16 Feb 2024

NZTA Waka Kotahi struggling with name change

From Morning Report, 8:20 am on 16 February 2024

Emails show the chief executive of the Transport Agency ordered the only line about a partnership with Maori removed from a press release about relegating the name 'Waka Kotahi' to second place. This occurred shortly after Nicole Rosie had stressed to staff upset at the name change, and to her board, that partnering with Maori was vital and would "expand". It came days after Transport Minister Simeon Brown told the agency to change its "branding and communication in media" as soon as possible. Phil Pennington has been reading through the 140 pages of emails. Pennington spoke to Corin Dann.