Asia New Zealand Patron's Dinner

I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Māori, Cook Island Māori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language. Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the evening (Sign)

I then specifically greet you: Hon Philip Burdon and Dr Richard Grant, Chairman and Executive Director respectively of the Asia New Zealand Foundation; Your Excellencies: Kwang-Il Noh, Ambassador of Korea; Dato' Hasnudin Bin Hamzah, High Commissioner for Malaysia; Justice (Rtd) M.P.H. Rubin, High Commissioner for Singapore; Rear Admiral (Rtd) Sureesh Mehta, High Commissioner for India; Syed Abbas, High Commissioner for Pakistan; Noppadon Theppitak, Ambassador of Thailand; Hideto Mitamura, Ambassador of Japan; and Nguyen Hong Cuong, Ambassador of Viet Nam; Fellow members of the Diplomatic Corps; Melissa Lee and  Raymond Huo, Members of Parliament; John Allen, Chief Executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Trustees and Supporters of the Foundation; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen. 

It is a great pleasure to receive you here at Government House for the Asia New Zealand Patron’s Dinner.  An apology but good wishes are extended by Susan who is this evening presenting prizes at the International Kids Quiz Finals event in Hamilton.

Tonight’s gathering serves a number of purposes.  The first is one of welcome.  As you may be aware, this House and its grounds were closed for 30 months until the end of March this year for a major conservation project. 

For those who have been here before, perhaps at the dinner we hosted for the Foundation in this room in 2007, some aspects will seem familiar, but you will also observe that much has changed.  For just one example—timber panelling in rooms, such as the Norrie State Dining Room and the Liverpool Sitting Room, have had paint stripped to reveal rimu panelling in its former glory. 

Paint, carpets and furnishings are obvious changes.  What cannot be seen is the major strengthening work that provides seismic protection for what had become a fragile century-old heritage building.   You may agree that its special colonial ambience has been preserved. 

I therefore welcome you all and trust you will enjoy the surroundings along with the hospitality, art and artefacts of this House this evening.

Also falling under this heading of welcome is to note the appointment of two new trustees to the Foundation board, namely senior and respected media figure, Richard Long, and New Zealand Rugby Union legend and lawyer, Bryan Williams.

I have enjoyed personal connections with both new trustees.  Regarding Mr Long, I had the pleasure of investing him with the Insignia of an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his contribution to journalism at an investiture ceremony in this very room in April.  Mr Long was editor of the former Dominion newspaper for many years and is a high profile Wellington personality.  I imagine that his well-deserved reputation as a sparkling conversationalist will be at high pitch tonight with his views on newspaper tactics in the United Kingdom and the new term in the lexicon called “Murdochalypse”! 

My connection to Mr Williams is rather different and more personal.  Our families are both former Ponsonby residents in Auckland and Bryan and his brothers have been friends since the 1950’s.  I used the word “legend” in relation to Rugby and I bring to mind the wonderful graffiti on the Baptist Tabernacle billboard in Queen Street, Auckland.  The Billboard said “What would you do if God made his second coming this evening?”  The graffiti writer had added “I would play him on the wing and shift BG into centre!”  Bryan has made many contributions to the law and business, as well as sport.

I welcome to you both to your new roles with the Foundation which will benefit from your perspective and I am confident you will make a valuable contribution to its work.

The second reason for this dinner falls under the heading of acknowledgement.  In a general sense, the Patron’s Dinner is a means to acknowledge the Asia New Zealand Foundation and its mission of being a leading non-governmental organisation working to build the knowledge and understanding of New Zealanders of Asia and Asian contexts.

Tonight’s dinner is also an opportunity to acknowledge many people who have taken an active part in the Foundation’s programmes, be that in business, affecting young people, education, culture or the media.

One of the many innovative programmes the Foundation has instigated is its Young Leaders Network and a number of those people, which has developed a membership of more than 300, are here this evening.   The network offers opportunities for gaining both knowledge and connections and brings together talented people, who, in different ways, are forging New Zealand’s future relations with Asia.

As Patron, I have had the pleasure of attending and addressing a number of the Foundation’s Young Leaders Forum Dinners.  I have been impressed by the enthusiasm that the Network members bring to their activities.  I think that their constituency will play a critical role in furthering New Zealand’s developing relationships in Asian countries.

Another commendable programme is in education, where the Foundation has established what is called the Educating for Asia network.  This school focussed programme brings here the principals of a number of participating schools this evening.  I had the pleasure of meeting a number at the Educating for Asia Dinner at the Wellington Club in April and I welcome you here as well.

Making schools “Asia Aware” is important for many reasons.  The growing economic, trade and tourism links are well known and New Zealand’s connections with Asian economies have helped blunt the effects of the global financial crisis, significant as they have been.   It seems certain we would have suffered more had our economy not changed, particularly from the time of the late 1960s, when most of our country’s exports went to the United Kingdom.

Equally important are the changes within New Zealand itself.  When the Williams and Satyanand families were pupils at Richmond Rd School in the 1950s, Asian faces like mine or Pacific faces like his were far less common than later on.  New Zealand is now a highly multicultural nation where Polynesian and Asian faces, particularly in Auckland, are a growing part of the tapestry of our nation’s cultural, social and economic tapestry.  It is important for Asian studies to be a part of everyday schooling and so Educating for Asia is an important part of the Foundation’s work.

Other parts of the Foundation’s work include exchange programmes it offers to New Zealand journalists to work in Asian newsrooms and to learn of Asian cultural and news values on the ground.  Media representatives join us this evening, and properly so. 

These are just three of the programmes the Foundation promotes although it should be mentioned that there are other important facets of its work in business, and I bring to mind the Action Asia Business Network and culture, through the promotion of festivals such as Diwali and Chinese New Year.   With regard to the Foundation’s cultural programme, may I note with delight that Cultural Director, Jennifer King, who is not able to be here this evening, was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for her contribution to the Asian community and this of course has its basis with the Foundation. 

As the Foundation’s Patron I commend the organisation for its initiatives.   In just 17 years, its continuing and varied efforts have helped transform discussion about matters Asian in New Zealand, by basing its work on high quality research, by remaining non-partisan and by developing enduring partnerships with community groups, businesses and government agencies.

I have spoken to this moment of welcome and acknowledgement.  My last waypoint is one of farewell.  I have noted the arrival of two new trustees.  It seems fitting to thank two of those who are leaving the board at this time, Michael Park and Tony Nowell.  I know them personally and want to thank them for their service to the Foundation and more widely to New Zealand’s relationship with Asia.

Michael’s contribution to the Foundation has been wide-ranging, but has particularly focused on fostering business relationships between Korea and New Zealand and notably in the “Life’s Good” white ware business.  He also established the New Zealand Centre in Seoul and is a founding member of the Korea New Zealand Business Council, currently being its deputy chairman. 

Tony Nowell, a long-time specialist food industry businessman, has also made a significant impact on the Foundation.  He has brought a wide range of general business experience in South East Asia and is a trustee and immediate past president of the ASEAN New Zealand Combined Business Council.  I had the pleasure of investing Tony as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in September 2008.  

The final farewell is one from Susan and myself.  In just over a months’ time, our tenure in this office will come to an end.  It has been a privilege and an honour to represent the Head of State in New Zealand and to represent New Zealanders to the rest of the world in the Governor-General role and to graft onto that the Patronage of this Foundation.

The end of the term will also formally conclude my role as the Foundation’s inaugural Patron.  As Patron, there is no involvement in the day-to-day governance of the organisation, but you are not an outsider either.  It has been a pleasure to watch, from a relatively close quarter, the Foundation flourish and to go from strength to strength.  While the Foundation still has four years to go before its 21st birthday, I think it is fair to say that it has truly come of age.

With that forthcoming anniversary in mind, I would like to close with a challenge. I believe the heart of the Foundation’s success in all its initiatives has been its primary focus on developing people-to-people links and relationships in business, as well as in education and culture.  By putting people first, it has built a sound platform from which many benefits will flow.  The point is made well in the Māori proverb: “Tuitui tangata, tuitui korowai” which translates to say “weaving people together, is like weaving a korowai.”  The korowai or cloak, itself, is a symbol of mana or respect in Maori and Pacific Communities.  I feel confident that the Foundation under your leadership, Philip and Richard, and your colleagues is eminently up to dealing with what lies ahead.

And on this, what I hope is a suitable note, of congratulations, farewell and challenge; I will close in New Zealand’s first language, offering everyone greetings and wishing you all good health and fortitude in your endeavours.

No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.