Speech
Naming of the HMNZS Taupo
Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni. Rear Admiral David Ledson, Chief of Navy; Hon Phil Goff, Minister of Defence; Lt Jonathon Clarkson, Commanding Officer Designate HMNZS Taupo; Colin Gordon, Naval Chaplain; Jim McDowell Managing Director of BAE Systems Australia and your staff; Your Worship Stan Semenoff, Mayor of Whangarei, and Mark Fransworth, Chair of the Northland Regional Council; Phil Heatley, MP for Whangarei, and to you all, distinguished guests.
It was with great pleasure that I accepted Rear Admiral Ledson's invitation earlier this year to be the Lady Sponsor of HMNZS Taupo. My husband, Anand Satyanand, and I thank you for the invitation to attend and participate in today's ceremony.
This is not the first vessel I have had the pleasure of naming, having played a similar role with the launch of New Zealand Police vessel, Deodar III, at Mechanics Bay in Auckland in December last year. It is, however, the first time I have been a sponsor and I am very conscious that this is a wonderful honour for me.
The HMNZS Taupo, with a length of 55 metres and displacement of more than 300 tonnes, is a substantial vessel. I would imagine that a vessel of this size is nowhere classed as a boat, but as a ship.
We had the pleasure of touring Taupo's sister ship, HMNZS Rotoiti last year when we toured Northland, and these facilities.
HMNZS Taupo bears a proud name. The first ship of that name, the Loch class anti-submarine frigate served with the Royal NZ Navy from 1948 to 1961. Taupo served with distinction with the United Nations forces during the Korean War and its crew were some of the 1300 New Zealand sailors who served during that conflict.
The second HMNZS Taupo was one of four LakeClass patrol boats that served with the RNZN from 1975 to 1991.
On a dramatic night in our recent past, in 1986, she was also one of the vessels that came to the aid of the passengers of the stricken Soviet liner, Mikhail Lermontov.
This latest Taupo, the last of four Inshore Patrol Vessels to be named, will play an important role in patrolling and protecting New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone. It will undertake maritime surveillance in support of civil agencies, such as the New Zealand Customs Service and the Department of Conservation, from the shoreline to about 24 nautical miles out to sea.
In this regard they will replace the much smaller Inshore Patrol Craft, HMZS Hinau, Wakakura, Kiwi and Moa, which have been progressively decommissioned in recent years. These vessels, also built here in Whangarei in the 1970s, gave many years sterling service, particularly with the New Zealand Volunteer Naval Reserve.
The construction and fit out of these vessels has been of significant source of jobs for the local economy.
I congratulate everyone involved in the construction of HMNZS Taupo, from the Royal New Zealand Navy to the staff and management of BAE Systems. Taupo will now undergo extensive fit out prior to being formally handed over to the Navy.
May she have a long and happy service in the Royal New Zealand Navy.
No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.
Susan Satyanand