Pure gold – another PRINZ award win

PRINZ Awards, Auckland, 20 May 2022

Left to right: Dawn Handforth (General Manager, NZALPA), Lisa-Marie Richan, Captain Andrew Ridling (President, NZALPA) and Leigh Harris.

Leigh Harris

For the second year in a row, Convergence has won the gold award for best Government Relations and Public Affairs project in the New Zealand Public Relations Institute’s annual awards.

Our latest gold award was for: An Unsafe Proposal – making the case to retain regional air traffic services. This was the work of our Wellington Partner Lisa-Marie Richan for the New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association (NZALPA).

The project was triggered by Airways announcing a proposal to dramatically withdraw its air traffic services at seven regional New Zealand aerodromes – affecting many air traffic control (ATC), flight service and support staff jobs. NZALPA (representing more than 2,600 air traffic controllers, pilots and flight service operators) believed Airways was putting cost savings ahead of safety and sought Convergence’s help to challenge the proposal.

The resulting strategy helped prevent the removal of critical air traffic services and prompted the Minister of Transport to direct a review of New Zealand’s entire air navigation system.

Last year Convergence won the gold award in the same category for a confidential project involving an integrated government relations and media strategy for one of our long-term clients. This was worked on by Partner Lisa-Marie Richan and Account Director Katie Moore, and also won the national Supreme Award.

News & Insights

Brewing up social goodness – a mystery campaign succeeds for Hummingbird Coffee

Working with two other agencies, Convergence helped devise a campaign for Hummingbird Coffee – the country’s leading specialty fresh coffee brand – where the first ‘teaser’ phase didn’t even mention the client.

Emma Maciaszek

Full article

Tactical Communication Plan for complex organisation a rewarding challenge

Convergence Communications was pleased to work pro bono for the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust (BPCT), a non-profit organisation that promotes the conservation and enhancement of indigenous biodiversity and sustainable land management on Banks Peninsula, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Steve Attwood

Full article

Brewing up social goodness in Christchurch’s redzone

Convergence has had the privilege to assist Hummingbird Coffee in revitalising a section of Christchurch’s redzone. A year ago Hummingbird Coffee provided more than $60,000 to environmental green space experts The Green Lab to create a leading accessible sensory nature space in the city’s east – Te Kohanga Taiao Sensory Nature Play Park – which opened in June 2024.

Emma Maciaszek

Full article

NZ Infrastructure shake up – Is a political compromise possible?

The Coalition Government has announced details of its National Infrastructure Plan envisaged to span a 30-year period¹. Our Government, Regulatory and Public Affairs specialist, Lisa-Marie Richan, explains how our Coalition Government may approach this and build trust across Parliament for all parties to feel they’ve been heard.

Lisa-Marie Richan (L-M)

Full article

Shining a light on performance and learning through independent review

Convergence Strategic Consultant Dave Brash has both led, implemented, and reviewed a number of significant projects for central and local government including major transport and environment initiatives.

Dave Brash

Full article

Bringing balance to a community discussion on mining

When TiGa Minerals & Metals announced in March 2023 that it intended to apply for resource consents for a minerals mine on the Barrytown Flats of the South Island’s West Coast, the company became concerned at what it perceived as the lack of balance in the public discussion through local news and social media.

Steve Attwood

Full article

The next 100 days: How will government reforms affect your business or organisation?

The National Party has long considered itself the ‘party of business’ with a sharp eye on economic wellbeing and productivity. However, following New Zealand First and Act negotiations, the new National-led coalition government demands quickly enacted reform and it needs to deliver huge swathes of replacement legislation and policy change.

Lisa-Marie Richan (L-M)

Full article