Chinese New Year Gala Ball

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 specifically greet you: Allan Ding, President of the Rotary Club of Auckland Harbourside, and your wife, Christine; Donald Sew Hoy, Chinese New Year Project Leader, and your wife, Jennie; David Wong, Chinese New Year Project Co-ordinator and your wife, Helen; beginner of this Chinese New Year Club project Judy Cheong; members of the Rotary Club of Auckland Harbourside; Charter President, Mike Jaduram and your wife, Savita; sponsors and supporters of the club; Distinguished guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.  May I add, because of the time of the year Kung hei fat choi as well as saying Ni hao and Namaste.

It has been a great pleasure for my wife Susan and I to accept the invitation to attend this Chinese New Year Gala Ball.

It is always a pleasure for us to be able to encounter Rotary groups, and we have had many connections with a number of clubs in various parts of New Zealand since taking on the Governor-General role in August 2006.

For a number of years in the 90s and early 2000s, I was a foot soldier member of the Rotary Club of Wellington, and have since kept a remote association as an honorary member.  Indeed, I had joined that escalator of heading towards being RCW President that will be well known to Presidents in your Club, like Kai Luey and Chris Booth, when the prospect of another role emerged!  There was more than one friendly murmur in the Rotary Club of Wellington that a significant reason in accepting the role of Governor-General was to avoid what some respectfully regarded as the weightier position of Club President!

But that is to jest! For ninety years now Rotarians have been enhancing New Zealand society with a characteristic blend of fellowship and community service.

I am told that Rotary membership in New Zealand is one of the highest per capita in the world.  While the uncharitable might say this is an expression of New Zealanders’ love of forming committees, I think it also reflects a willingness to combine, roll up our sleeves, and to become involved with projects that help others.

The projects into which Rotary clubs have collectively put their muscle, and mind power, in this country are legion.  It is hard to imagine New Zealand without CCS, the Asthma Society, Riding for the Disabled, the Kidney Society, and Cure Kids. These organisations and many more, were started or have been strongly supported by the initiative of Rotary clubs.  This Club, I know, has supported Starship Auckland, Polio Plus, and a number of specific things in Pacific countries like Fiji, and Samoa - for example the water supply project in Samoa with which you, Gillian Cossey, have been involved.

I note that the proceeds from tonight’s event will be going to the Breast Cancer Research Trust.  It is a worthy choice, funding research into a cure for breast cancer.  New Zealand has one of the higher rates of incidence and the third highest death rate from breast cancer in the western world. The Trust has set itself the ambitious target of 2018 to find such a cure.

The Rotary Club of Auckland Harbourside holds a well known reputation of multicultural contribution with significant numbers of Pakeha, Indian and Chinese people reflected in the celebration of things like, Chinese New Year and Diwali.

This diversity points to New Zealand’s growing ethnic, cultural and religious diversity, a nation where almost a quarter of New Zealanders were born overseas. Indeed, New Zealanders of Chinese and Indian descent number more than 250,000 and form the largest two groupings in our nation’s Asian diaspora.

That tapestry of cultures is particularly marked here in Auckland, which is New Zealand’s most ethnically diverse region.  The last census found that more than 44 percent of Aucklanders are of Asian, Pacific or Māori ancestry and it seems likely that this year’s census, already being advertised on television, will confirm that growing diversity of New Zealand’s largest city.

This matter of diversity of heritage is something that I share and Susan shares.  I have grandparents from India and parents from Fiji and Susan has grandparents from Britain and one parent from Australia.

Everyone in this club, and indeed all New Zealanders, whatever their ethnic background, have a journey in their ‘whakapapa’.  As the late Dr Michael King put it: “In a country inhabited for a mere one thousand years, everybody is an immigrant or a descendent of an immigrant.”

When Donald Sew Hoy’s letter arrived asking me to come to this event to mark the Chinese New Year, I reflected that his surname is one of a migrant family that has been respected in New Zealand for well more than a century, particularly in Dunedin.

A hallmark of Rotary is that of giving back to the community.  That matter stands alongside the tradition and fellowship of service.  Crawford McCullough, a Canadian, was International President at a time when the first Rotary clubs were being formed in New Zealand in 1921.  He once said:

“There is nothing intangible about Rotary: It is reality itself. To give is to receive; to lose oneself is to find oneself; to be happy is to serve. These are old truths…for the individual…and the mass, whether application be in the exchange of goods,
toil, knowledge, or love.”

Tonight, we mark the beginning of the new Chinese year.  2011 is the Year of the Rabbit, the fourth sign in the Chinese Zodiac.  It is said to be one of its most lucky, so let us all hope that those wishes come true.

I make no claim to be an expert upon Chinese astrology, but I understand that “Rabbit years” and people born under its sign can be expected to be “quiet, positive and inspiring” and that “family, diplomacy and personal development” are expected to be highlighted in this year.

These are qualities to which we can all aspire, whether or not we were born in the Year of the Rabbit, and so it gives me great pleasure to wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year.

And on that note I will close in New Zealand’s first language Māori, by 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.