State Banquet

I greet you: Your Excellencies, President Sellapan Rama Nathan, President of the Republic of Singapore and Mrs Nathan;  Your Excellency Justice Rubin, High Commissioner for Singapore to New Zealand; Your Excellency Martin Harvey, High Commissioner for New Zealand to Singapore; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.

I begin with the New Zealand Māori greeting, "Kia Ora" and in the context of this evening’s State Banquet may I add the following: Greetings; Selamat Datang; Huan ying and Vanakkam.

Your Excellencies, my wife Susan and I are deeply honoured to be received as your guests.  We were delighted to welcome you both to New Zealand in April 2008 with a State Dinner at Government House in Wellington.

It is now our turn to say how warmly we have been welcomed by people in Singapore and how much we have enjoyed the opportunity to visit this beautiful place in the capacity of Governor-General of New Zealand.

Your Excellencies, the relationship between our two countries is one of shared history and interests and a mutual wish to foster opportunities and prosperity.

The first strands of what is involved date back to the Second World War, where New Zealand service personnel played roles in the defence of Singapore.  That service was brought to mind yesterday, when we laid a wreath at the Kranji War Memorial.  The graves of the 15 New Zealanders who rest there, are a poignant reminder of the sacrifices and hardships which were endured by both our countries and a reminder too of the path forward to a relationship which is now forged on friendship and cooperation.

New Zealand forces after the war continued to play a role in the shared defence of the Peninsula.  Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the Five Power Defence Agreement which was signed in 1971, and which saw a New Zealand Infantry Battalion and Air Force units based in Singapore until 1989.  

That agreement, along with the formal Defence Co-operation Arrangement signed in May 2009, remains a cornerstone of the relationship.  New Zealand Defence Forces and their Singaporean counterparts countinue to participate in many naval, army and air exercises. 
Reflected in overall activity, Singapore is New Zealand’s second-largest defence partner in the Asia-Pacific region after Australia.  This is no better demonstrated than in Afghanistan where Singaporean forces today operate within the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamyan.  Both countries have also been deployed together in Timor-Leste. The smooth integration of Singaporean and New Zealand troops into areas of shared operations is a testament to the strength of the partnership. 

Defence co-operation is, however, just one strand of the relationship.  The economic links between Singapore and New Zealand are also strong. 

The New Zealand and Singapore Agreement on a Closer Economic Partnership, which entered into force on 1 January 2001, remains one of New Zealand’s most comprehensive economic arrangements.
The Closer Economic Partnership became the foundation for the 2005 “P4” trade agreement between New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei and Chile.  Today both countries are engaged in negotiations to develop that agreement into a larger Trans-Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement.

Singapore was also a central player in the development and conclusion of the Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which came into force on 1 January this year.  The Agreement represents a significant milestone in New Zealand’s ongoing integration into Asia and into what can be described as the world’s most economically dynamic region. 

Looking ahead, New Zealand is increasingly promoting innovation and research-based industry. There are good linkages with Singaporean capital and global business connections. Biotechnology, “clean” technology, ICT and the creative industries show particular promise, as do linkages in science. Singapore has made vast investments in developing what can be called “state-of-the art” science development and commercialisation programmes.

New Zealand’s relationship with Singapore reflects its overall relationship with Asia.  New Zealand along with Singapore was a founding member of APEC.  That grouping has provided direct gains to businesses by supporting trade liberalisation and promoting high-quality free trade agreements. The grouping has successfully reduced the costs of trading across borders, and provides an important means to improve the business environment.  To that end, New Zealand’s goals for APEC align closely with those of Singapore.

Asia is also of critical importance to New Zealand’s long-term political and security well-being.  New Zealand’s broad interest is ensuring that it is fully engaged in regional structures and processes and to that end New Zealand is an active member of the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum.

I have spoken of the defence and economic strands to our relationship. But I believe the most important strand, and the one that gives real meaning to the others, are people-to-people linkages.  If one was to read out the list of the regular meetings and discussions that occur between ministers in our respective governments, I suspect dinner would be greatly delayed.

Your Excellencies, building on its excellent relationship with Singapore, New Zealand is consciously investing more time and effort into strengthening its ties with Asia.  Whether it is in business, politics, education or culture, New Zealand considers that building strong relationships is vital.

Opportunities to travel, study and live in one another’s countries have expanded contacts and immigration from Asia is changing New Zealand’s society.

Earlier today, our party visited the Singapore Polytechnic, which has established strong relationships with New Zealand’s Massey University.   New Zealand is looking forward to working with Singapore to increase education collaborations.  A similar desire saw a Work Exchange Programme created in 1999 that enables tertiary students and recent graduates to work in each other’s country for up to six months.

There are also many opportunities for young people to visit and to learn of another culture.  A team of up to 140 athletes and officials will compete in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games being hosted in Singapore in August.  The Youth Olympic Games are unique in bringing our best young sports people together to celebrate sport and to share the Olympic spirit with top young athletes from around the world.
We also hope too that Singapore sport fans will take the opportunity to visit New Zealand when our country hosts the Rugby World Cup next year, 2011.

Your Excellencies, in conclusion, in defence, trade and people-to-people linkages, New Zealand and Singapore have nurtured a longstanding friendship.  It is a friendship that we greatly value.  Our collaboration is even more important today given the many challenges our two countries are facing and the recognised need for us to work more closely together.  We very much look forward to deepening and extending our engagement with Singapore both now and into the future.

Your Excellencies, thank you again for your generous hospitality this evening. 

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

I now have the great honour to invite everyone to share a toast with me: To the President and to the people of Singapore.