News

New Comms Manager for Treasury

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 12:55:48 +1300

Anna Symmans recently replaced Mike Munro as Treasury's Communications Manager.

Anna comes from a journalist background, spending time in Radio New Zealand's Press Gallery and in television current affairs. She worked in the National Party Opposition Office in the late 80s and was Press Secretary to former Finance Minister, Ruth Richardson.

Anna has worked on a number of public sector projects including the split of ECNZ, the start up of Meridian Energy and the recapitalisation of Solid Energy. She has also been employed on a number of internal projects in the public sector.

Anna recently returned to the full time workforce motivated by the need to get out of the house because her two teenage boys have taken it over. She is looking forward to reconnecting with many former work colleagues who are now communications managers in the public sector.

"The public sector is undergoing huge change right now and the communications sector will play a critical role in making sure the changes are positively locked in".

Anna heads the communications team at Treasury that includes Chris Ritchie, Serene Ambler, Angus Barclay and Barbara Gibbons.

Lifting our game – communications professionalism

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:56:45 +1300

The heads of communication for the core public sector are working to improve professionalism amongst government communicators.

The work is proceeding under the guidance and direction of a Chief Executive’s Advisory Group, chaired by State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie.

Learn more about progress in the two page report that Michael Player (Chair of Communications) provided recently to attendees at the Network’s Open All Hours conference:

Induction of CEs
Heads of communications positions
Measuring performance
Crisis communications
Social media
Sharing best practice
Procurement
Educating the second tier

New Comms Director for MED

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:26:47 +1200

Janice Rodenburg takes the reins as Director Communications at the Ministry of Economic Development today.

She will cover the role held by Kate Camp, who is in Berlin on a year's leave as Creative New Zealand's writer in residence.

In recent years Janice has contracted at the Department of Labour; Ministry of Social Development; Foundation for Research, Science and Technology; and Department of Building and Housing. She has also previously worked as a Press Gallery journalist for Radio New Zealand and press secretary to Jenny Shipley.

MED's Comms Director wins prize in annual book awards

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:13:09 +1200

Big congratulations to Kate Camp who received the poetry award in last night's New Zealand Post Book Awards.

The Communcations Director at the Ministry of Economic Development received the award for her fourth collection of poems, The Mirror of Simple Annihilated Souls.

Kate was thrilled at the award, which follows hot on the heels of her receiving the Creative New Zealand Berlin Writers' Residency for 2011.

"Even to me as its author, this is a pretty strange and challenging book, and it's amazing to me that it's been received as it has. The book is a very personal vision, without compromise, so it's incredibly satisfying to find it's really connected with readers.

"On the night I was quite blown away by the comments of Michael Harlow - the poetry judge - and those words and the prize are going to be something I will really treasure."

English to American translation

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:27:00 +1200

If you have ever got stuck trying to explain our colloquial language to people visiting from overseas, you might find this website useful www.effingpot.com.

According to info on this site, it 'contains over 1000 words and expressions that have varied in their usage between the US and the UK'. I think the words apply equally to NZ as the UK.

If you want to understand what 'effingpot' is all about go to http://www.effingpot.com/effingpot.shtml. I can assure you it is not crude.

canterburyearthquake.govt.nz website updates

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 10:27:16 +1300

Lynda is managing the updates for the http://www.canterburyearthquake.govt.nz/ website.

Please contact Lynda on lynda.kamstra@dia.govt.nz