Agency’s name changing

Its new name is NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi. It used to be Waka Kothai NZ Transport Agency. 

And it could well be the first government department or agency to change its name with English taking over from te reo at the front of its title.

The coalition agreement between National and NZ First includes a requirement for public-service departments to “have their primary name in English except those specifically related to Māori”.

Winston Peters, leader of NZ First and Deputy Prime Minister for the first half of the coalition’s term, has criticised the practice of using Māori names for government departments, saying “communication is about comprehension and understanding”.

A spokeswoman for the transport agency says no formal directive had been received to make the alteration. “However, we are aware of the policy that public-service organisations should have their primary name in English and we are taking appropriate actions to give effect to this policy”.

She said the costs associated with the change would be modest with the design work for a new logo having been completed in-house and other changes would be limited to replacing signs at its offices.

The direct costs of adding the words Waka Kotahi to its name in 2020 were less than $1,000, plus $5,800 on legal costs for trademarking the new logo.

Simeon Brown, Minister of Transport, told the NZ Herald he was pleased the NZTA has been proactive in giving effect to the government’s policy that all public-service organisations should have their primary name in English, except for those specifically related to Māori. A spokeswoman for Peters says: “We’ll decline to comment on this matter.”

The NZ Herald reported the name change on December 8. By the start of the business day on December 11, the logo on the home page of the agency’s website remained unchanged, as the screenshot with this story shows.