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It was Rotorua's chance to shine with a stunning welcome at Te Papaiouru Marae. A particular highlight was the magnificent performances of the Rotorua Girls' and Boys' High School kapa haka group. A tour of the carving and weaving schools at the New…

Dame Patsy was welcomed at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in Whakatane this morning, where she got to grips with robotics in the Robopa, before seeing some demonstrations of the cutting edge tech being used to train nursing students. The demos at the…

The weather and the welcome couldn't have been warmer in Tauranga as Dame Patsy and Sir David began a four day visit to the Bay of Plenty region. The powhiri for Dame Patsy took place at Huria Marae, which had speacial meaning for her due to her work as…

On Wednesday night this week, the Himalayan Trust hosted a gala dinner to mark the centenary of Sir Edmund Hillary's birth. The Trust was founded by Sir Ed in the 1960s and has focussed on providing education, health care and infrastructure to remote…

Dame Patsy has supported Te Te Huringa o Te Tai o Nga Wahine, a programme for Maori girls in Otara, for the last three years, but this is the first time the girls, the volunteers, committee members and Police mentors have come to Government House. Today's…

Last night's reception for NZ On Air celebrated its role in bringing New Zealand culture to our screens and airwaves over the last 30 years. A montage of television programmes and films reminded us of the huge range of content that their unique funding…

Dame Patsy visited GridAKL in the Wynyard Quarter Innovation Precinct this afternoon to see how ATEED, Auckland's economic development agency is facilitating innovation, sustainability measures, and start-ups.  We saw how the shared spaces of start-ups…

Dame Patsy has had a couple of opportunities to meet some of our most talented rangatahi during the school holidays. Last week, she caught up with the New Zealand Secondary Students' Choir and this morning she opened Youth Parliamant 2019. NZ Secondary…

Leaders of public sector agencies, NGOs and the private sector have come together as partners to form the Aotearoa Circle, which will address critical sustainability issues in Aotearoa New Zealand.  It's an exciting opportunity to combine cross-sector…

Dame Patsy and Sir David hosted the members of the Halberg Foundation Youth Council at a morning tea at Government House in Wellington. The ten-member Council is a voice for youth with physical disabilites and were in Wellington for meetings and training…

Three inspiring speakers, expressing three very different perspectives on the topics of diversity and inclusion captivated tonight's guests at a dinner in celebration of diversity in 21st century New Zealand. Human Rights Commissioner Paul Hunt reflected…

Dame Patsy officiated at the swearing-in of new Minister, Hon Poto Williams at Government House in Wellington. Minister Williams is the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and is also Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration,…

"I stand as one. I come as many" was the refrain in presentations about the impact of global warming in the Pacific at the KiMuaNZ reception this evening. Young men and women, some from Aotearoa, but mainly from other Pacific Islands (Tonga, the Cook…

Dame Patsy was on ribbon-cutting duties at the new Dark Sky Experience attraction in Takapō. A joint venture between Ngāi Tahu Tourism and astrotourism pioneers Graeme Murray and Hide Ozawa, the experience combines the science of the night skies with…

Rugby players taking part in the 93rd Quadrangular Tournament visited Government House today. Wellington College, Wanganui Collegiate, Nelson College and Christ's College First XV teams take part in the tournament every year, and when it is staged in…

Okains Bay Museum is located in a remote bay on Banks Peninsula. It was developed over many years by a keen collector of Maori and colonial artefacts, Murray Thacker. The Museum is now administered by a Trust, with the goal of curating the collection in…

This morning Dame Patsy received a warm welcome at the Linwood Islamic Centre, where she met members of Christchurch's Muslim community. She expressed her sincere condolences for their loss, and welcomed the opportunity to hear how local families are …

Three new diplomatic envoys presented their credentials to Dame Patsy this morning: HE Mr Mark Holowesko, the High Commissioner of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas; HE Archbishop Novatus Rugambwa, the Apostolic Nuncio; and HE Professor Joyce Kakuramatsi…

We're heading into the busiest part of the year and the Governor-General's diary is looking very full. Regrettably we cannot accept any more invitations for June, July, August and September 2019. Find out more about hosting or being hosted by the Governor…

Fourteen young New Zealanders have been chosen from their peers to receive this year's New Zealand Youth Awards. They are making a positive impact in diverse areas, including youth participation, social inclusion and environmental remediation and…

On 15 June, Dame Patsy and Sir David attended an investiture ceremony for St John postulants at the Cathedral of St Paul's in Wellington. Dame Patsy is Prior of the Order in New Zealand. Image Gallery

Dame Patsy and Sir David hosted a fundraising dinner for the Red Cross to mark World Refugee Day. The food was based on the organisation's "Taste of Cultures' cookbook, which gathered together recipes and stories from former refugees now living in New…

Every year in New Zealand, one in three girls, one in six boys and one in two disabled people experience some form of sexual abuse. For Maori girls and women, the likelihood of sexual violence is twice as high as the general population.  The LBGTQI+…

Dame Patsy and Sir David visited Zealandia, an eco-sanctuary in the suburb of Karori in Wellington. Zealandia's 500-year vision is to restore a Wellington valley’s forest and freshwater ecosystems to their pre-human state. So far, Zealandia has…

Members of the Muslim community celebrated the official opening of Iqra Elementary School's new premises in Auckland today. We were impressed by the children's and staff's use of English, Te Reo Maori and Arabic. Congratulations to all the people who have…

Dame Patsy represented New Zealand at the commemorations for the 75th anniversary of D-Day at Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. As well as attending the official ceremony, she had the opportunity to meet with leaders of 15 other nations as well as Her…

Sir David stood in for Dame Patsy at the launch of not for profit organisation Spend My Super at Government House in Auckland this evening. The brainchild of former social worker Liz Grieve, Spend My Super encourages New Zealanders to donate all or part…

Otago University, our oldest university, is celebrating 150 years this year. It took just 29 years from the arrival of the first Scots settlers till the University was opened in 1869. It now has over 20,000 students and as Dame Patsy said, is the beating…

Te Runanga o Otakou Marae is situated in a spectacular setting near the mouth of Otago Harbour. It was there that two Ngai Tahu chiefs signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi in June 1840. Next to the wharenui there is a church built in 1940 to mark the centenary of…

Dame Patsy and Sir David visited Christchurch on Wednesday. First stop was   Blinc Innovation's 'Sustainable Protein: Healthy People & Planet' event at Tai Tapu near Christchurch.  Dame Patsy spoke of how New Zealand's innovative mindset and…

Protection of the natural world and innovative research was a strong theme in today's visits to the Otago Museum and the Royal Albatross Centre at Taiaroa Head. The impact of global heating on Antarctica, and subsequent sea rise was the subject of an…

Dame Pasty and Sir David hosted a reception for the Jane Goodall Institute at Government House. Guest of Honour Dr Jane Goodall's speech had the guests full attention and later she presented the inaugural Jane Goodall Trailblazer Awards to Chloe Swarbrick…