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| Government House: | The Staff at Government House | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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More than 20,000 visitors pass through Government House in Wellington and Auckland each year, from foreign Heads of State, politicians and diplomats, to ordinary New Zealanders, young and old. Functions hosted by the Governor-General range from formal ceremonies, state dinners and investitures to garden parties, open days and tours of the House and gardens. The management of this steady flow of visitors requires precision planning and immaculate housekeeping. It also calls for the preparation of New Zealand food of the highest standard and the serving of New Zealand wine. The household staff at Government House includes chefs, stewards, maids and a chauffeur – some 30 people in Auckland and Wellington. The general manager of the office and the two Government Houses is known as the Official Secretary to the Governor-General. The Governor-General travels throughout New Zealand, attending a wide variety of functions from international conferences, award ceremonies and anniversaries of national organisations including cultural, sporting and professional bodies. The Government House office staff handle all administrative matters, such as maintaining the Governor-General’s diary, assisting him with speeches, arranging his travel programme and handling the protocol associated with all official events. At all times, the Governor-General is accompanied by one of the two Aides-de-Camp who are seconded to Government House from the New Zealand Defence Force. The extensive gardens at the two Government Houses, both endorsed as "Gardens of National Significance" by the New Zealand Gardens Trust, are maintained by contract gardeners. Some staff have been at Government House for more than 25 years. Experience
and knowledge are the key to the success of the Government House operation,
and all staff take great pride in their work at the House.
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