Barnardos Annual General Meeting

Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni, Greetings

To: Hon Ruth Dyson, Minister of Labour, Minister for ACC, Minister for Senior Citizens, Minister for Disability Issues, Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment; Paul Baines, Chairman of the Barnardos Board; Murray Edridge, Chief Executive of Barnardos; and Ray Smith, Deputy Chief Executive of Child Youth and Family and the Ministry of Social Development. Greetings to you all.

I thank you for the invitation to speak at the Barnardos Annual General Meeting this afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here, and as joint Patron of Barnardos with my husband, the Governor-General, the Honourable Anand Satyanand, I take a keen interest in the successes this organisation has achieved over the last year.

As you will know, the theme of today's AGM, Annual Report and 2008 calendar is Seeing Children Differently. In the context of the past year, this is a very poignant theme indeed. 

I am of course referring to the amendment of Section 59 of the Crimes Act, in June.  I understand Barnardos took a leadership role in supporting the reform of the Act. The result must have been a pleasing outcome to what has been a long and often controversial battle for all those involved.

This statutory amendment has provided the law with a new interpretation of the physical punishment of children - in effect seeing children differently - in a way that provides them with legal protection in line with that of an adult.

This is a very practical example of the theme.

The changing nature of the world we live in means that my childhood experiences are far removed from that of my children, or indeed grandchildren will experience.  Children are faced with many pressures unique to the time in which they are growing up.  Today, society through media and technology exposes them to a vast range of experiences at a much younger age.  While this aspect of our society has both positive and negative connotations, we must step back and remember the fundamental needs of our children.

It is important that we ensure that the young are treated with care and with respect.  They should be given the opportunity to be children - to play and explore - while developing their potential.

A wise African proverb says: "It takes a village to raise a child."

As a community we all have the chance to make a significant and lasting difference in the lives of the children and young people we are responsible for.  They are entrusted to us as our family's and our country's future.  The people involved with Baranardos have chosen to care and to address many issues in the best interests of children.

May I congratulate the Barnardos Staff, Leadership Team and Board on your achievements for children on behalf of myself and of my husband.

Your dedication and advocacy for children, and the work you are doing in supporting families and whanau continues to make a tremendous, positive difference in many children's lives.  I wish you well for the year to come.

No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa