Address to Police Recruit Wing 247

Ladies and Gentlemen, I greet you in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language.

Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the morning and the sun has risen (Sign)

May I specifically greet you: Commissioner of Police Howard Broad; Deputy Commissioners Lyn Provost and Rob Pope; Acting Superintendent Russell Gibson; National Manager, Training and Professional Development; Representatives of Ngati Toa; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Recruits of Wing 247; Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank you for inviting my wife Susan and me to be present at the commencement of Police Recruit Wing 247.  It was with pleasure that I accepted the invitation to be Patron of this Wing.

As Patron, I have been asked to furnish some background to my life and to speak to the values that have been important in it.  In doing so, I hope I can provide some insight as you begin the journey of becoming Police officers.  My career has involved interaction with the Police (in the nicest of ways) and I have as a result, some considerable experience of what will become your work. One value which I wish to emphasise, and which I believe will be crucial to your success, is leadership - that which you receive and that you will go on to exercise.

When I was the same age as most of you, I never expected, either then or later, that I would one day be Governor-General.  It would be rare to find anyone who would set themselves such a goal—indeed, I think, in a country like New Zealand, one would look sideways at someone who said they did!

While my goals and ambitions were not well formed, I knew I wanted to be a professional person, to work with communities and I hoped for success in both. So I spent my early years not aspiring to be Governor-General, but instead wanting to be the best and most productive person I could be. In doing so, I have been able to follow a career that has taken me down many different paths.

After leaving secondary school in Auckland, I went to the University in Auckland and, after a faltering start, began to study the law.  It was during this period that I met and later married my wife Susan, who has been a vital part of my personal professional and family life.

Following graduation, I practiced as a lawyer in the courts for 12 years.  Half of that was as a Crown prosecutor and the other half as a regular court lawyer.  The courts of the 1970s had even more Police presence than today as a workaday lawyer I rubbed shoulders with both uniform and CIB staff on a regular basis.  So from your perspective, whilst sometimes the Officer in Charge of a Case was someone who would be crucial to my work as prosecutor and later, he or she was someone I would subject to rigorous cross examination as a defence lawyer.  I became one of the panel of lawyers instructed by the Police Association and did a number of cases before the Police Tribunal.

In 1982 I was appointed as a District Court Judge, and for 13 years I worked in a number of places in New Zealand, including Palmerston North, West Auckland, South Auckland and Auckland Central.  I was a Judge who had both Civil and Criminal jurisdiction with a Warrant for Criminal Jury trials.  As you can imagine, I again had considerable interaction with the Police who now presented in Court either as witnesses or prosecutors.  I had the advantage of working as a Judge in provincial places like the Manawatu as well as in South and West Auckland. 

In 1995 I was appointed an Ombudsman by Parliament and served for two five-year terms. This was fascinating work dealing with the public on the one hand, Ministers, Parliamentarians and Government Departments—including the Police—on the other.  Although matters affecting operational conduct of the Police go to the Police Complaints Authority, many pre-trial or post-trial issues over information go before the Ombudsmen and access to policy items likewise.  The Official Information Act has become a regular tool in the arsenal of journalists as well as lawyers.  So a huge amount of my time as Ombudsman involved contact with Police at National Headquarters and throughout the country.

Last year, I was appointed as Governor-General.  In that role, I represent our Head of State, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, for a five-year term. Along with my many other constitutional, ceremonial and community roles, it is a formal duty to appoint the Commissioner of Police upon the advice of the Government.

My career has on many occasions placed me in connection with leadership.  And with each change in my professional life my definition of leadership has expanded.  To do what I have, has required the enormous patience and skill and support of a loving wife and family.

People define leadership quite differently—some by vision, some by charisma, and some by the ability to inspire others. My own experience of leadership tells me that there are two words that leaders resonate—trust and respect.

Our society places enormous trust in Police Officers and the uniform you will eventually wear.  Just as I did on becoming Governor-General, on successfully completing your training you will take an oath to faithfully serve Her Majesty, The Queen. 

Your oath requires you to, without favour or affection, malice or ill-will to keep the peace, to prevent offences and to use your skills and knowledge to undertake your duties according to the law.  The powers and responsibilities that will be entrusted to you are a privilege given to few others. 

But while society places a formal trust in you, retaining that trust requires you to build the respect of your colleagues and, most importantly, of the communities in which you serve.

I say "communities" plural rather than "community" because New Zealand is becoming an increasingly diverse nation.  The last Census revealed that 23 percent of New Zealanders were born overseas.  A century ago, almost all of those people would have hailed from Britain or Ireland.  Today, about 28 percent come from those places—the same proportion as those from Asia.

And it is not just in ethnicity that this country is becoming more diverse.  In religion, family relationships and work patterns, the New Zealand of 2007 is radically different from that of 1907. 

This is mirrored in the 2007 New Zealand Police that you are joining.  A century ago, almost all officers were Pakeha men.  Today, there are many Maori, Pacific and Asian people—both men and women—serving in the force and I understand police management are implementing strategies to enhance that diversity further.

While that diversity is enriching New Zealand, it is also posing challenges, and none more so than for Police Officers.  The New Zealand Police has recognised this in its key values.  Under the heading "Respect" it says:

"Our role is to acknowledge and respond to a diverse society and serve with dignity. In doing so, we recognise the rights, values and freedoms of all people."

What this statement emphasises is that while everyone, regardless of race or creed, should be treated with respect, in doing so, it is important to acknowledge those differences, while still maintaining law and order. 

It is not an easy balancing act.  For some new migrants, their experience of police in their home countries—where the police are either corrupt or the enforcers of state repression—may be quite different from dealing with New Zealand's Police.  That history may colour their initial reactions to you and you need to work harder to earn their trust. 

Then there are the inevitable misunderstandings that occur for those for whom English is a second language. For example, it is estimated that for the 500 most common words in the English language, there are 14,000 possible meanings.  As you could imagine, for person who speaks English as a second language, even if they speak it very well, they could easily misunderstand an instruction or request you might make, especially if it was made in a stressful situation.

In discussing leadership, it is important to distinguish between leaders and leadership qualities.  It would be easy to say: "I'm just going to be an ordinary constable, I'm not a leader."  While not everyone's career will see them be a mayor, prime minister, governor-general or commissioner or chief executive, everyone can show leadership.

Key leadership qualities include an ability to listen, to be professional in your dealing with others, and to display integrity, honesty and respect.  Leaders need to keep their feet on the ground and to recognise that it is their purpose to serve.  These are all qualities that a successful Police Officer—whether he or she is a constable or commissioner—needs to display.  These are all values the New Zealand Police has committed itself to.

There is an old saying that "actions speak louder than words."  What you do in life says as much about who you are, and your commitment to those values, as what you say.  Your deeds can be a positive example to others that promote positive change. 

Leadership can take many forms.  Throughout the year, there are investiture ceremonies at the Government Houses in Wellington or Auckland where awards are conferred by the Governor-General to recognise those who have achieved in commerce, community and public service.  Some of those achievements are at a local level and others at the national or international level.  All, however, have shown leadership.

Another quality of leadership is courage.  About eight weeks ago I had the privilege to confer the first Victoria Cross for New Zealand on Corporal Willy Apiata at a special investiture ceremony.  He received this award for outstanding gallantry, courage and leadership in rescuing a seriously wounded colleague in Afghanistan in 2004.  His courageous deeds, in placing the life of a comrade—a mate—before his own, are an inspiration to everyone.

Courage need not be a quality confined to the battlefield.  In a recent book, the new British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has written eight essays about people displaying courage—people such as Martin Luther King Jnr and Nelson Mandela, saying that courage is the greatest of all virtues. He wrote:

"All of us value duty, honesty, kindness, humility, responsibility, integrity but none of these can exist without courage." As Winston Churchill said: 'Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others.'"

Having the courage of one's convictions includes holding fast to values—such as honesty, justice and ethical conduct—and if necessary in the face of others who would give expediency a higher priority.

When you complete your training as Police Officers, you will embark on a challenging career.  As a former lawyer and judge, I know that sometimes that such work can be traumatic.  But I also know it can be highly rewarding, with the opportunity to learn new skills, to meet new people and to make a positive difference to society.

Making a difference is something everyone can do, sometimes in small deeds and sometimes in great, heroic actions.  I will close by quoting the words of Sir Edmund Hillary who, despite his many great feats in life, remains a humble man.  He rightly declared that you don't have to be an intellectual to be a good leader. In his autobiography, Nothing Venture, Nothing Win he touched on many qualities of leadership of which I have spoken.  In particular he said:

"I discovered that even the mediocre can have adventures and even the fearful can achieve. I had the world beneath my clumsy boots and saw the red sun slip over the horizon after the dark Antarctic winter.  But for me the most rewarding moments have not always been the great moments, for what can surpass a tear on your departure, joy on your return, and a trusting hand in yours?"

I am sure that in your careers ahead you will have many rewarding moments that you will always treasure.  I wish you all the best for your training here at the Royal NZ Police College and challenge you to be the best that you can.  It is an honour to be the Patron of Recruit Wing 247.

On that note, I will close in Maori, issuing greetings and wishing everyone good health and fortitude in your future endeavours.