Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship luncheon

I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Māori, Cook Island Māori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language.  Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the afternoon (Sign). 

I specifically greet you:  Rahul Gandhi, Member of the Parliament of India;  Your Excellency Admiral (Rtd) Sureesh Mehta, High  Commissioner for India to New Zealand and your wife Maria;  John Allen, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade;  Sampath Kumar, Chief Executive of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation; Kanishka Singh, Assistant to Mr Gandhi; Vijaya Vaidyanath, Chief Executive of the Waitakere City Council;  Ratilal Champaneri and Veer Khar, President and General Secretary respectively of the New Zealand Indian Central Association;  Prakash Soma, President of the Wellington Indian Association;  Dr Pushpa Wood, Interfaith Commissioner; Jan Henderson, Director Environment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Karun Lakshman, Wellington Barrister and your wife Kamil also a member of the legal profession; Ashok and Anita Bhasin, senior and successful people in business.  In the context of this luncheon, may I add the greetings: Namaste, Namashkar, Sat Sri Akal, Kam Cho.

Thank you for accepting the invitation from my wife Susan and I to join us for this meal in honour of Rahul Gandhi as the inaugural Sir Edmund Hillary Fellow.

Mr Gandhi-I want first to welcome you to New Zealand and to Wellington.  Susan and I have the privilege to declare that to you, on behalf of all New Zealanders.  I would like to take this opportunity to briefly speak of New Zealand's relationship with India and the significance of the Fellowship.

When I visited India in 2008, the first State Visit by a New Zealand Governor-General, there were two themes in the relationship between our two countries. One was the description of the relationship being warm but distant.  The other was a comment by Indian commentator Dr Sanjaya Baru, who had described India and New Zealand as the "bookends of Asia," I emphasised the connections between our countries including the common Westminster parliamentary and legal heritage, a commitment to democratic values, ties to the Commonwealth, and a passion for sport such as cricket and hockey.

In the 18 months since that visit, those bookends have begun to move closer together and the relationship has significantly evolved.  I am advised that two-way trade reached NZ$1 billion for the first time in the year ended August 2009.  Tourism and educational links are growing and new science and military links have been established. 

Reflecting those links, I understand there are likely to be further high-level ministerial visits in the year ahead.  New Zealand will also establish a new consulate-general in Mumbai this year, with New Zealand personnel opening up additional resources to invest in the relationship.

The New Zealand Government sees the development of its relationship with India as a priority.   India's leading position, both in Asia and internationally, and its economic significance makes it strategically important to New Zealand.  Both governments have very recently announced the start of negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement, a move that will offer significant future business opportunities for both nations.

I have already mentioned many links between our two countries that lay the foundation for these negotiations.  One of the key factors in ensuring the success of these negotiations will be less tangible, people-to-people links.

People of Indian descent have lived in New Zealand for more than 150 years. History records a number of instances of Indian men jumping ship and living here as early as the 1810, while one, Edward Peters, played a key role in instigating the Otago gold rush of the 1860s.  I unveiled a memorial to mark his fascinating life in April last year.

Today, more than 100,000 people of Indian descent call New Zealand home.  Some are from India and others from places such as Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.  Others, such as myself, were born here.  My four grandparents hailed from India, and travelled to Fiji, where my mother and father were born.  I retain with pride my grandparent's girmitya shipping papers and the link that they represent with my Indian heritage.

Through a combination of hard work and determination, New Zealanders of Indian descent have made significant contributions, in business, government and the professions.  Some of those contributions are represented by people at this table.  Others, for example, include Dr Rajen Prasad and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, who are members of our Parliament.

The people-to-people links are not all one way.  In addition to the growing two-way tourist traffic, if one person could be said to symbolise New Zealand's association with India, it was Sir Edmund Hillary, who died two years ago.  He was a towering figure in New Zealand and also in Nepal and in India.  In acknowledgement of his achievements the Government of India awarded Sir Ed the Padma Vibhushan, one of the very few occasions a non-Indian has been given this honour. It was with great pleasure that I hosted an event at Government House in Auckland in May 2008 where Hon Kamal Nath presented the award to his widow, Lady June Hillary.

It was therefore a pleasure when I was in India, to announce, at the Government's request, the establishment of the Sir Edmund Hillary Fellowship.  The award recognises the special contribution Sir Ed made to relations between our countries, and allows people from India and Nepal, who are emerging leaders in academia, business, politics, the law and culture, to travel to New Zealand for short periods.

The decision to award this inaugural fellowship being made by the government to yourself, Mr Gandhi, was one with which I heartily concurred.  I have seen that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade has prepared an interesting programme.  Your visit is an opportunity to share and learn more about how the relationship between our two countries can be further enhanced.

India has firmly established itself as one of Asia's two major regional powers.  India and China are the key drivers in the continent's rapidly changing geo-political, economic and trade landscape.  Understanding these developments is not only vital to New Zealand's interests and future prosperity but also a change that we wish to embrace.  Mr Gandhi-I welcome you again to New Zealand.

And on that note, I will I 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, tēnā koutou katoa.

For more photos, click here.