Chatham Islands Heritage and Restoration Trust Launch

May I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in 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 evening (Sign)

May I specifically greet you: Lois Croon, Chair of the Chatham Heritage and Restoration Trust, and your fellow trustees, Alfred Preece, Vaughan Hill and Tom Lanauze; Your Worship Pat Smith, Mayor of the Chatham Islands and your fellow councillors and council staff; Ken Hunt, Area Manager for the Department of Conservation; kaumatua and kuia; tangata matua; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.  In the context of these Islands may I add the greetings: tena ko tou and  me rongo.

Thank you for inviting my wife Susan and I to the launch of the Chatham Heritage and Restoration Trust. 

I have been asked to formally launch the Trust, but before I do, I would like to briefly speak of my visit to your islands and the significance of this event.

As Governor-General I have, accompanied by Susan, travelled widely throughout the Realm of New Zealand.   The Realm, which is New Zealand's official title as a constitutional monarchy, consists not only of New Zealand but also the self-governing states of Niue and the Cook Islands, the territory of Tokelau and the Ross Dependency.

With this visit to the Chatham Islands, the only parts of the Realm yet to go are Antarctica and the West Coast of the South Island-the latter of which is on the itinerary for next year.

Like all Governors-General, the travel throughout New Zealand is to emphasise to all New Zealanders that as the personal representative of their Head of State, the Queen of New Zealand, that I serve everyone in equal measure.

On that point, I would like to thank everyone who has assisted with this visit to the Chathams and for the hospitality our entire party have been shown since our arrival on Wednesday.

Since that arrival, we have already seen much.  It has been a privilege to learn of the life of the Chathams, its economy, its various sea and land life and, most importantly, its people.

The trip by boat to Pitt Island today, to visit what some might argue is the most isolated western-style school in the world, was certainly an unforgettable experience!   

I could not help but think that the decision by the school's Board of Trustees to appoint a teacher-principal with a family of five young children, including twins aged four, showed considerable foresight! We look forward to learning more about the Chathams before we return to Wellington on Monday.

As we made our journey to and from Pitt Island, the description of Chathams being a "land apart" seemed particularly appropriate.  Your land is the only part of New Zealand where, despite not needing a passport to enter, you still have to change the time on your watch.  Chatham Islands Time, 45 minutes ahead of the rest of the country, is unique to these islands and nowhere else.

Historically, people in Wellington have often been unfairly critical of these islands and their people.  In his book about the islands, the late Dr Michael King made this point well when quoting a resident magistrate who said the Chatham Islanders had "an indifferent attitude to anything in the way of progress."  Dr King responded by saying:

"That was a mainland perspective.  As far as the islanders were concerned, they would not become involved in projects which had no apparent value to them, and which seemed to have been initiated to meet the preoccupations of Wellington bureaucrats, or to impose mainland structures on the island purely for the sake of national uniformity."

It is for that reason that the establishment of the Chatham Heritage and Restoration Trust-or CHART for short-is so significant. The Trust, which I understand received legal status this week, has not been initiated to meet the preoccupations of Wellington bureaucrats but has instead come from the initiative of the people of the Islands themselves.

The Trust aims to protect and restore the natural and historic heritage of the Chatham Islands and its establishment as a legal entity will allow it to access funds for a host of projects that are not available to unincorporated bodies. 

The charter for the Trust, as outlined in its flyer, is highly ambitious.  It talks of protecting and restoring endemic fauna and flora, preserving natural landscapes, controlling and eradicating plant and animal pests as well as education, employment and community development.  It will be working both with private landowners, the Department of Conservation, the Council and iwi to achieve these goals.

More specifically, I am advised that one of its first projects will be the reforestation of the kowhai forest at Blind Jims, an area that we visited yesterday.   Other possible projects are aimed to adding to the already existing work to remove introduced pests, and particularly the possum.  Some of these projects will no doubt supplement the work the Department is doing, but the decisions and the priorities will be set by the people of the Islands.

I therefore wish the Trust and the people of the Chatham Islands all the best with these and many other worthwhile initiatives to preserve and restore the Islands' environment. 

While I suspect most New Zealanders are aware of the story of the black robin and its miraculous retreat from the brink of extinction, there are many other equally fascinating aspects of these islands' flora and fauna that are worthy, not only of protection, but also wider public knowledge.

Before our trip here, I asked, as a talking point, whether there was a pertinent symbol to describe the Chatham Islands.  Much to my delight, I was told that the bird that the people of the Chatham Islands treat as their symbol is the weka.   I say delight because when I visit schools, particularly in rural areas, it is a question I am often asked and I have always responded that my favourite bird is the weka.  I have always been impressed by the weka's curiosity and attitude.  It is one of the characters of the New Zealand bush and tales of them running off with shiny items are part of our folklore.

I am sure that the weka's indomitable attitude will no doubt be seen in the activities of this trust-minus the theft of shiny objects I'm sure!

So in conclusion, and as Governor-General, it gives me great pleasure to officially launch the Chatham Heritage and Restoration Trust.

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