Plunket Conference

Introduction and acknowledgements
E nga mana, e nga reo, rau rangatira ma me nga manu tioriori e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou, Kia ora tātou katoa. Distinguished leaders, speakers and guests, ladies and gentlemen, warm greetings to you all.

In particular I want to acknowledge Carol Becker the National President and Jenny Prince the Chief Executive of Plunket – tena korua; and Your Worship Len Brown, Mayor of Auckland – tena koe e hoa.

Thank you for inviting me to give the opening address to Plunket’s 2011 National Conference. As your Patron, it is a great honour to be here with you at what I understand is the 60th Conference, your Diamond Conference!  The theme of the conference “are we there yet” is a very familiar question to parents from our children as we’ve travelled, and I think it is apt you ask yourselves this question over the next few days. 

Connections
As with that enduring question from our children, the role of Governor-General has an enduring nature, both for New Zealand and for organisations that have a tradition of close association with us. The Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, or simply Plunket for most New Zealanders, is one such organisation.  The connection is much more than organisational – it’s also very personal.

Your name is connected to the office.  As many here will know, in 1908 Lady Plunket, the wife of Lord Plunket, Governor of New Zealand from 1904 to 1910, was your first Patron.  She was so supportive of the organisation’s aims and aspirations, that she gave the Plunket family name to the organisation—a name you continue to hold proudly 103 years on.   Since then, Governors and Governors-General have been Patron of this organisation dedicated to the wellbeing of New Zealand’s infant children and their families. It is an honour and privilege for me to carry that tradition on.

Valued institution
Plunket is an incredibly valued institution in our country. For the majority of us, our first steps were supported by the care and advice given by a Plunket Nurse to our mothers about mothercraft through home and clinic visits. Many Kiwis are probably still in possession of their own Plunket book detailing their growth and development as a baby. I still have mine!

As parents, my wife Janine and I have always appreciated the support offered by Plunket during the early stages of our children’s lives. Our children were all “Plunket babies” and were happy and healthy due, in part, to that support.  Some of the insights in our childrens’ Plunket books are priceless.  Of our 35 year old the first comment is that she’s “vocal” and she still is today.  Of our youngest, a 14 year old “feeding frequently” and he still is today!

Plunket’s founding mission was to “help mothers and save the babies”, and that mission has fundamentally remained true, more than one hundred years later.

Yes, society has changed, at an increasingly rapid pace, over the past century. Yes, new research has determined more effective ways of protecting and caring for our young. And, yes, New Zealand’s population has increased significantly and become more diverse.

What hasn’t changed is the need for this essential service and the commitment to your vision -  Mā te mahi ngātahi, e puāwai ai ā tātou Tamariki. Together, the best start for every child.

Diversity
Throughout the last 100 years and more, our country has become increasingly cosmopolitan. We are due for a census in 2013, and I am certain that the results will show an increasing number of new New Zealanders.  There are many people who have left behind all that is familiar, to seek a better life for themselves and their families in New Zealand.

I had the opportunity, while visiting the south Wairarapa last Thursday, to attend a Citizenship Ceremony hosted by the Mayor of South Wairarapa District, Adrienne Staples in Featherston.  The eight people who became New Zealand citizens, hailed from countries such as South Africa, the US and the UK, and publicly committed themselves to their new home.

Our nation’s increasing cultural, ethnic and religious diversity is something we can all celebrate.  People diversity brings new challenges to organisations like Plunket.  Communicating key messages and offering that invaluable insight and support to parents who are new to New Zealand and who may not be sure of the services you provide is a challenging task.  It’s interesting to see how the language in Plunket books has changed over time. 

Plunket is one of those organisations that is trusted by New Zealanders.  It holds an esteemed place in all communities throughout New Zealand.  That reality ensures that the parents and children that may be more difficult to touch base with do connect with their local community and can be passed into the safe hands of Plunket.  For example, in the new Plunket rooms that form part of a new community centre in Carterton, mothers and fathers and their children can connect with Plunket.

Remaining relevant
The way you communicate with parents have also improved and expanded significantly during the past 100 years.  From paper-based telegrams in the early 1900s, to telephones and television in the mid-1900s, and mobile phones, computers and satellites, and the game changer that connects them all – the internet – in more recent times, Plunket has kept abreast.

Through all of those changes, Plunket has moved with them, ensuring that the service it provides is made known to those that need it. It is great to see that Plunket has both Facebook and Twitter pages and an excellent website.  These things serve as powerful communication media and are a wonderful source of information.

However, it is also important to recognise that while advances in technology have made it easier to communicate effectively, it is people that breathe life into Plunket. It is the more than 600 clinical staff, the estimated 8,000 volunteers and the people in leadership positions that represent and carry out Plunket’s good work. It is the collective Plunket family that forms the body and soul of this valued institution.

When I reflect on why it is that Plunket has and does resonate with me and my family, and with other New Zealanders, I think it’s because you are essentially about people and especially our most precious taonga, our tamariki!

I would like to finish by offering sincere thanks to you wonderful people who uphold the tenet of providing the best start for every child. I want to thank all of you for the critical work you do in the name of Plunket— and in protecting those things that are important to New Zealanders—our tamariki, our children.

I look forward to hearing in due course from Carol Becker and Jenny Prince on how the conference went, and whether you are there yet!  And I’m sure it’ll be a lot clearer than “nearly” or “just about”. 

No reira, nga mihi, kia ora huihui tātou katoa and thank you once again.