Category: New Zealand Governor General

Source: New Zealand Governor General

Manawareka tch mauriora

It is such a great privilege for Richard and me to come to Kopinga.

Thank you so much for inviting us to be here today – and for taking us to see the rakau momori and for sharing your knowledge with us.

I appreciate what this beautiful, tranquil building has come to represent: your aroha and respect for your karapuna [ancestors], your commitment to your identity, culture, language, and heritage – and to the legacy of peace bequeathed to you.

I acknowledge the struggle to maintain a Moriori identity and commend you for your work to revive Te Re Moriori as a living language, and bring together here knowledge about your traditions and customs.

You have honoured your ancestors by holding fast to what matters.  You have created a foundation for Moriori to build on for the future.

I wish you all the very best with your mission.

Me rongo

Source: New Zealand Governor General

Kioranga

Nau mai haere mai

Welcome everyone to today’s lunch. Thank you for coming. We are so pleased to return some of the wonderful hospitality we have received here. 

I specifically acknowledge:

Her Worship Monique Croon
Ricki Hapi
Ward Kamo
Paul Eagle and

Toni Gregory-Hunt

I understand your police officers, Lucie and Will Joines are about to finish their time on the Chathams. On behalf of everyone here, I acknowledge their many years of service, and wish them all the very best for their next posting.

I know that three days in the Chathams barely scratches the surface, and you probably get fed up with people arriving from Wellington and telling you what’s what.

However, I hope you’ll indulge me as I share some general impressions.

We loved spending time with your children yesterday, and I can see how much their independent spirit, community spirit and can-do attitude is connected to growing up in an isolated and utterly unique landscape.

We’ve heard something of the history of these islands, during our visits to Whakamaharatanga and Kopinga marae, the Tommy Solomon statue, and when we saw the kopi trees with their rakau momori. We are looking forward to learning more about the Chathams’ history and geology at the Museum this afternoon.

All in all, this has been an unforgettable few days, and we will definitely be back!

We leave tomorrow morning, and I may have to drag Richard away. He spent some years on the Falkland Islands as a medical officer, and feels quite at home here, especially at the Health Centre – he knows what it is like to deal with every kind of medical emergency on  remote islands.

I now have some understanding why Chatham Islanders feel compelled to return here from all points of the globe. There is nowhere else quite like this place.

As you know, Governors-General represent our nation’s Head of State, His Majesty King Charles III. And you probably know about his passion for the environment and the wellbeing of the planet.

Here on Rēkohu, I know I am speaking to the converted, because you have such a close relationship with the natural world. I know King Charles will be heartened to hear about your community efforts to conserve the land, eradicate pests and protect vulnerable species.

Working together for the wellbeing of the land, the sea, your precious wildlife – and your fellow Islanders – will deliver a sustainable future for yourselves, your children, and your children’s children.

It takes a great deal to create a community. A shared vision, a shared sense of purpose, a common history and a pride in the unique identify of your members and their contribution to your islands. I have thoroughly appreciated being met with your hearts and heads during my time here visiting this wonderful place, the Chatham Islands, Rekohu. It is a jewel in our crown.

I won’t hold up proceedings any further, except to wish you all the best for the holiday season.

I hope to get round and meet everyone here – and after my Government House Kaumatua, Joe Harawira has blessed the kai – please do help yourselves.

Matua Joe, I invite you now to bless the kai.

Source: New Zealand Governor General

Kei aku nui kei, aku rahi ngā Māreikura, ngā Whatukura. Nau mai, piki mai, kake mai, i runga i te kaupapa o te ra. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

I’d like to begin by specifically acknowledging: Tā Pita Sharples, 2024 Icon Award Whakamana Hiranga recipient, and Te Rangimarie Sharples; Chelsea Winstanley, Co-Chair of The Arts Foundation; Kent Gardner, Outgoing Co-Chair, and Hamish Edgar, Incoming Co-Chair; Jessica Palalagi, General Manager, The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi. And to all our very distinguished guests – tēnā koutou katoa.

As Governor-General, and patron of The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi, I’m delighted to welcome you all to Government House for this very special event – to celebrate our two newest Whakamana Hiranga Icons, and this year’s recipient of the Harriet Friedlander Residency.

I know that, in this instance, the word ‘icon’ is not used lightly – and that our two newest icons have truly earned that mantle: not only through their dedication to their respective crafts over so many years, but also the generosity with which they have shared their work with New Zealand, and with the world.

Tā Pita Sharples – your extraordinary career has straddled the worlds of academia, politics, Māori development, and the arts. The thread that connects these worlds has been your staunch commitment to representing, celebrating, and empowering te ao Māori.

I certainly remember your spearheading of kapa haka, the Hoani Waititi Marae, kohanga reo, and kura kaupapa in West Auckland during my formative years, and the early years of my children. To them, you will always be Matua Pita.

Tonight, we acknowledge in particular your artistic contributions – as a pioneer in the development of the kura kaupapa movement, the New Zealand School of Māori Weaponry, and the acclaimed Te Roopu Manutaki Māori cultural group – of which I was a member for a time.

As you yourself said, so perfectly: ‘If you don’t dream, you’re not alive.’ Thank you Tā Pita, for dreaming with such ambition, generosity, and brilliance – and for enriching our country in the process.

I know that Neil Finn is unable to be here this evening, but it will be a pleasure to have Jemaine Clement accept Neil’s award on his behalf.

Neil’s music is indelibly etched into the New Zealand consciousness – most notably, perhaps, through his contributions to Split Enz and Crowded House. I’m sure I was not alone, however, in feeling immense pride when Neil was chosen to join Fleetwood Mac.

Neil’s music has provided the soundtrack to New Zealand life for so many years – capturing something distinctively, joyfully, lovingly ‘us’. Neil understands the profound and mysterious power of music – and has dedicated his life to harnessing that power to remarkable effect.

I think few would argue with Ed O’Brien’s estimation of Neil as popular music’s ‘most prolific writer of great songs’. He and his brother Tim have left an indelible mark on our cultural landscape.

This evening, we also recognise this year’s recipient of the Harriet Friedlander Residency: Ayesha Green. Your paintings of extraordinary vision and boldness represent a remarkable talent – already mature in its concerns and ambitious in its scope.

I hope this residency will offer you the opportunity to further deepen and expand your artistic practice, and I will look forward to following your artistic journey with great pride and interest.

I wish finally to acknowledge the Arts Foundation, and its supporters, for all that you do to nurture the arts in Aotearoa. Through your commitment and generosity, you enable our creative practitioners to work at their craft, and to share their work with the world – and, through events such as this, you recognise those artists’ outstanding achievements.

We live in increasingly uncertain times, and it is through art that we receive the profound comfort of knowing we’re not alone; a reminder of the too-often-neglected truth of how much we share.

The whakataukī says: ‘Mā te pohewa mā te auaha hoki, ka whakapuaki ngā kura e huna ana. With imagination and creativity, a hidden jewel can be revealed.’

To Tā Pita, Neil, and Ayesha – my very warmest congratulations once again. Thank you for helping us to see ourselves more clearly as a nation, and for the hidden jewels you have revealed, and continue to reveal to us all through your wonderful work.

Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.

Source: New Zealand Governor General

E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi o te motu e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa.

I specifically acknowledge: Andrew Hubbard, Deputy Chief Executive, Citizens Advice Bureau New Zealand; Helen Rodenburg, Chairperson; and Jeremy Kennerly, General Manager, Citizens Advice Bureau Wellington. Kia ora koutou.

It is my pleasure to welcome you here to Government House Te Whanganui-a-Tara, to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Citizens Advice Bureau Wellington.

Celebrating this significant milestone with you today is particularly poignant to me, because I was raised in a household of volunteers. My Grandmother was J.P. and a Māori Warden in South Auckland, and along with my grandfather, she ran a vegetable garden to feed the wider community. 

Seeing the many ways they lent their skills and knowledge for the betterment of others, taught me how our communities flourish thanks to those who selflessly give their time to many endeavours. It would also inspire me to volunteer, which eventually lead me towards my chosen career path.

Volunteers work in their communities, not for thanks or for recognition, but because they see a need, and they have the skills to do something about it.

As Governor-General, I now have the great privilege to meet with many volunteers who contribute around Aotearoa, and ensure they are rightfully acknowledged for all that they do to make our communities diverse, enriched, and connected.

For the past 50 years, the people of Wellington have had a knowledgeable, inquisitive, and determined group of volunteers and staff who have been contributed to the success of Wellington C.A.B.

The global C.A.B. initiative began when people were in dire need of support to cope with the immense stress and trauma of World War II.

After the war, there remained a necessity for experts to assist those navigating an increasing number of laws and regulations that come with living in a modern society. The idea caught on, and Citizens Advice Bureau expanded globally, finding its way to New Zealand in 1970, and then to Newtown in 1974.

Coincidentally, one of my predecessors, Sir Anand Satyanand, provided legal advice as a young law graduate at that very first CAB in Ponsonby. His wife, Lady Susan, spent 10 years volunteering right here at the Wellington CAB.

Society is complex, and not always intuitive. To participate fully, requires an understanding of mechanisms that may not be apparent to many people.

It is reassuring to know that for 50 years, Wellington has had the advocacy of the Citizens Advice Bureau, to help with almost any query that may arise. This support, freely given, and without judgement or reservations, has been deeply appreciated here in the Capital.

On behalf of all Wellingtonians past and present, who have sought your expert advice, who have found solutions to problems great and small, and whose lives you have made all the more easier – thank you for all that you do.

This important work is echoed the whakataukī: ‘I orea te tuatara, ka patu ki waho. A problem is solved by continuing to find solutions.’

Congratulations once again for 50 years of service to the Wellington Region, and I wish you all the very best for the years ahead.

Kia ora hui hui tatou katoa.

Source: New Zealand Governor General

E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi o te motu e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa.

I specifically acknowledge: Kerry Nickels, New Zealand Red Cross National President; Sarah Stuart-Black, New Zealand Red Cross Secretary General, and all our esteemed international guests. Tēnā koutou katoa.

As patron of the New Zealand Red Cross, I am delighted to join you for your National Council meeting here, in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

I wish to begin by noting that your National President, Kerry Nickels, is coming to the end of a six-year term, and to take this opportunity offer my sincere thanks to you, Kerry, for your service and all you have achieved during your tenure.

Over the past six years, we have seen significant crises unfold, both in New Zealand and internationally, requiring large-scale responses from Red Cross. Kerry, I have no doubt that your calm and steadfast leadership was profoundly valued during such demanding and often frightening times. I wish you all the very best in your next chapter.

Governors-General have been associated with the New Zealand Red Cross since 1915, when one of my predecessors, Lord Liverpool, called meetings at Government House to formally establish Red Cross’s presence in New Zealand. This enduring legacy is one I am proud to continue, some 109 years later.

However, I do note that Lord Liverpool’s early involvement was perhaps somewhat controversial – described in one instance as ‘bombastic and interfering’ – so you’ll be pleased to know not all vice-regal legacies remain.

The call to form the New Zealand branch of the Red Cross came in response to the humanitarian crisis following the First World War.

Over a century later, while the world is of course a vastly different place, international conflicts tragically remain an increasingly pressing and complex issue. At the same time, the devastating impact of climate change brings with it an increasing number of extreme weather events, occurring with greater severity.

It is reassuring to note that, throughout its history, Red Cross has evolved and adapted to respond to these most pressing issues of our time, so that it may continue to assist New Zealanders – and those abroad – when they are in greatest need.

Earlier this year, I visited communities in Tairāwhiti and the Hawke’s Bay affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Despite the abiding sense of grief and loss, and the immense devastation, residents repeatedly spoke of their immense gratitude towards the Red Cross for their immediate and unwavering support – particularly the people of Te Karaka.     

I note the Red Cross’s proud history of community support has just commemorated a significant anniversary, with the town of Pahīatua marking 80 years since welcoming the first formal refugee settlement in Aotearoa – some 700 Polish children and 100 accompanying adults, fleeing Soviet forces during World War II.

Since then, many thousands of refugees seeking safety, stability, and the protection of their human rights, have been supported by Red Cross to settle in their new home of Aotearoa.

These are just some of the ways Red Cross, its leadership, staff, and thousands of volunteers support our diverse communities – and I know your presence is felt, and appreciated, across all the many facets of the work in which you are involved.

On behalf of all New Zealanders, I thank you for your commitment to caring for others and upholding their mana when they need it most. Your mission to ‘improve the lives of vulnerable people, by mobilising the power of humanity and enhancing community resilience’ resonates as clearly today as it did in 1915.

As Governor-General, and your proud patron, my sincere thanks once again for all the support you provide to New Zealanders across the country – and I wish you all the very best for the years ahead.

Kia ora huihui tatou katoa.

Source: New Zealand Governor General

E kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa.

I’d like to specifically acknowledge: Gwen Matchitt, New Zealand Down Syndrome Association President; Bev Smith, Committee Member; Zandra Vaccarino and Linda te Kaat, National Executive Officers; and Bridget Snedden, Down Syndrome International President and Life Member of the NZDSA.

Tēnā koutou katoa. I am delighted to welcome you all to Government House Wellington for this very special event – honouring recipients of this year’s New Zealand Down Syndrome Association Awards.

I’ve served as Governor-General of Aotearoa New Zealand for three years, and during that time, I’ve been fortunate to meet many extraordinary New Zealanders, pushing the boundaries in their chosen fields – whether the CEOs of world-leading companies, Oscar-winning filmmakers, or Olympic-champion athletes. I am always inspired by their drive to achieve the very pinnacle in whatever they’ve chosen to pursue.

However, I find myself most moved by those people I meet, who not only achieve remarkable things, but who consciously and selflessly give back wherever they can: New Zealanders who use their achievements, talents, and energy to inspire others. I know that today’s audience is filled with such people.

Before this event, I had the great pleasure of reading the citations for each of today’s recipients. I was so impressed, not only by what you’ve each achieved as athletes and in your professional lives, doing what you love – but also for your desire to lift others up through your example, and for your relentlessly positive attitude to whatever obstacles come before you.

It was President Barack Obama who put it so well when he said: ‘If you go out and make good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, and you will fill yourself with hope.’

As part of today’s awards ceremony, we will soon acknowledge the Rapid Relief Team – and I wish to express my thanks, for your commitment and the immense generosity you have demonstrated in your support of the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association and associated regional groups throughout the country.

To the newest members of STRIVE also being acknowledged this afternoon: thank you for being such outstanding ambassadors and advocates, and for ensuring that the voices of those with Down syndrome are heard.

Finally, I wish to acknowledge the National Down Syndrome Association, including staff and volunteers, for your all your work in in supporting and empowering those with Down syndrome and their whānau; promoting awareness of Down syndrome to help foster positive attitudes across our communities; and advocating for the inclusion of people with Down syndrome across all parts of society.

Over these past 43 years, your organisation has had such a positive impact on so many lives – and, on behalf of all New Zealanders, I extend my very sincerest thanks.

The whakataukī says: ‘He taonga rongonui te aroha ki te tangata. Goodwill towards others is a precious treasure.’ As I look out into this room, I see the truth of those words. As Governor-General, I could not be any prouder or more honoured meet you all, and to host and present these awards here today.

Kia ora, kia kaha, huihui tātou katoa.

Source: New Zealand Governor General

Kia ora tātou katoa.

On behalf of my wife, Dame Cindy Kiro, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Government House Wellington, to celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of Probus in Aotearoa New Zealand.

I would like to begin by specifically acknowledging:

• Silvana Martignago, CEO; Michael Ransom, Chairman; and Margaret Drake, Director of Probus South Pacific
• Mr David Drake, Rotary District Probus Chairman

Kia ora koutou.

I am pleased to learn Probus groups are frequent visitors to Government House for tours of this historic site. However, a special milestone requires something slightly more grand – so I do hope this afternoon’s celebratory high tea will be one to remember.

As I gather, the origins of Probus came from acquaintances meeting on a train, sharing a desire to seek fellowship with others at a similar stage in life.

In the spirit of new acquaintances, I thought I might begin by telling you a bit about my story. Before coming to New Zealand, I lived in the UK, Kenya and the Falkland Islands.

I have a background as a seafarer and as a GP, having spent time in the merchant navy, and qualifying as a doctor in Belfast. I sailed a ketch from the UK to the Falklands and became a medical officer, which involved routine medical work, but also looking after casualty and in-patients – essentially anyone who didn’t require an operation.

Most recently, I have been working as a doctor at the Auckland City Mission, and as a locum for an isolated community on the East Coast.

My first time visiting Government House was in 2018, when I received a Winston Churchill Fellowship, which allowed me to study trauma-informed care in the UK. I never imagined I would return in a few years to live in this very house; nor could I have foreseen the many significant moments in history I would experience, while supporting my wife in her role as Governor-General.

Dame Cindy and I have the great privilege to host New Zealanders in celebration of their achievements – so to that end, I would like to congratulate Probus for reaching the significant milestone of 50 years in New Zealand.

If you look back at what New Zealand was like in 1974, it puts into perspective how momentous it is to be celebrating half a century.

Sir Denis Blundell was our Governor-General, a national public holiday commemorating the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi was held for the first time, and colour television had only just been introduced, to showcase the Christchurch Commonwealth Games.

As you are aware, it was also the year Gordon Roatz from the Kapiti Coast formed the first Probus club in the Southern Hemisphere. I’m very pleased to note this idea was a success, as Probus has grown to over 120 clubs and 10,000 members within New Zealand.  

Lennon and McCartney wrote of how we “get by with a little help from our friends”, but I think we can all agree the benefits run a lot deeper than simply ‘getting by’.

There is plenty of research that correlates maintaining good friendships – particularly as we get older – to better mental and physical health outcomes.

Having good friends around us – to celebrate life’s triumphs, to commiserate when things aren’t going our way, and to create new memories with – is something in which we can all appreciate its benefits.   

My sincere congratulations to Probus for enriching the lives of many New Zealanders, particularly in their later years. I hope this organisation, guided by its ethos of building connections through fun and fellowship, has many more significant milestones to come. 

I look forward to hearing more about your stories this afternoon, and of your experiences as a member of Probus. I wish you all the very best for the years ahead.

Kia ora huihui tātou katoa. 

Source: New Zealand Governor General

E kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui mai nei I tenei ra, tēnei aku mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora mai tātou katoa.

I’d like to specifically acknowledge: Air Marshal Tony Davies, Chief of Defence Force; Major General Rose King, Chief of Army; Ngāi Tahu iwi; representatives of central and local government; current serving personnel, veterans, friends and family of the 2nd/1st Battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.

And to all distinguished guests here for today’s very special ceremony – tēnā koutou katoa.

It is my honour and privilege, as Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief, representing His Majesty King Charles III, to present the new King’s and Regimental Colours to the 2nd/1st Battalion. I recognise the great significance of this occasion: for the battalion, for the New Zealand Army, and, indeed, for our country.

This is a truly historic moment. I understand that replacement Colours were last presented to a New Zealand Infantry battalion 27 years ago – and that the last time a King’s Colour was presented to a New Zealand Army battalion was prior to the Second World War.

While I know that Colours are no longer carried onto the battlefield, they continue to hold important practical and symbolic meaning: serving as unit identifiers, but also memorialising the history and spirit of the battalions which carry them, and the courage and sacrifice of all those who have served throughout their history.

In August of this year, His Majesty King Charles III approved the emblazonment of an additional eight Battle Honours onto your Regimental Colour, inherited from the six New Zealand battalions which served across the world wars.

Those battalions share with the 2nd/1st Battalion the rare distinction of having their number drawn from every part of Aotearoa – thus giving these Colours added significance: that all those communities across the country, who served with such selflessness and bravery during the First and Second World Wars, are united on a Regimental Colour for the very first time.

I wish to acknowledge Tā Bom Gillies, the last surviving member of the 28th Māori Battalion, and Mr Doug Reid of the 27th Machine Gun Battalion, who are unable to be with us today, but who I understand will be watching via livestream. For today’s generation of soldiers, I know that your new Colours will serve as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices of your forebears, and a symbol of the extraordinary heritage of which you are now a part.

I commend the 2nd/1st Battalion on your meticulous drill and bearing today. They are a testament, not only to your commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards in the service of our country, but also of your carrying on that proud legacy of your forebears.

I also wish to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all members of the New Zealand Army present here today – for your ongoing commitment and service to the people of Aotearoa New Zealand. I feel immensely proud to serve as your Commander-in-Chief.

It is now my honour to read out a message provided for this occasion by His Majesty King Charles III:

E nga rangatira, e ngā āpiha, rātou ko ngā hōia, e ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa, ka nui ngā mihi, ki a koutou katoa. Tēnā koutou.

To the chiefs, to the officers and soldiers, and all New Zealanders. Greetings.

I greatly regret that I cannot be with you to present your Colours in person and in the presence of your Regimental family, but it is a source of great pride to me that you will receive them in my name.

Your country and your Regiment’s history is sewn into the very fabric of these Colours. They recall the courage and selfless commitment on the battlefield of soldiers who, like yourselves, were drawn from every part of New Zealand.

May these Colours serve as a constant inspiration to you and to those who come after you. I am proud to give them into your safekeeping in the knowledge that you will continue to uphold the standards and spirit of your country and the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.

Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Onward.

I wish the 2nd/1st Battalion all the very best in this new chapter in your history – as you begin to sew your own outstanding legacy into these beautiful Colours I have the honour of presenting here today.

Kia ora, kia kaha, huihui tātou katoa.

Source: New Zealand Governor General

E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi o te motu e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa.

I specifically acknowledge: Hon Megan Woods, Member of Parliament; His Worship Phil Mauger, Mayor of Christchurch; and Dame Sue Bagshaw, Chair of Youth Hub Trust. Kia ora koutou.

I am pleased to be here in Ōtautahi to open the first stage of Youth Hub Christchurch – what I’m sure will be a welcome and hugely important asset for this city.

As a former Children’s Commissioner, and in my time as an academic, I have dedicated much of my career supporting the wellbeing of children. I am keenly aware of the challenges faced by our young people, and that mental health is the area of greatest need.

I know that events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the March 15th terrorist attacks, and the Christchurch Earthquakes make providing such support to our young people all the more important.

Research such as the Dunedin Study shows us that our formative years are critical in shaping who we become as adults. Ensuring the wellbeing of young people ultimately has a huge bearing on all areas of our society. 

We must ensure that every child has the love, care and support they need to fulfil their potential in life – whatever that might be.

I am delighted to see the first stage of Youth Hub Christchurch come to fruition, ready to welcome and support all who need it. This facility – the first of its kind in New Zealand – will elevate the way care is delivered to our young people, and I hope it will be the first of many such facilities around the country.

As Governor-General, I am always energised and inspired when I meet young people: the energy and passion of the next generation who are the kaitiaki of our planet, and of our future – bringing new perspectives, ideas, and a sense of hope that we can solve the greatest issues of our time.

I am confident Youth Hub will become a place where rangatahi are given the tools and support they need to build healthy, happy lives: to help them discover their strengths and passions, to celebrate what makes them who they are, and to guide them on their way to making a positive difference in the world.

To that end, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Dame Sue, your team, and everyone involved in bringing Youth Hub to life. Your commitment to ensuring this will be a place of inclusive, sensitive, and meaningful care is to be commended.

The work you will do and the good you will achieve here brings to mind the whakataukī: ‘Poipoia te kakano kia puāwai. Nurture the seed and it will blossom.’

I once again thank you for inviting me here today to open Stage One. I have every confidence that all who walk through these doors will feel welcomed and supported, and the very real sense of a place where they belong. I wish you all the very best for the future, as you move into the next stages of completing this wonderful facility.

No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Source: New Zealand Governor General

E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi o te motu e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa.

I specifically acknowledge:

• The Honourable Nicola Willis
  • The Most Reverend Justin Duckworth
  • Laurie Foon (Deputy Mayor)
  • John Maurice and Darryl Gardiner (the WCM Board)
  • Nick Clayton (from Naylor Love)
  • Kura Moeahu
  • Murray Edridge, and his team at the Wellington City Mission

Thank you, Murray for inviting Richard and me to be part of this wonderful occasion.

I wish to begin by referring to a speech by former Governor-General, Sir Paul Reeves, in which he quotes the great New Zealand writer Maurice Shadbolt: ‘If we accept what we are, we make no arrangement for what we might be.’

It seems to me that this ethos has long driven the work of Wellington City Mission.

For 120 years, generations of City Missioners, staff and volunteers have not accepted the presence of homelessness, poverty, and social isolation in our city – and have worked tirelessly to help individuals become what they might be.

Whakamaru takes this mahi to a completely new level. This beautiful building has been conceived and built with such profound care and thought for the needs of the people who will use it: whānau, manuhiri, staff and members of the community.

Sir Paul’s reflections on the nature of compassion could easily be applied to the work of the City Mission. He said: ‘Compassion is about relieving the pain of others. Compassion leads to feeding, clothing, sheltering, educating, comforting and so on. There is nothing sentimental about compassion.’

Here, at Whakamaru, we see compassion, or manaakitanga, expressed in deeply practical ways: by providing somewhere to shower, to launder clothes, to sleep, and get food and medical treatment. And we also see manaakitanga in its sense of upholding mana and human dignity through the expression of respect, solace and wise counsel.

I am sure Whakamaru will become a model for the delivery of social services, and will inspire similar projects elsewhere – in Aotearoa and beyond our shores.

One thing I know they will not share with Whakamaru is views of Government House’s gardens. My daily walks with my little dogs take me down to a grove just over your back fence, and I have been able to keep an eagle eye on the progress of this build. I have been very keen to see what it looks like from the inside, and having now seen this beautiful space, I am looking forward to seeing more of this very special building.

Congratulations, Murray, for getting this ambitious, one might even say ‘revolutionary’ project off the ground. It’s a tribute to your belief, confidence, and drive – as well as some highly innovative fund-raising approaches.

Speaking of which, I am deeply grateful that you did not approach me or Richard to follow the example of Sir Ashley Bloomfield and abseil up the side of a building to sign your trust deed.

What I can do is acknowledge and thank everyone involved in bringing this project to fruition – funders, supporters, architects, all those involved in its construction, Te Atiawa, Ngati Toa, staff and volunteers.

I know I speak for Richard and me, and for the staff at Government House, when I say how proud we are to be your close neighbours. We won’t be strangers, and will take up your invitation to be part of this intentional community – and to contribute where we can – including turning up for the occasional karaoke evening.

Kia ora huihui tātou katoa