Christchurch Club Dinner

May I begin by greeting everyone 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 evening (Sign)

May I specifically greet you: Tony Hughes-Johnson QC, Club President; Mrs Miranda Hales, Chair of the Women's Committee; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank you for inviting my wife Susan and me to attend this formal dinner of the historic and cherished Christchurch Club this evening.

It is an honour to speak to the Club this evening and to follow a tradition of Governor-General's so doing.  I would like to take this opportunity to talk a little about what is involved in the 21^st century sense in the role and activities since Susan and I took up residence in Government House in August 2006.

The first 18 months has been many things—an honour and privilege, a learning curve and a mixture of exhilaration and anxiety and the ever present challenge of fitting it all in.  As one versed in the law and administration, the niceties of our particular constitutional setup are matters of at least nearby knowledge, but doing the job makes one realise everything that is involved and its essential simplicity.  From the first piece of legislation to give Governor-General assent to, the Coroners Act 2006, I have signed many pieces of legislation and presided over weekly meetings of the Executive Council following Cabinet. 

I have also had the singular experience of signing into law the largest piece of legislation ever passed by our Parliament, which you will probably not be surprised to find was the Income Tax Act 2007, which was no fewer than 2,855 pages long!  The Minister of Revenue assured me that whilst there was a lot of white space, it was better worded and that it repealed an even larger amount of incomprehensible law.

Barring a constitutional crisis—which thankfully no New Zealand Governor-General has had to deal with—the only remaining duty will be appoint a Prime Minister after this year's General Election and then to preside over the opening of a new Parliament.

In the last year and a half, Susan and I have, with the exception of the Ross Dependency, had the opportunity to visit almost all parts of New Zealand and its wider Realm, including Tokelau, Niue and the Cook Islands.  We have also visited Samoa twice, to attend the funeral of the Head of State, and later for a formal State Visit.  We have just returned from a State Visit to Australia, where we met the Australian Governor-General, Major-General Michael Jeffery and Mrs Marlena Jeffery, and the new Australian Prime Minister, Hon Kevin Rudd.

We have also visited Belgium, to attend the European commemorations of the 90th anniversary of the third Battle of Passchendaele.  I recall a particularly eerie moment when, in the middle of a minute's silence, an owl hooted.  It really is such a privilege to do a job such as this.

We have welcomed many more than a dozen Heads of State to New Zealand with formal welcomes at the Government Houses in Wellington or Auckland and have accepted the credentials of many new Ambassadors and High Commissioners.  I have opened new offices and buildings for many schools and worthy charities and the touring throughout New Zealand has meant meeting people from many walks of contemporary life.  I am beginning to lose count of the number of trees I have planted but I am sure that by the end of my term, I will have a fair bit to ameliorate climate change!

Investiture ceremonies have been a particular delight as they are an opportunity to recognise in public the achievements of New Zealanders in fields as diverse as sport, science, business, education, the law, and public and community service.  A particular highlight was that of investing Corporal Willie Apiata with the first Victoria Cross for New Zealand in July last year.

In a solid list of spoken contributions, I have continued to stress some key themes—the opportunities and challenges of our nation's increasing diversity; the benefits of community engagement; the importance of civics education and promoting excellence.

In my previous careers, as a lawyer, judge and ombudsman, I was often involved in resolving inherently negative matters.  As a lawyer it was either prosecuting or defending someone accused of a criminal offence.  As a judge, presiding over trials and sentencing those convicted to custodial or other punitive sentences.  As an ombudsman, it was attempting to mediate and resolve complaints between members of the public and local or central governmental agencies.

As Governor-General, another facet of the jewel is exposed when there is the opportunity to see New Zealand and New Zealanders at their best.  There are many wonderfully positive activities occurring in our country and it is to my mind regrettable more of them did not gain coverage in our media in between the stories on crime and mayhem.

I have given this update not, as some might think as an extended 'what I did on my holidays' story, but to demonstrate the breadth of the Office of Governor-General and the unique way in which the role is fulfilled in this country. 

While there are similarities between the New Zealand position and other Governors-General, each I suspect, has developed in particular ways that best suit the local circumstances and needs.  From the appointment of the first New Zealand-born Governor-General Sir Arthur Porritt in 1967 to the first Maori, Sir Paul Reeves in 1985, to the first woman, Dame Catherine Tizard in 1990, and now to my appointment as the first Governor-General of Asian descent, the role, and those who hold office, continues to evolve.

Those changes have varied from symbolic issues, such my predecessor Sir Denis Blundell's decision to abandon the plumed hat that Governors-General had traditionally worn as out of keeping with this country, through to weightier constitutional issues.  There was a time when New Zealand Governors-General were effectively chosen by the British Prime Minister and the name of the appointee was largely a fait accompli.  Now it is a New Zealand Prime Minister who recommends the person Her Majesty should appoint as her personal representative.  Likewise, there was a time when foreign ambassadors would travel to present their New Zealand credentials to the Queen.  Now they travel to New Zealand and present them to me.  In the past, with the exception of visiting the Pacific Islands, Governors-General rarely travelled overseas.  Increasingly, New Zealand Governors-General have travelled abroad, representing all New Zealanders and promoting New Zealand interests to the rest of the world.

It is also worth noting, given that yesterday was Commonwealth Day, the role New Zealand continues to play in the Commonwealth of Nations.

As an association of 53 independent states, the Commonwealth brings together two bill ion people, about 30 percent of the world's population, representing a broad range of religions, cultures, races and traditions.  Among other things, it stresses the need to foster international peace and security; democracy; liberty of the individual and equal rights for all; the importance of eradicating poverty, ignorance and disease; and it opposes all forms of racial discrimination.

New Zealand has played a role in all of these objectives, and particularly in assisting the development of democratic governmental institutions in the Pacific.  These include encouraging institutions such as the Offices of the Auditor-General and of Ombudsmen and the police and courts.

Finally, I would be remiss, if I didn't comment on the significance of this Club, which was founded in 1856, the same year that this city received a Royal Charter establishing it as a city.  And for 148 years it has been based in this elegant heritage building, constructed in 1861 to the design of Benjamin Mountford.

As a long-standing member of other New Zealand clubs, I am keenly aware of the opportunity this place provides to meet with people who share a range of professional, personal and artistic interests.

This is the great value of institutions such as the Christchurch Club. They are forums that nurture reflection and discussion outside of a formal professional environment.

A Club such as this is also valuable in that it reflects not only the people who are its members, but also the physical environment in which it operates. The Club reflects the city's business and civic leaders capacity to engage with part of our country's future.

To close, I will quote some words of the former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kwan Yew, speaking of the qualities of the Singapore Cricket Club. He said:

"Perhaps in this [Cricket Club], we have a symbol of what has been happening in [Singapore]. It cannot stay still but there is an indefinable quality about this Club which no other club can match—it bridges the transformation from what was, to what is, and represents our capacity to meet what will be."  

Replacing the word Singapore with Christchurch and leaving out the word Cricket, one can say, so it is with The Christchurch Club.

Mr President, thank you for your hospitality this evening.  I opened in all the Realm languages and I will close in New Zealand's first language, Maori, by offering greetings and wishing you good health and fortitude in your endeavours. No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.