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September 28, 2016
Swearing in to acknowledge Pacific Realm
Waatea Team
Posted On September 28, 2016
New Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy was sworn in at parliament this morning in a ceremony that will include not just Maori and British elements but for the first time acknowledgement of the Pacific nations in the New Zealand Realm.
The lawyer and businesswoman will become the New Zealand Realm’s 21st Governor General, succeeding Sir Jerry Mataparae.
The ceremony starts with a powhiri before Dame Patsy takes the Royal Salute and inspects the guard.
There will also be a 21-gun salute from Pt Jerningham.
For the first time the flags of flags of Niue, Tokelau and Cook Islands will be hoisted alongside the New Zealand flag at parliament ground, and representatives from those Realm countries will be seated at the front.
The dean of the diplomatic corps, Niue High Commissioner, O’Love Tauveve Jacobsen, asked for the changes because she was concerned those countries were invisible at the swearing in ceremony for Sir Jerry five years ago.
She says it’s an acknowledgement not only that Dame Patsy will also be Governor General of those countries but that their people also have a home in New Zealand.
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