Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre

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

In particular may I acknowledge you Your worship Mayor of Auckland, Dick Hubbard; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland, Stuart McCutcheon; Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at the University of Auckland, Iain Martin; Chief Executive of the Auckland Cancer Society, John Loof; Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre directors, Bill Denny and Bruce Baguley; Researchers; Distinguished Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank you for the invitation here today to my wife Susan and I to celebrate 50 years of cancer research by the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre.

In the 86 days to date that I have been in office as Governor-General, I have already met hundreds of New Zealanders whose work is, in some way, changing the lives of others.

Thanks to these people, New Zealand is able to take pride again for ourselves here and every so often on the world stage.

There can be few better examples than the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre - benefiting not only New Zealanders but a great many others around the world.  I am certain that many will agree with the fine piece of writing by Carroll du Chateau in yesterday's New Zealand Herald in registering pride about the many advances made by the Centre in the field of cancer chemotherapy.

Proud, also, because throughout the Centre's 50-years its achievements have been somewhat against the odds. Somehow this makes them all the more fitting in a New Zealand context. Our ingenuity and innovation is so often borne of necessity.

This necessity is perhaps best symbolised by your earlier premises - a modified prefabricated building known by some as The Hut and by others as an 'eyesore'. Now, in contrast, you operate within modern offices and laboratories in the AucklandHospital.

From small beginnings, the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre has a dedicated staff of more than 80 researchers and 25 contributing graduate students. It is internationally recognised as leading the development of new anticancer drugs.

It is clear that the Centre is one of the few academic drug discovery groups in the world with the capability to take its bench research to the patient's bedside and a number of the Centre's drugs have made it to clinical trials.

Of course, there is much to do. Cancer is an insidious disease that takes many forms and attacks without warning. The fight continues - and your research is a key weapon in the battle.

Congratulations again on all you have achieved. I join other New Zealanders in looking forward to following the work of the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre in the years to come.

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