Speech
Shelterbox Morning Tea
Rau rangatira mā, e kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou. Nau mai, haere mai rā ki Te Whare Kawana o Tamaki Makaurau. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, warm greetings to you all, and welcome to Government House Auckland.
I specifically acknowledge Dame Susan Devoy and Sir Richard Hadlee, Shelterbox National Ambassadors; Irene Mosley, Shelterbox Board Member; and Russell Turner, District Governor of Rotary District 9930 - tēnā koutou katoa.
It is a great pleasure for Janine and me to welcome you all to Government House today. Two things, in particular, make it special – the purpose of the event and the organisations involved. I’ll say something about the event later. However, in relation to Shelterbox, as its Vice-Regal patron in New Zealand I’m proud of what Shelterbox does, and how it does its work. And since this reception is aimed at informing and eliciting support from Auckland Rotary Clubs I should also declare an interest. Before becoming the Governor-General I was a Wellington Rotary Club member. My talk today is reminiscent of presentations I’ve given before as a Rotarian.
Today is an opportunity for you to find out more, first- hand, about Shelterbox, and the work it does in providing life-saving emergency shelter and humanitarian aid to people who have been made homeless due to disaster. Irene Mosley from the Shelterbox Board and Arnold Kelly a Shelterbox response member will tell us more about Shelterbox and what your support means.
A Shelterbox may not look like much from the outside, just a chunky green plastic box. However, each one represents so much more. It does represent shelter – security and cover - for a family that has suffered great loss – not just of a home but in many cases loss of family, friends and livelihood. More than that though, it represents hope at a time when the usual support systems and services are in chaos or lacking.
The Christchurch earthquakes brought into sharp focus for New Zealanders that life can change in an instant, and that it can happen at any hour, of any day of any year. As the Turkish play writer, Mehmet Murat Ildan, so poignantly expressed, “Disasters have no mercy hours where they stop visiting the people; for them, all hours are favourite and legitimate to visit!”
Being ready to act quickly where and when needed, around the world, is what Shelterbox aims to do. We see the effects on television of the devastation wrought by nature and by despots. Most recently, Shelterbox has been active in the Philippines, following an earthquake and a typhoon, and in Syria where hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced by conflict.
However, the need for shelter is not just in distant or underdeveloped countries. Disasters don’t always happen to people far way on the other side of the world or in under developed countries. Shelter boxes were used in Australia in the wake of flooding and bushfires there. They were also deployed during the Christchurch Earthquake.
When Sir Eion Edgar, the New Zealand Patron of Shelterbox, approached me to be the Vice-Regal Patron he convinced me that the good being done by Shelterbox was, is, considerable. He impressed on me that as a voluntary organisation, Shelterbox is almost totally reliant on fundraising and donations to continue its work.
Shelterbox‘s on-going association with Rotary worldwide has been extremely valuable in ensuring the need for shelter boxes is met. The association between the two organisations is, it seems to me, one that is mutually beneficial. Rotarians such as yourselves provide Shelterbox with professional and business expertise, you can act as liaison on the ground in disaster areas, and you can provide funds. The goals of Rotary and Shelterbox are the same – to provide humanitarian services in order to help those in need. The close alliance between the two organisations is both a smart use of resources and a lesson in co-operation and innovative thinking.
Let me say, I am always delighted to see organisations working together for a common goal. The synergy being achieved between Shelterbox and Rotary, both nationwide and internationally, is something to be celebrated. As the Vice-Regal Patron of Shelterbox and an honorary Rotarian, I thank you for the service you have given and will continue to give to help the needy and for building goodwill in the world. I hope you find inspiration in what you see and hear this morning and I trust we can look forward to more of your support.
Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.