This exciting change signals an important recognition of our commitment and role to support stronger health outcomes for all people within Aotearoa New Zealand. It also acknowledges the obligations Hato Hone St John has to honour the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and reflects our commitment to do this.

St John International endorsed and are strongly supportive of this link to one of our official languages and we are pleased to be the first St John organisation in the world to do this.

We’re taking a long-term transitional approach where our new logo will only be added to new buildings and vehicles created from now on. For materials including brochures, merchandise, uniforms etc, the new logo will be added when existing stock runs out and new items need to be printed or produced. This means that we are not adding additional costs into existing print and production processes. We do acknowledge it will take some time for the new logo to appear everywhere, but this is the financially responsible approach to take.

We are a cost conscious organisation, so we are not retrospectively applying the new logo to existing buildings, vehicles, or uniforms, just new ones going forward. In addition, the update to the design was created in-house.

For all materials, brochures, merchandise etc, the new logo will be added when existing stock runs out and new items need to be printed or produced. This means that we are not adding additional costs into existing print and production processes. We do acknowledge it will take some time for the new logo to appear everywhere, but this is the financially responsible approach to take.

In the development of the refreshed ambulance design our major sponsor, ASB covered the cost of the inaugural design application.

We have gradually been adopting ‘Hato Hone’ in our name and logo over the past few years. In fact, ‘Hato Hone’ has been written on the side of ambulance vehicles for around 7 years and on internal documents and email signatures for around 3 years. 

The Hato Hone St John logo has been in use on our external website and social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) since Te wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) in September 2021.

As an organisation we are proud to be culturally diverse in terms of our team including our staff, volunteers, patients, customers and donors. As we work towards a more equitable Aotearoa New Zealand in terms of health outcomes, we are committed to building an identity and team that reflects the communities we serve.

The reference to our bicultural identity in the translation of our name is to honour Aotearoa's indigenous culture and language, and the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We are also extremely proud to acknowledge the many other cultures that make up and enrich Aotearoa New Zealand and will continue to serve everyone in need equally.

It is very important that our emergency vehicles face minimum downtime from operations. Unfortunately, some recurring wear and tear along reflective panels meant they needed to be removed from operation more regularly than ideal. We also needed to make some changes to enhance our emergency vehicle visibility and safety standards.

While making these improvements, we also saw an opportunity to refresh the ambulance design to be more distinctly New Zealand.

Click here to find out more about the enhanced safety features and the design.

Ensuring we had the safety elements of our design in place, the journey to create a distinctly New Zealand design led us to take inspiration from our unique Māori culture. The representation of a ‘waka’ represents both the vessel itself safely carrying patients and all people in Aotearoa New Zealand irrespective of race or ethnicity, and the journey we have all made – whether recently, or a long time ago – by sailboat, waka or planes to reside here in New Zealand.

The stern | taurapa provides balance to support and stabilise the vehicle. Hands | ringaringa run along the stern representing the supportive and vital hands of the community, donors and supporters and the critical relationship we share to support and uplift each other.

The traditionally sharp ‘battenburg’ squares are softened and supported by chevrons | pākati denoting movement and the free-flowing passage of patients and staff.

To reflect our rich history here in New Zealand and our relationship with St John international organisations, our logo sits proudly, larger, on the sides and rear of the ambulance.  It retains its visual connection with St John organisations worldwide and the addition of our translated name ‘Hato Hone’ incorporates one of New Zealand’s official languages bringing a stronger connection with the important work we do with communities right here.

St John International are strongly supportive of this link to one of our official languages and we are pleased to be the first St John organisation in the world to do this.

For more information on the design click here.

Teams across the organisation, including Kāhui Mauaka (our Māori Responsiveness team), Brand and Ambulance Operations, worked with renowned indigenous Māori creative agency Haumi (NZ) on the new design. During the development there was consultation with hapū, iwi, tohunga tārai waka (expert waka carvers), and tohunga whakairo (master carvers).  Our major sponsor, ASB covered the cost of the inaugural design application.

As an important participant in the wider healthcare system in Aotearoa New Zealand, we recognise that we need to do what we can to help create equitable healthcare outcomes beyond the ambulance service for all New Zealanders.

This means supporting long term health initiatives that address the very real inequities in communities that are isolated, underserved, and overrepresented in health statistics.  For example, Māori who face a seven-year gap in life expectancy compared to non-Māori. 

Some of these initiatives include Whare Manaaki – bringing specialist health care to rural and isolated communities in the Te Whatu Ora – Lakes District through video consults delivered by our ambulance officers in real time with hospital specialists connecting via technology; and Manaaki Mamao – a pilot programme using telehealth technology to monitor Māori and Pasifika patients with hypertension. Our clinical team monitors their data and contacts them if readings are elevated and works with them on follow up medical appointments with their GP.  Both these programmes are in early phases; if proven effective it is expected that they will be scaled up across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Combining innovative health interventions to meet specific needs, also serves all New Zealanders by reducing the burden on an overloaded health service, whilst meeting health needs at an individual level.