Reference: 20230213 
 
 
8 May 2023 
 
 
Charlotte . 
[FYI request #22397 email] 
 
 
Dear Charlotte 
 
Thank you for your Official Information Act request, received on 5 April 2023. You 
requested: 
Question number 1. 
Please can you tell me the total amount that it has cost to change the name of 
every government department from english to maori language. Example ministry 
of health - te whata ora. Please include all spending for consultation fees during 
the name change process and how much it cost to change signange on buildings, 
changes to websites and forms etc. 
No breakdown is necessary - just the total figure. 
Question number 2.  
Please can you advise whether there was any public consultation in the decision 
making to change all these names or whether this was just decided by the 
government? 
Please note, I can only comment on behalf of Treasury, further requests wil  need to be 
made to individual agencies for response.  
Te Tai Ōhanga, The Treasury, did not spend any additional money on its Māori name. 
This cost came out of a baseline when the Treasury moved into its new building in 
2019.  
The Treasury used up existing stationery rather than replace it with stationery with Te 
Tai Ōhanga on it – in fact our envelopes stil  use the older te reo Māori name 
(Kaitohutohu Kaupapa Rawa). Any new signage with Te Tai Ōhanga was incorporated 
with our change of premises, not because of the change of our te reo Māori name. 
Please note that this letter (with your personal details removed) and enclosed 
documents may be published on the Treasury website. 
1 The Terrace 
PO Box 3724  
Wel ington 6140 
New Zealand  
tel.  +64-4-472-2733 
 
https://treasury.govt.nz 

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This reply addresses the information you requested. You have the right to ask the 
Ombudsman to investigate and review my decision.  
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
 
 
 
Reubhan Swann 
Manager, Ministerial Advisory Service 
 
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