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Last night Dame Patsy and Sir David attended the launch of the Superdiversity Centre's #myidentity campaign in Auckland. The campaign celebrates and promotes the diversity of New Zealand's population and encourages people to upload videos of themselves…

Kaitaia was the focus of the first day of the visit of Dame Patsy and Sir David to Northland, and they were very impressed with the warmth of the welcome they received at all six engagements.   A powhiri at Te Ahu Centre was followed by a citizenship…

Conservation and heritage were the focuses of the second day of the regional visit to Northland. Dame Patsy and Sir David went by ferry to Urupukapuka Island, a picturesque jewel in the Bay of Islands. It was a chance to learn more about pre-European…

This evening Dame Patsy and Sir David joined thousands of people on the waterfront to see the  spectacular launch to the 2018 New Zealand Festival: Kupe - a Waka Odyssey, which featured waka, approximately 1000 children performing kapa haka, a choir,…

On this 7th anniversary of the devastating Christchurch earthquake, our thoughts are with the people of Christchurch, particularly those who have experienced personal loss. We hope that communities will find solace and strength by gathering together in…

Scouts NZ marked Founders Day and 110 years of scouting in this country with a special celebration at Government House this evening. Highlights included an inspiring address by Kate Te Wano, a young woman who came to scouting late and had to overcome many…

Last night, Dame Patsy and Sir David attended the launch of the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation at the Supreme Court. The Foundation was established by the late Judge Ian Borrin to support legal research, education and scholarship in New Zealand,…

Today was an opportunity to support Dame Patsy's strategic focuses of creativity, innovation, leadership and diversity with a forum at Government House. The topic was diversity in the digital world, and the two guest speakers were Dr Siouxsie Wiles and…

On 13 February Dame Patsy received a call from HE Mr Orhan Tavli, Governor of Canakkale, Mr Ismail Kasdemir, President of the Gallipoli Historical Park Directorate, and HE Mr Ahmet Ergin, the Turkish Ambassador.

On Saturday night, Dame Patsy and Sir David held a reception at Government House for Gold Award recipients of the Duke of Edinburgh International Awards. The recipients, who had attended ceremonies earlier in the day at Government House, came from around…

Last night Dame Patsy and Sir David hosted a magnificent performance of Eglantyne , written and performed by Anne Chamberlain. The play celebrates the life of Eglantyne Jebbs, co-founder of Save the Children, and writer of the Declaration of the Rights of…

Full coverage of Dame Patsy's Waitangi Day address at Government House in Auckland. Thanks to One News/ TVNZ for the footage.

The annual Waitangi Day Bledisloe Reception was held at Government House Auckland this year. Dame Patsy and Sir David were joined by 750 guests, including the Prime Minister and members of the Diplomatic Corps. The sun shone, and the cruisy jazz from the…

The Bledisloe Garden Reception 2018 takes place at Government House in Auckland on Waitangi Day. Don't forget to bring your invitation (it's going to be sunny) and wear a hat and apply sunscreen. Bledisloe Garden Reception info sheet

Today Dame Patsy received the credentials of the British High Commissioner, Her Excellency Ms Laura Mary Clarke; The High Commissioner of the Republic of Vanuatu, His Excellency Mr Johnson Naviti; the High Commissioner of Malaysia, Her Excellency Ms Nur…

In 1858, a ceremony was held at Maiki Hill to celebrate a new flagstaff, erected by Northern Maori as a gesture of goodwill and reconciliation, 12 years after the war between British forces and allied Northern tribes. Governor Gore-Brown declined an…

This morning Dame Patsy and Sir David visited the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Wellington to see an impressive exhibition of portraits by Frances Hodgkins (1869-1947), one of New Zealand's  foremost artists. Frances Hodgkins is well-known for her still…

Dame Patsy and Sir David wish all New Zealanders a safe and happy New Year. Here is Dame Patsy's message for 2018, a year in which we mark a very special anniversary.

Congratulations to all the outstanding New Zealanders acknowledged with New Year's Honours. We look forward to hosting them and their families at investiture ceremonies at Government House Wellington and Government House Auckland in May. The full list of…

On Monday, Dame Patsy and Sir David welcomed the Queen's Baton to Queenstown at the Airport, on its final leg of a journey around Commonwealth countries and territories before the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. Their Excellencies accompanied…

This afternoon, Israeli Ambassador Dr Itzhak Gerberg and wife Shifra called on Dame Patsy and Sir David to present a commemorative album of photos taken during the recent visit to Israel for the Beersheba commemorations.

Dame Patsy and Sir David visited Te Papa on Tuesday 12 December for a sneak peek at their revamped gallery space Toi Art, which is due to open in March next year. On Wednesday, Dame Patsy gave the  address at the Victoria University Wellington graduation…

On 6 December, day one of Dame Patsy's State Visit to Malaysia she attended a Welcoming Ceremony in Parliament Square in Kuala Lumpur, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited  the Islamic Arts Museum and Masjed Jamek mosque, had an audience with…

On 7 December, Dame Patsy visited Cheras Cemetery, where she paid her respects at the graves of New Zealand service personnel. In the afternoon, she visited KYS School, met the Governor of Melaka and toured the historic district of Melaka. Speech…

On the final day of her visit, 8 December, Dame Patsy addressed a Women in Leadership Forum, paid a courtesy call on the Sultan of Perak, and lunched with Malaysian alumni of New Zealand universities. Speech transcript Speech transcript Image gallery…

Last night Dame Patsy and Sir David hosted a reception for the donors, volunteers and partner organisations of Kaibosh, Wellington's food-rescue service, which redistributes 20 tonnes of food a month to people in need. Speech transcript Image Gallery

As Dame Patsy is on a State Visit to Malaysia, Cabinet Secretary Michael Webster hosted a reception for the Prince's Trust, welcoming Dame Martina Milburn, Group Chief Executive of the Trust. Guests heard about the Trust's pilot programme for at-risk…

On Saturday, Dame Patsy travelled to Amberley in Canterbury to open a Chinese Reflection Garden established in memory of Rewi Alley, a New Zealander who spent most of his life in China, promoting training and education as a way to lift people out of…

Last Friday, Dame Patsy presented another 3 outstanding Auckland students with scholarships from the Sir George Elliot Trust. The $25,000 scholarships are awarded yearly to students from the Auckland region who have achieved academically and extramurally…

On Monday 20 November, Sir David hosted the launch of the New Zealand Film Heritage Trust at Government House. The ballroom was transformed into a cinema, complete with popcorn and icecream, for screening of clips of our film history, and a ceremony to…

In Christchurch, Dame Patsy and Sir David attended the opening of the Christchurch City Mission's Women's Night Shelter and also visited the Christchurch Art Gallery to see the Len Lye Exhibition. Speech transcript Image gallery Image gallery

Dame Patsy and Sir David hosted one of the finale events for the WakaNZ: Navigating a Post-Treaty Settlement Future 2017 Workshop. Run by the McGuinness Institute, in collaboration with the New Zealand Treasury, the workshop brought together thirty six 18…