Catholic Lunch Club

Rev Fathers, Ladies and Gentlemen, I greet you in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - English, Maori, CookIsland, Niue and Tokelau.

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

Thank you for inviting me to address this meeting of the Catholic Lunch Club.  I also acknowledge this taking place in the premises of the Wellesley Club, which is such a quintessential part of this city's history, taking its name from the famous soldier and statesman Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington.

The only possibly discordant note is perhaps to record that the Duke Wellington was a member of what was called the Protestant British squirearchy ruling Ireland in the 18^th century.  His Lordship whose later life was conducted in England, was, I understand, very was touchy about his Protestant and Irish origins. When in later life an enthusiastic speaker commended him as a famous Irishman, he reputedly replied "A man can be born in a stable, and yet not be an animal."

I am happy not to have any inhibition about being identified as a Catholic, so it is a real pleasure to come and share lunch with you today.  Thank you for including Susan.

It is also an opportunity to offer encouragement for the new liturgical developments being considered for the liturgy of the Mass in New Zealand. The Worshipping Under Southern Skies may be a significant development for the Church - not least for the involvement of the laity in the process, and I look forward to seeing whatever comes to be introduced.

A pleasing note is struck by today's event in seeing here people of so many ages attending this lunch today. I can see that we have College students, business people, church leaders and retired people.

It is a diverse group mirroring in some small way our wider society beyond the walls of the Wellesley Club.

We are a diverse country - and increasingly so that being something of which I can register pride - both as a New Zealander of Indo-Fijian heritage and as Governor-General.  Our country can be said to be one that gives people a go whatever may have been their background.

Most markedly, New Zealand's contemporary diversity lies in our multiculturalism.

Maori first discovered New Zealand many hundreds of years ago and since then more people from around the world have chosen this country as their home too.

As we know first settlers after Maori were mainly British and Irish, followed by many Dutch and others Europeans in the middle of last Century.

In the 1970s, immigrants began to be chosen on non-ethnic grounds and as a result, skilled people from all over the world were welcomed into New Zealand. In the 1980s more Asian and Pacific people made their way to our shores.

I am sure the older people here today will agree New Zealand's identity has evolved markedly - even in their own lifetimes.

We now recognise that we are a truly multicultural country. This can be said to be celebrated in the Maori proverb:

E Koekoe te tui, e ketekete te Kaka e kuku te kereru. 

The tui sings, the kaka chatters, the pigeon coos.

I interpret this to mean that people can live together harmoniously, whilst celebrating their differences.

This is where I believe most New Zealanders' attitudes lie today. Now more than ever, we recognise that migrants who retain their own distinct cultures, languages and customs are legitimate members of the New Zealand landscape.

This represents change in itself because there were times in our past when immigrants were strongly urged to shed their cultures and assimilate into their adopted country.

We have come a long way since then.

In the last few decades alone, we have made significant progress on immigration policy, the Treaty of Waitangi and our business and Government responsiveness to cultural diversity.

We celebrate what it is that makes each of us different. As a result it can be asserted that all parts of our society are better off as a result.

Ethnic minorities are better able to raise their heads and be valued alongside everyone else. Congratulations are due to every New Zealander for helping make this an increasingly inclusive and tolerant nation.

Multiculturalism presents our country with huge social and economic opportunity too. It helps us foster strong relationships with the world around us.

It helps us build bridges connecting our small, geographically isolated country with the rest of the world.

In this way, our cultural diversity can be our ticket to improved international relations. It means we are more able to talk with nations across the world - and they are more likely to hear what we have to say.

What is most exciting to me, however, is that we have only just begun to truly harness these opportunities.

There is enormous scope for us to foster relationships between people's country of origin, or heritage, and their country of adoption - New Zealand.

That is why I am so pleased to be talking with you today. In particular, that is why I am glad to see so many young people here.

The older people in the room today have helped bring New Zealand to where it is today. Now the chance is yours to take it to where it might be in the future.

We have the potential to set world standards in embracing multiculturalism. We are a tolerant, intelligent and progressive nation already and this gives us the platform to avail of the opportunities our diverse society presents.

I am looking forward to seeing where our young people take us in the years ahead. 

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