David were delighted to shine a spotlight on some of the good people who open up their homes as foster carers to children who are neglected or abused. The annual Caring Families Aotearoa Excellence in Foster Care Awards…

How can we help society be more cohesive? How can we strengthen personal resilience to deal with rapid change? How can we make good decisions about our adoption of new technologies? How can we counter misinformation and make sure people can access…

Four of New Zealand's best were inducted into the Massey College of Creative Arts Hall of Fame at a ceremony at Government House this evening. The Hall of Fame celebrates graduates of the College who have made an outstanding contribution to New Zealand’s…

Dame Patsy and Sir David hosted a lunch for some of the key figures behind the New Zealand Festival of the Arts, currently taking place in Wellington. Dame Patsy was delighted to welcome the three guest Festival curators Lemi Ponifasio, Laurie Anderson…

The Aotearoa Circle is attracting increasing numbers of leaders in the public and private sector who recognise the urgent need to address the wellbeing of our natural resources, while finding ways to pursue sustainable prosperity. Dame Patsy is Patron and…

Dame Patsy did the honours at the official opening of the new McKinnon Block at Wellington's Scots College this afternoon. The new block is the third major achievement in the school's recent change programme which has also included the admission of girls…

The sun came out to play when our friends from Newtown Kindergarten visited for a picnic in Coronation Grove at Government House, Wellington. The trees made for an excellent game of hide-and-seek for some, while others went hunting for cicada shells and…