The coat of arms has a gold field referencing the plains bisected by a wavy blue band representing the Aparima River with a Shepherd’s Staff referencing the Bishop’s role as shepherd of the people of the Church of the Diocese of Dunedin. The top band is separated from the body of the shield by an indented line referencing the Takitimu Mountains and bears an image of the Blessed Sacrament with a black Chi Rho, one of the earliest forms of christogram, formed by superimposing the first two (capital) letters—chi and rho (ΧΡ)—of the Greek word ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (Christos) in such a way that the vertical stroke of the rho intersects the centre of the chi. The Sacrament is surrounded by a golden splendour.

The colours also reference the two main provinces of the Diocese of Dunedin. The blue and gold reference Otago and the maroon references Southland.

The arms were designed by Father Guy Selvester and Richard d’Apice of the Heraldry Society of Australia Ecclesiastical Working Party and were illustrated by Roger Barnes of the Heraldry Society of New Zealand.

A Gold field with a wavy Blue diagonal stripe bearing a Silver Shepherd’s Staff. The top of the shield is separated by an indented line and is maroon bearing an image of the Blessed Sacrament bearing a Black Chi Rho Christogram and within an array of Gold.

The shield of the arms is ensigned with a Galero (or Roman hat) with six fiocchi (or tassels) on each side in green as is traditional for a Bishop.

The Bishop’s motto “Trust in God” completes the design.