Manukau Business Excellence Awards

May I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language. 

Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the evening (Sign)

May I specifically greet you: Hon John Key, Prime Minister; Your Worship Len Brown, Mayor of Manukau and your chief executive Leigh Auton; Ian Blair, General Manager Marketing, Westpac New Zealand; Gaelle Deighton, Chief Executive of Enterprising Manukau; Dame Catherine Tizard, Sir Noel  Robinson; Sir George Fistonich;  Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank you for inviting my wife Susan and I to attend the 2009 Westpac Manukau Business Excellence Awards. 

I feel at ease in South Auckland as an Aucklander who watched this area grow over time.  I worked here as a freezing worker during school and university holidays at Westfield in the early 1960s and as one of the resident judges in the late 80s.

From its modern beginnings in 1965, Manukau has grown to be New Zealand's fastest growing urban area.  With more than 150 different ethnic groups and New Zealand's largest Māori and Pacific communities, Manukau symbolises our nation's cultural, religious and ethnic diversity.   The colour of the city is I think well described in the local poet Vinepa Aiono's poem, A measure of Manukau, in which she wrote:

"I've eaten the smell
of the Otara fleamarket that
reeks of fresh fruit and fried fat
that blocks the arteries and veins
of Pasifika youth
from old age.
I've tasted soggy chips
on a foul London winter
and craved
for my mothers pork buns and 'sapasui'
for Sunday lunches after church
when we would gather
at the Otara homestead
telling the same stories on formica chairs
of life and pressure
on the end of
Dad's freezing workers wages."

The rapid transformation from green fields to the bustling hive of activity today is the result of the vision of many people.  In looking back, we often look to leaders in local government and the community who helped shape and direct this city.

The strength of Manukau rests on more than the government, education and the community sectors, important as they are.   The vibrancy that makes Manukau so special rests on more than just its colour and diversity.  It also rests on the strength of local businesses and the employment they provide.

Two such people were the late Eric Kendall and Noel Holyoake.  Both founded businesses in the ventilation and air conditioning industries. 

Many years after being established, Temperzone and Holyoake Industries are not only Manukau businesses but, in their way, national and international contributors.

Both businesses are noted for their innovations in design and manufacture, employ many people here and elsewhere and the exports of their products gives strength to the New Zealand economy.

Eric Kendall and Noel Holyoake join a lengthy list of inductees who are outstanding Manukau people who have made a profound difference to this city.

They both symbolise leadership of the best kind.  They were and are people who didn't just talk of worthy goals and vision-they got out there and with the help of their employees developed thriving businesses. 

To summarise the things that make this city great, I will conclude with the last lines of Vinepa Aiono's poem I quoted from earlier. Reflecting on returning to the city from time overseas she wrote:

"Not even New York's rustle and glitz
could fade
my yearning for Manukau Pacific
for faces browned and profound
like mine, and high
on the sounds of Ardijah's
"time makes the wine"
I hum into the Manukau face of
Creative spirit."

And on that satisfactory uplifting note, I will close in New Zealand's first language Māori, offering everyone greetings and wishing you all good health and fortitude in your endeavours. No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.