Dame Cath was a popular Governor-General and strived to make both the role of Governor-General and Government House more accessible to New Zealanders. She instituted the first open day, allowing public access to the house and grounds. She gently dismantled some of the pomp that surrounded her role, such as discouraging curtseying and bowing to the Governor-General. She carried out her formal and ceremonial duties with serious and considered attention, and her community duties with a sense of fun and a genuine wish to engage with a diverse range of New Zealanders.