Speech
Young People's Reference Group Dinner
Ladies and Gentlemen I greet you in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - English, Maori, Cook Island, Niue and Tokelau.
Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni
In particular I welcome you Children's Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro, General Manager Gordon McFadyen, distinguished guests otherwise, ladies and gentlemen, members of the Young People's Reference Group, outgoing and incoming, family and friends.
My wife Susan and I are delighted to be able to host this dinner tonight in your honour.
As some, at least, of you may know, we are relatively new in this office and also new residents of this wonderful house - in fact just over one hundred days. There has however been sufficient time to reflect on the responsibilities that go with the tasks and as to how we can best use our time in office.
There is a broad range of constitutional duties carried out by a Governor-General, which include signing into law bills that have been passed by Parliament, and appointing people such as Judges and Government Department heads and military personnel to their offices. At election time there is the matter of declaring the end of parliament's term and of appointing the Prime Minister after an election.
Secondly, there are many ceremonial duties, such as the giving to people the honours they have received from the Queen or the welcoming of overseas heads of state.
But the largest component (in terms of time) of the Governor-General's role is the community role. This role is the broadest. It includes acting as Patron to many organisations with a charitable or community focus. It involves visiting schools, talking about the role of the Governor General or opening buildings and launching newly published books. It involves welcoming delegates to an international conference hosted here in New Zealand. The community role is a lot to do with seeing people who have done their best for themselves and for the country and supporting them for that.
This evening's occasion is to support a fine initiative of the Children's Commissioner Dr Cindy Kiro which has her governmental agency consulting with and gathering the viewpoint of children to help in its work of shaping governments ideas about issues affecting children.
Susan and I have had personal contact with the Commissioner for Children, Dr Cindy Kiro. Through Cindy, we learned about The Young People's Reference Group.
I have been interested to learn how the group came into being in 2002 as a means of direct consultation between the Children's Commissioner, her Office and young people.
The Group, made up of youngsters aged twelve to eighteen, has since given advice to the Children's Commissioner and assisted in planning for the Office of the Children's Commissioner. The group has, I understand, become a crucial mechanism for the Children's Commissioner to consult with children and young people.
There have been two groups since 2002, serving terms from 2002 - 2004 and most recently 2004 - 2006. The most recent group consisted of nine young people from around New Zealand. Seven of these young people, including three who also served on the first group - Theo Aiken, Michael Bendall and Briar Thompson - are here this evening to say their farewells.
I want to take the opportunity to thank you for all the work you have undertaken to establish the group as a valued contributor to children's policy in our country.
But where one door closes, another opens, and so it is that we also welcome nine new members, together with one continuing member, who will make up the group over the next two years.
You have taken on a grave responsibility and I congratulate you on your commitment.
Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you enjoy your evening and the surroundings of Government House to which I again welcome you most warmly. I look forward to some comments now from Dr Kiro, and then to the introductions of the new group members.
I began by welcoming in all of New Zealand's realms languages. I shall finish restricting myself to Maori - tena koutou katoa.