Speech
Cook Islands: Dinner hosted by the Governor-General
I greet you 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 (Sign)
May I specifically greet you: Sir Frederick Goodwin, Queen's Representative, and Lady Ina Goodwin; and to you the Hon Jim Marurai; Prime Minister; and you, the Hon Mapu Taia; Speaker of Parliament; the Hon Wilkie Rasmussen, the Hon Mrs Ngaumau Munokoa and the Hon Kete Koane, Cabinet Ministers; and to you Mr Tom Marsters, Leader of the Opposition; Members of the Judiciary; friends of old like Iaveta Short, colleagues of more recent times such as Andrew Turua; Your Excellency John Bryan, New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, community leaders; distinguished guests otherwise; ladies and gentlemen. Kia Orana to you all.
It is with pleasure that Susan and I host this dinner tonight before we return to New Zealand tomorrow morning.
We will return to Aotearoa with many fond memories of our visit to Kuki Airani. While Susan and I have visited this idyllic place before, this first visit as Governor-General has reinforced the warm and strong linkage between New Zealand and the Cook Islands that is founded on a close cultural foundation.
The key to that is through people. Many people from the Cook Islands now live in New Zealand and they have done much to enrich New Zealand's culture, economy and society. Many people from New Zealand do the same.
Those links were made particularly clear when the Queen's Representative Sir Frederick and Lady Goodwin were with me at the Maori King Tuheita's Koroneihana anniversary celebrations at Turangawaewae Marae earlier this week. A significant number of Polynesian leaders from the Pacific spoke of the cultural linkages between New Zealand and its Pacific neighbours.
There are things of history and common citizenship and currency all of which flow from the special constitutional relationship that New Zealand and the Cook Island enjoy.
At a governmental level, that relationship has been strengthened by a succession of visits by leaders in both directions since the year 2000. Those visits and discussions have been at the highest level, including the Prime Ministers from both New Zealand and the Cook Islands and three previous visits by my predecessors.
Our visit has also highlighted the optimism of the Cook Islands. Underpinned by sustained growth in tourism, the Cook Islands appear to be making good economic progress after the damage wrought by the 2005 cyclones. The strength of the tourism sector was evident when we visited Aitutaki earlier today and met the Mayor Tai "Tango" Herrmann and community leaders. In the Cook Island way of half a glass being good, we enjoyed a happy, happy day albeit in the teeming rain.
That sense of optimism was also evident in the vibrancy of the traditional welcomes we have received. In the global economy all the world's people now inhabit, it is vital to hold on to tradition, culture and language as you navigate the future.
We have also visited the new premises to be of the Cook Islands Red Cross and the new premises of the Cook Islands Returned Services Association and I was able to pass on messages of support from their New Zealand counterparts. Both organisations play a significant role and new facilities will highlight their strength in the community.
I will now close by noting that this visit, and this evening which you grace, rounds off the first anniversary of my appointment as Governor-General of New Zealand. I could not think of a better way to mark it than to be here in the Cook Islands.
I began speaking in all the New Zealand realm languages. May I close by speaking in New Zealand Maori, issuing greetings and wishing you good health and fortitude in your endeavours.
No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa. And being in the Cook Islands I say: Kia orana and Kia manuia.