Features

The Governor-General, Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, redesignated Māori leader Sir Archie Te Atawhai Taiaroa as a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit at a ceremony at Hato Pāora College on 21 October 2009.

While Sir Archie was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori in 2003, under changes to the New Zealand Royal Honours system, he elected to be redesignated as a Knight Companion.

Members of New Zealand's most select group are to gather at Government House in Auckland for a special dinner in their honour.

The Governor-General, Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, and Lady Satyanand, will host the Order of New Zealand Dinner at Government House, Auckland on Thursday 15 October 2009.

The Order of New Zealand is New Zealand's highest honour. Its purpose is "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity." It was instituted on 6 February 1987.

The Governor-General of New Zealand has a new website (www.gg.govt.nz) that allows browsers to take a video tour of Government House Wellington prior to its closure.

After almost a century of use, Government House Wellington closed in October 2008 for a major conservation project and is conservatively expected to reopen in the second half of 2011.  In this section, you will be able to find out more about the conservation project.  

Latest photos (28 October 2009) can be viewed here

With the start of the New Year, The Hon Anand Satyanand, has issued a New Year’s message for all New Zealanders.

The New Year is often a time when we take stock.  We look back at what we have achieved and muse on those things we have yet to accomplish.  But we also look forward and set goals as we work towards the future. 

The new dark blue flag—with the Shield of the New Zealand Coat of Arms surmounted by a Royal Crown in the centre—was flown for the first time at a ceremony at Government House Auckland on 5 June and at Government House Wellington on 17 June.  In heraldic terms the official description is: “A flag of a blue field thereon the Arms of New Zealand ensigned by the Royal Crown all proper.”