Asia Forum of Wellington Dinner

I begin by greeting you: Farib Sos, Executive Chair of the Asia Forum of Wellington; Stephen Payton, Acting Director, Asia Division, New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Hon John Luxton, former Minister of the Crown; Stephen Evans, First Secretary at the British High Commission; Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank you for accepting the invitation from my wife Susan and me to dinner in honour of the Asia Forum of Wellington

When assuming the Governor-General role in August 2006, we undertook a thorough review of all the organisations that held vice-regal patronage.

Susan and I believed it was important that we should primarily supply patronage to organisations to which we could provide a meaningful contribution.

That review saw patronage confirmed for many organisations and a few groups received patronage that had not been the case before.  Two such were the Asia New Zealand Foundation and the Asia Forum of Wellington.

These two organisations because they play a key contributory part in deepening New Zealanders’ understanding of the role of Asia in our nation’s future.   As New Zealand’s first Governor-General of Asian descent, and with some first-hand knowledge of both organisations, I believed vice-regal patronage might assist in their valuable work.

The Asia Forum’s work is focused through its regular discussion group meetings in Wellington.  In particular, it aims to improve an understanding of Asian political issues and their impact on trade and investment and to encourage the exchange of views of those with similar interests in different fields.

To that end, I note that the Forum has managed in the last 18 months to bring together a  hugely impressive cast of speakers.  Since February last year, those addressing the forum’s meetings have included two former New Zealand prime ministers, Rt Hon Helen Clark and the Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer, as well as the Ambassadors to New Zealand of Russia, HE Andrey Tatarinov, of the United States, HE David Huebner, of Indonesia, HE Amris Hassan and of China, HE Zhang Limin and the then High Commissioner for Pakistan, HE Munawar Saeed Bhatti.  Others have included the New Zealand’s Secretary of Defence, John McKinnon, and Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, John Allen, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan.   

This impressive line up of speakers, and the diverse range of topics they have canvassed, speaks highly of an organisation that has garnered the respect and confidence of the diplomatic corps and key governmental agencies as well as academia.

It also speaks of New Zealand’s deepening ties with Asia.    During my tenure as Governor-General, there has been a sharp focus on the significance of Asia to New Zealand.  Susan and I, for example, have undertaken State Visits to India, Singapore, Timor-Leste and Mongolia as well as attending the Beijing Olympics and being received by the President of China, HE Hu Jintao.

There has also been a wide array of conferences focused on Asia that I have addressed including, most recently, the China and India Conference hosted by the Victoria University of Wellington, in April this year.

This growing interest reflects a wide range of influences, not the least being the significant people-to-people contacts and connections between New Zealand and Asia.   Students, for example, come in significant numbers from China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and South Korea.

In addition, there has been significant immigration from Asia to New Zealand.  The last census recorded that New Zealanders of Asian descent now account for some nine percent of the population.

These changes have occurred quite quickly and resulted in a demographic makeup that is now highly textured in terms of ethnicity, culture and religion.   Even so, despite occurrences that have resulted in negative media, this change, underpinned by New Zealanders’ inherent tolerance of others, has occurred without major dispute.

But I do not believe we can rest on our laurels.  Fourteen years after its establishment, the Asia Forum continues to play an important role providing a positive contribution to relations between Asia and New Zealand.

As the Forum looks to its 15th anniversary next year, I therefore wish to congratulate it for its ongoing work, and also thank the many organisations and people that have supported its ongoing mission.

The importance of healthy discussion in developing friendships across the divisions created by culture, language and national borders was best exemplified by the founder of Rotary, Paul Harris.  In a message to a Rotary gathering in Tokyo in 1928 he wrote as follows:

“The best antidote for international fear is international understanding; the best way to cultivate international understanding is through business and social intercourse.”

I trust you enjoy the hospitality of this House this evening and on that note I will close in New Zealand’s first language Māori, by 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.