Transport agency instructed to use English as primary name

Transport Minister Simeon Brown has instructed staff at Waka Kotahi, otherwise known as the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), to use its English name first.

The change comes as part of the coalition agreement between the National Party and New Zealand First, which outlined that all public services needed to make their primary name English, apart from those related specifically to Māori.

The agency’s official name is now “New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi”.

Things like letterheads and signage will need to be changed at a cost, that of which has not been disclosed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.

When asked about the change in this afternoon’s post-Cabinet press conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said there will be more to say about it in a month or so.

“What we’re really imagining here is we just want to be able to make sure New Zealanders can navigate their government departments and agencies,” he said, via 1News.

Protests led by Te Pāti Māori took place across the country this morning in response to the coalition government’s policies concerning Māori, causing widespread disruption in main centres and on motorways.