Wellington Club Dinner 2022

E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga iwi o te motu e huihui nei, tēnei aku mihi nui ki a koutou. Kia ora tātou katoa

Thank you so much for inviting Richard and me to dine at the Wellington Club this evening.

It’s a time-honoured tradition for Governors-General to speak at a Club dinner, and many of you will have heard several of my predecessors share their impressions of the role and outline the particular focus they bring to their term of office.

If I am to list my credentials for the role of Governor-General, no doubt some would suggest the number one credential is my membership of this Club.

While it’s true that I am very proud to be the first female member to assume the role, I suspect the Prime Minister was thinking a little more broadly when she initially approached me.

Kāore te kumara e korero mo tona ake reka: the kumara doesn’t speak of its own sweetness.

I quote this well-known whakatauki because you will appreciate that I leave it to others to talk about my attributes.

What I can do tonight is reflect a little on my particular background, my interests and passions, and consider how they translate into my values and priorities during my term of office.

I believe both sides of my heritage – Te Tai Tokerau iwi through my mother – and British, from my father, a UK immigrant – have been a great asset in my life.

I have been able to traverse the boundaries between different worlds, and my heritage has committed me to do my best to represent the two signatories of the Treaty of Waitangi. In this, I am  guided by my grandmother’s words: Te Tiriti is a sacred covenant that must be accorded the greatest of respect.

So it was a great moment to walk onto the Treaty Grounds earlier this year, flanked by the Prime Minister and Chief Justice – and to reflect how rare it was for all three wahine toa to be together in a place that has such significance for our sense of who we are now, and who we can be in the future.

I am very conscious of how rapidly our communities in Aotearoa are evolving, and I like to think that this rich mix of allegiances and identities is reflected in my own family.

My husband Richard is Welsh and spent some of his formative years in Kenya. My son’s wife is Chilean and my mokopuna speak Spanish, te reo Māori and English.

This is commonplace, unremarkable, and I see New Zealanders increasingly celebrating difference, our complex cultural identities, and the links we have with the wider world.

When I host members of the Diplomatic Corps, I am always very interested to hear their perspective of our nation’s international relations – and to learn how their nations are responding to the challenges of our time.

And so often, a significant topic for them is the impact of climate change in their countries.

As it happens, conservation and sustainability are abiding interests for Richard and me.

In Te Ao Māori, it is an absolute given that human life is indistinguishable from the whenua and awa that sustains it.

In other words, ultimately there cannot be economic, social and cultural wellbeing without a healthy environment.

So it is so heartening to see sustainability becoming a cornerstone of planning across Aotearoa.

If we think inter-generationally, we won’t settle for short-term benefits that inflict harm on the environment and our people.

Closely connected with this focus is my commitment to research, and to expert knowledge – which drove my career in academia, and my role as Chief Executive of the Royal Society.

Evidence-based thinking is absolutely crucial to the quality and efficacy of our decision-making, and I am particularly interested in the pragmatic, applied outcomes of research.

I am ever hopeful that the surge of interest in science and medicine following the pandemic will lead to more New Zealanders choosing to follow that career path.

Evidence-based logic must be promoted at every opportunity if we are to counter the lazy thinking and wilful ignorance that underpins hate, prejudice and scapegoating.

We need to do our very best to question the falsehoods fuelled by the pedlars of online misinformation and disinformation – and this is a message I am especially keen to give whenever I have the opportunity to speak to our young people.

Aligned with this desire to counter prejudice is my interest in encouraging organisations working with people who are at the margins of our society, including our homeless, people with addiction issues and the mentally ill.

And Richard and I are pleased that when our rather packed programme allows, he can continue to put in some time at a medical practice attached to the Auckland City Mission.

As the restrictions resulting from the pandemic have eased, the opening of borders has allowed visits into New Zealand – and out into the rest of the world.

In my ceremonial and constitutional capacity, I have the privilege of representing the people of New Zealand on significant occasions – in times of joy and celebration – and in times of great sorrow.

I travelled to the United Arab Emirates for the Azza of His Royal Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, where I met the new President, His Royal Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. A real highlight was a meeting I had with His Royal Highness’s mother, Sheikha Fatima, as it was a rare honour to have access to her woman-only court.

I have travelled to the UK three times in my first year in the role.

In Birmingham, it was my great privilege to be chief cheerleader for Aotearoa at the Commonwealth Games.

It was a great thrill to attend the events and cheer our athletes on. I was so full of admiration when I saw how they behaved and performed. [You may wish to elaborate here.]

The Platinum Jubilee celebrations were unforgettable, surpassed only by the absolutely extraordinary and moving occasions of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s funeral at Westminster Abbey and the Committal Service at St George’s Chapel.

As Richard and I gathered at Westminster Abbey with Heads of State and political leaders from across the globe, there were moments for profound reflection, transcending geopolitical preoccupations.

I am sure I am not the only person who found themselves musing about the things that really matter to us, wherever we come from, whatever our circumstances: family, love, service, kindness, humanity and the public good.

Governors-General of His Majesty’s Realm were accorded the utmost respect and privilege at the funeral and the Prime Minister and I had the privilege of being the first international State representatives to attend the vigil for Her Majesty’s casket in Westminster Hall.

On my visits to the UK I was delighted to meet members of the Royal Family. Each time, they were warm and welcoming.

I could see the genuine affection that they have for Aotearoa and how much they are looking forward to returning here.

On that occasion and during my subsequent visits, I was delighted to encounter genuine high regard for Aotearoa and what our nation represents.

In fact I have found no shortage of people and national representatives wanting to visit – and singing our praises as a beautiful, tolerant and much-admired democracy.

While I found that immensely gratifying, I also believe we cannot and must not shy away from our history – and must always work together to achieve a better life for all New Zealanders.

Another recent international visit was to Samoa, where I joined in celebrations to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Samoa’s independence from New Zealand.

I received the most enthusiastic welcome, everywhere I went. I was told that it was because of the Polynesian ancestry shared by the people of Samoa and tangata whenua of Aotearoa.

This familial connection was further reinforced by the presence of my Official Secretary, Alice Ropata, whose mother is Samoan. When we visited her mother’s home village, it was as if I was bringing a long-lost daughter home to them.

In conclusion, my first year in this role has been extraordinary in ways that I could never have predicted. It has been absolute privilege to represent our Sovereign in Aotearoa, and to represent the people of New Zealand internationally.

Like everyone, we found creative ways of doing things during the pandemic, including how we hold investitures and interact with people.

And like everyone, we found that some of those changes were actually a good idea and should remain in place.

As I take on the responsibilities of representing His Majesty King Charles in Aotearoa, the best I can do is to try, in some small way, to emulate the example set by his mother, Queen Elizabeth: to faithfully serve the Government of the day, here and overseas; to be in the moment wherever I may be, whatever the circumstances, responding in ways that respect and honour the people I meet; to shine a light on accomplishments and service in our communities; and to encourage and support work that makes a positive difference to people’s lives.

In my efforts to achieve those goals over the next four years, I will be inspired by the memory of Her Majesty’s fortitude, positivity and resilience – qualities that served her so well during her 70 years on the throne.