A very eventful day, beginning with the opening of Te Rau Aroha - the gift of love-a new museum on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. It is dedicated to the story of Maori service in armed conflict since 1840, in New Zealand and overseas. Cutting the ribbon was a group effort, shared between Dame Patsy, the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, Bob Gillies (one of the two remaining 28 Maori Battalion members) and Willie Apiata, VC. We had the briefest of tours of what appears to be a very impressive museum.
Speech transcript Image Gallery
Next it was over to Russell, where visiting members of the Diplomatic Corps were hosted by Dame Patsy and Sir David.
And finally this evening - a spectacular evening programme Te Rau Aroha, staged on the Treaty Grounds by the New Zealand Defence Force to celebrate the opening of the museum. A large crowd was treated to military parades, waiata, korero, and the wonderful musicianship of the New Zealand Army Band.
