Speech
Chinese New Year
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: Hon John Key, Prime Minister and your fellow ministers, and particularly our host, Hon Pansy Wong, Minister of Ethnic Affairs; Hon Phil Goff, Leader of the Opposition; Members of Parliament; Your Excellency, Zhang Limin, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China and fellow members of the Diplomatic Corps; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.
In the context of these celebrations may I add the greetings: Nî hâo and Xīnnián kuà ilè.
Thank you for inviting me to these Chinese New Year celebrations here at Parliament this evening.
The Chinese New Year celebrations are among the most important and ancient of Chinese festivals and are celebrated by Chinese communities around the world.
Like the Indian Diwali Festival, however, the celebrations have also grown to become a celebration of culture and cuisine that is also enjoyed by the wider community - and increasingly so in New Zealand.
This gathering, and many others occurring in a number of parts of New Zealand celebrates the traditions of the Chinese New Year and Chinese culture, and also reflects the contribution of people of Chinese descent to New Zealand.
As one of the many groups that now make up New Zealand's diverse population, there are about 150,000 people of Chinese descent who call New Zealand home. According to historians, the first person of Chinese descent, Wong Ahpoo Hock Ting, arrived in Nelson two years after the Treaty of Waitangi was signed.
Since that time, through a combination of hard work and enterprise, Chinese people have added value to New Zealand's economy and society by their participation in politics, business, the professions and wider society.
Those contributions have varied from dairy industry pioneer Chew Chong to people such as academics Dr Manying Ip and Dr James Ng, lawyer Mai Chen and mayors, Meng Foon of Gisborne and Peter Chin of Dunedin. They also include leading businessman Jonathan Ling and our host, the Hon Pansy Wong as New Zealand's first Cabinet Minister of Asian descent.
The Hon Pansy Wong's appointment to Cabinet less than three months ago is further evidence of the variety of contribution of New Zealanders of Asian origin to our nation's economy, culture, society and governance as well as our nation's growing diversity.
Since her election as New Zealand's first Asian MP in 1996, Mrs Wong has been joined by several other Asian MPs on a number of sides of the House of Representatives.
New Zealand Chinese people have also played a significant role in boosting trade between New Zealand and China. It was through the people-to-people links helped by these people, as well as by Kiwis living in China, that played a key role in New Zealand being the first developed country to secure a Free Trade Agreement with China.
When New Zealand established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1972, I am told that trade volumes between New Zealand and China were just $7 million. Today that figure is over 1,000 times that level, and is still growing in both directions.
2009 is the year of the Ox which, according to legend, was the second animal of 12 to present themselves to the Lord Buddha before he departed the Earth. The Year of the Ox marks two significant dates in recent Chinese history-the establishment of People's Republic of China in 1949 and the handover of Hong Kong in 1997.
It is said that the year of the Ox is a time when prosperity is achieved through sturdy and dependable hard work. Given the difficulties which the economy of the world faces, I am sure that the qualities of those born in the year of the Ox will be much in demand - for us.
And on that note, I will close in New Zealand's first language Maori, by offering everyone greetings and wishing you all good health and fortitude in your endeavours. No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.