Interpreting New Zealand

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Interpreting New Zealand

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We train, employ and provide professional community interpreters in some 70 languages.

Interpreting New Zealand was established in 1993 as the first comprehensive interpreting service in New Zealand. We initially provided onsite interpreters and in 1997 expanded our services to include the provision of telephone interpreters. In response to increased demand, we expanded our services in Wellington, to include a permanent Christchurch branch in Canterbury. We provide and train professional community interpreters, and advocate for the rights and needs of interpreters and speakers of languages other than English.

20/10/2026

A heartfelt thank you to all the interpreters who took part in Interpreting New Zealand’s engagement sessions across Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin, and to the stakeholders who joined our Christchurch community focus group.

These kōrero brought valuable perspectives, thoughtful questions and important discussions about the changing interpreting landscape, the needs of our communities, and the opportunities and challenges ahead.

Your insights are an essential part of our strategy refresh as we look at how we can protect what makes INZ strong, build on our foundations, and shape a sustainable future for our organisation, our people and the clients and communities we serve.

We are grateful to everyone who shared their experiences, ideas and aspirations so openly. By listening to one another and working together, we can help shape a stronger, more accessible and inclusive future for interpreting and language services in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Thank you for being part of the conversation and helping shape what comes next.

22/09/2026

A few more moments from the 2026 NZSTI Conference in Ōtautahi!

It’s lovely to look back through these photos and see our Interpreting New Zealand team, our wider interpreting community, and all the connections that made the weekend so special.

From sharing ideas and experiences to catching up with colleagues and friends from across Aotearoa — these moments capture a little of what the conference was all about.

A huge thank you again to NZSTI - New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters for creating the space for this kōrero, connection and learning.

And well done again to our amazing INZ team — Susan Knox, Erwin La Cruz, Rhodora Sagles and Farah Khosravi, our Board member Tom Hovey, and our wonderful INZ interpreter community who participated and joined us at the conference.

Some great memories to take with us and plenty of kōrero to keep going.

Photos: Sarah Booher / Sarah Jean Creative

17/09/2026

2026 Passport to Ōtautahi & Spring in Ōtautahi

A huge thank you to everyone who gave their time, energy and heart to make the day so special.

Special thanks to our colleagues Reena, Parthi, Girdhari and Inna for welcoming the new migrants, former refugees and long time residents during the Passport to Otautahi event, attended by over 600 people. .They introduced Interpreting New Zealand to the public and did it absolutely well. What better way to introduce what is interpreting from the interpreters themselves.

We received wonderful feedback from participants, and for many of the volunteers, it was just as rewarding and memorable.

16/09/2026

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori | 14–20 September 2026

This week we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori and the power of language to connect people, communities and cultures.

At Interpreting New Zealand, language is at the heart of what we do. Every day, our interpreters help people communicate, access services and have their voices heard across Aotearoa.

We’re proud to support a multilingual Aotearoa — where te reo Māori is heard, valued and used, and where every language helps people connect.

Kia kaha te reo Māori!

14/09/2026

What a great weekend at the 2026 NZSTI Conference in Ōtautahi.

Proud of our Interpreting New Zealand team — Susan Knox, Erwin La Cruz, Rhodora Sagles and Farah Khosravi — for sharing our work on interpreting, lived experience, power and ethics.

A special acknowledgement to the NZSTI National Council for leading the tone and culture of these conversations — creating space for open and honest kōrero about power, ethics and lived experience.

Interpreting is political work. And it's urgent work.

Great to connect with our wider team of interpreters from across Aotearoa too.

Ngā mihi nui NZSTI for creating the space for this kōrero.

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03/09/2026

We’re getting ready for NZSTI Conference 2026!

We’re excited to be heading to Ōtautahi Christchurch next weekend for the 2026 NZSTI - New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters Conference, taking place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September.

It’s an important opportunity for connection, professional growth, sharing ideas, and strengthening the future of language services in New Zealand.

And behind the scenes, our wonderful volunteers have been busy helping us get ready! They’ve been preparing our promotional materials and, most importantly, wrapping the fortune cookies that will be waiting for you at our stand. 🥠

So, if you’re attending the conference, come and visit our stand, crack open a fortune cookie and discover your message! You never know what your fortune might say.

A huge thank you to our amazing volunteers Pranoli Dsilva, Anju Milhuisen Perrera and Varida Mahajan for helping us get everything ready and to Volunteer Wellington | Te Puna Tautoko. We really appreciate your support!

We can’t wait to see you in Ōtautahi Christchurch! Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

30/07/2026

We were delighted to be a finalist in the 2026 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards.

Congratulations to the Supreme Award winner, Kaicycle, and runner-up Good Bi***es Baking Wellington, along with all the inspiring organisations recognised across the region.

Thank you to Wellington City Council and Wellington Airport for celebrating the incredible work being done in our communities.

We were proud to be part of such a fantastic group of finalists!

A special thank you to our Board members Tūrei Ormsby, Tom Hovey, Stana Pezic, Cecily Lin and Rula Talahma for representing Interpreting New Zealand at the awards evening.

20/07/2026

Taking time to pause and reconnect

Our Interpreting New Zealand whānau recently shared a restorative Yin Yoga session at Yoga for the People in Wellington.

In the work we do supporting connection and language access across Aotearoa, taking time to care for ourselves and each other matters. This pause reflected the kindness, care and connection that sit at the heart of our culture.

Thank you to Martina Giusto for guiding us through the session, and to Yoga For The People - Wellington for creating such a welcoming space.

13/07/2026

Meet our Team: From IT to Interpreter - Ghassan’s Journey

What inspires someone to move from a career in technology into interpreting?
For Ghassan Emmanuel, it came from a long-standing passion for languages, learning, and helping people connect.

Originally from Iraq, Ghassan spent nearly 30 years working in banking software and IT in Auckland. Alongside his tech career, he volunteered his translation skills, including with Translators Without Borders, where he discovered the impact of helping people communicate across languages.

When he later learned that becoming a NAATI Certified Provisional Interpreter would open new opportunities, he decided to take the next step. Since 2024, he has been part of the Interpreting New Zealand team as an Arabic interpreter.

For Ghassan, interpreting is about more than words.
"There are many dialects and human emotions involved. Technology can help, but it can’t capture everything."

His background in IT brings strong analytical and problem-solving skills, which now support him in complex, real-world conversations.
Outside of work, Ghassan enjoys travelling, cooking, reading, and volunteering in his community.

We’re proud to have Ghassan as part of the Interpreting New Zealand whānau, supporting communities across Aotearoa.

29/06/2026

Last week, Interpreting New Zealand had the privilege of attending the World Refugee Day event at Parliament, represented by our Board Chair, Ormsby, Chief Executive Dr Susan Knox, and Interpreting New Zealand whānau Niborom and Victor Young.

A big thank you to the New Zealand Red Cross for hosting such a meaningful event.

While the day acknowledged the significant challenges faced by refugee-background communities, the stories we heard were equally about hope, resilience, strength, and ambition.

The 2026 World Refugee Day theme, "Until Everyone Is Safe", highlights the importance of ensuring that people forced to flee conflict and persecution can access safety, protection, and opportunities to rebuild their lives.

Address

Level 1, 72 Abel Smith Street
Wellington
6041

Website

http://www.interpret.org.nz/

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