Dame Cindy Kiro | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2023 | |
| 22nd Governor-General of New Zealand | |
| Assumed office 21 October 2021 | |
| Monarchs | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Dame Patsy Reddy |
| Children's Commissioner of New Zealand | |
| In office 1 September 2003 – 1 September 2008 | |
| Appointed by | Steve Maharey |
| Preceded by | Roger McClay |
| Succeeded by | John Angus |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alcyion Cynthia Simpson 1958 (age 66–67)[1] Whangārei, New Zealand |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 children, 2 stepchildren |
| Residence | Government House, Wellington |
| Signature | .png) |
| Alma mater | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Public health |
| Thesis | Kimihia Hauora Māori = Māori Health Policy and Practice (2001) |
| Doctoral advisors |
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Dame Alcyion Cynthia KiroGNZM QSO DStJ (Māori:[kiːɾɔ][2]) (néeSimpson; born 1958[3]) is a New Zealand public-health academic, administrator, and advocate, who has been serving as the 22ndgovernor-general of New Zealand since 21 October 2021. Kiro is the firstMāori woman and the third person of Māori descent to hold the office.
Before she was announced as governor-general designate, Kiro was Chief Executive of theRoyal Society Te Apārangi and was previously theChildren's Commissioner, head of school of the School of Public Health atMassey University, head of Te Kura Māori atVictoria University of Wellington, and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Māori) of theUniversity of Auckland.
During her term as governor-general, Kiro responded to thedeath of Elizabeth II, and has undertaken several overseas visits, including attending thePlatinum Jubilee andstate funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and thecoronation of King Charles III in the United Kingdom.
Kiro was born inWhangārei in 1958, the eldest child of six.[4] She is of Māori and English descent, affiliating withNgā Puhi,Ngāti Kahu, andNgāti Hineiwi.[5][6] Her father was Norman Simpson, who was originally from the north of England.[7] Her mother's maiden name was Ngawaiunu Kiro and her maternal grandparents were Te Rangihaeata Hemi Kiro and Hukatere Miha Maihi.[8]
She was raised by her mother's parents for part of her early life and took their surname ofKiro. One of her sisters also has the nameKiro, while her other siblings have the nameSimpson.[7] She grew up inSouth Auckland andWest Auckland. Her grandparents moved to South Auckland, living atŌtara and thenMāngere.[7] Her parents also moved to Auckland and the family lived atNew Lynn andTe Atatū in West Auckland.[4] Kiro attendedRutherford High School in Te Atatū.[7][9]
She then joined the first cohort of social work students atMassey University in Palmerston North[9] and later graduated with aBachelor of Arts degree insocial sciences from theUniversity of Auckland.[10] In 1987 Kiro gained a certificate in epidemiology from theEuropean University Institute inFiesole, Italy.[10]
From 1995 to 2000, Kiro was a senior lecturer in social policy at Massey University in Albany.[11] In 2001 she was awarded aPhD in social policy by Massey University for a thesis entitledKimihia Hauora Māori = Māori Health Policy and Practice.[12] She went on to gain aMaster of Business Administration (Executive) degree from the University of Auckland.[13]
Kiro was appointed New Zealand'sChildren's Commissioner in 2003 and served in this role until 2008.[11][14] While in this position she established the Taskforce for Action on Family Violence that included many government department chief executives and people from the police, theFamily Courts, and Māori and Pacific Island representatives.[15] The passing of theCrimes (Substituted Section 59) Amendment Act 2007 during her tenure attracted considerable public and media interest.[16] Kiro supported and advocated for the repeal of Section 59 of the Crimes Act, which provided a legal justification for using force against children.[17]
Kiro returned to academia, as an associate professor at Massey University and heading its School of Public Health.[18][19] In 2013 Kiro took a position as head of Te Kura Māori at the School of Education atVictoria University of Wellington.[20] Kiro went on to serve as the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Māori) at theUniversity of Auckland.[21]
In October 2020 Kiro was appointed chief executive of theRoyal Society Te Apārangi, commencing on 1 March 2021.[21]
On 24 May 2021,Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced thatElizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, had agreed to her recommendation to appoint Kiro as the next governor-general of New Zealand from 21 October 2021. The five-year term of the previous governor-general, DamePatsy Reddy, ended on 28 September 2021.[13] Kiro is the firstMāori woman to be appointed governor-general.[22]
Kiro wasinvested as a Dame Grand Cross of the New Zealand Order of Merit and Companion of the Queen's Service Order by Queen Elizabeth II during a private audience via video call on 19 October (18 October in Britain).[23] She was sworn in as governor-general by thechief justice,Helen Winkelmann, at Parliament on 21 October.[24][25] The ceremony was smaller than usual because ofnational COVID-19 restrictions on the size of gatherings.[24]
Kiro gave her firstroyal assent as governor-general on 27 October,[26] when she gave assent to the Financial Sector (Climate-related Disclosures and Other Matters) Amendment Act 2021 and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Legislation Act 2021.[27][28]
Kiro made her first international visit as governor-general in May 2022, when she travelled to Abu Dhabi to represent New Zealand at the official condolence ceremony for SheikhKhalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the late president of the United Arab Emirates.[29] On 1 June 2022, Kiro and her husband, Richard Davies, travelled to the United Kingdom for a week-long tour to celebrate thePlatinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. They attended theService of Thanksgiving atSt Paul's Cathedral in London on 3 June, thePlatinum Party at the Palace on the evening of 4 June, and thePlatinum Jubilee Pageant, which included New Zealand defence personnel, on 5 June.[30] They also held bilateral meetings with some other Commonwealth governors-general.[31]
On 14 June, Kiro, in the exercise of her constitutional role, swore in agovernment minister for the first time, whenKieran McAnulty was appointed to theExecutive Council.[32]
Kiro and Davies visited Samoa from 4 to 8 September to take part in celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of Samoan independence from New Zealand.[33]
Kiro and Davies travelled to the United Kingdom to attend thestate funeral of Elizabeth II atWestminster Abbey on 19 September 2022, joined by Prime MinisterJacinda Ardern.[34]
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Kiro accepted theresignation of Prime Minister Ardern and formally appointedChris Hipkins as prime minister andCarmel Sepuloni as deputy prime minister at Government House on 25 January.[35][36]
The Governor-General travelled to London to attend thecoronation of Charles III and Camilla in May.[37]
Kiro appointedChristopher Luxon and hisSixth National Government to their respective ministries at Government House on 27 November.[38]
In mid-June 2024, Kiro along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon hostedChinese PremierLi Qiang during his state visit.[39]
| Viceregal styles of Dame Cindy Kiro (2021–present) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | Her Excellency the Right Honourable |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
In 2012, Kiro received the Public Health Champion award from the Public Health Association of New Zealand, and a USFulbright Travel Award.[40][41] The same year she was also named the Māori of the Year for Community Contribution byTelevision New Zealand.[40]
In the2021 New Year Honours, Kiro was appointed aDame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to child wellbeing and education.[42][43][44]
On9 August 2021, Kiro was appointed an additionalDame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and an additionalCompanion of the Queen's Service Order in preparation for becoming governor-general.[45] As governor-general, Kiro is entitled to be styled "Her Excellency" while in office and "The Right Honourable" for life.[46][47]
On 21 October 2021, Kiro was appointed aDame of the Order of Saint John by the Queen and appointed a prior of the same order as the governor-general.[48]
In 2022, Kiro was awarded an honorary Doctor of Health degree by Massey University.[49]
Kiro was married to architect, later teacher,[4] Chris Kuchel for 30 years, and had two sons with him.[50] Five years after separating, she met her current husbandRichard Davies, aGP and a former member of theFalkland Islands Legislative Council, and is stepmother to his two sons.[9][21][50]
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Children's Commissioner of New Zealand 2003–2008 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Governor-General of New Zealand 2021–present | Incumbent |
| Order of precedence | ||
| Preceded byasMonarch | Order of Precedence of New Zealand asGovernor-General | Succeeded byasPrime Minister |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
