Opening of the Weltec Student Hub

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 evening and the sun has set [sign]

May I specifically greet you: Peter Preston, the Chair of the Council of the Wellington Institute of Technology or WelTec as it is better known; Dr Linda Sissons, the Chief Executive of WelTec and your deputy Neil Carroll; Therese Keil, President of the WelTec Students' Association; Denford McDonald, former Council Chair and Chair of the Student Hub project steering group; Architect Neil Kemp; Weltec staff and students;  Hon Trevor Mallard Member of Parliament for this area, Distinguished guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am delighted to be with you today to open the new Weltec 'Student Hub'.

It is surely a very different place from the rather sombre student facilities I studied and relaxed in when first a student at the University of Auckland in the early 1960s.

In those days the library and the cafeteria were completely separate entities. The library (both general and law) were hallowed places; in which you were not supposed to talk.  The cafeteria was a place where too much talk -often too tall took place -especially that accompanying card playing and other activities there.

Here by comparison in the Student Hub, Weltec has brought library and cafeteria together. It's like crossing a study with a living room - and appropriately the Students' Association has its space here too.

This sort of innovation on the part of Weltec is not particularly surprising—because this institution has become known far beyond its boundary for the way in which it brings things together.

I am advised, for example, that this is the only institute in New Zealand which teaches every trade that takes part in making a building—as well as many other subjects.

But it also makes a point of bringing together trades skills and artistic principles - and making sure it gives its graduates the professional skills that they need to possess to be able to run successful businesses.

The old division between "trades" and "professions" is gone - and this is made clear in Weltec's recent adoption of the slogan 'The New Professionals'. 

The joining up of trade and professional skills with artistic endeavour is a very important aspect of a number of New Zealand's most successful enterprises today.

One of the best examples is from the Wellington region —in the association between the film maker Peter Jackson and super modeller Richard Taylor of Weta Workshop and Weta Digital.

Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor have brought together creativity and practicality in the making of a string of successful movies—including, of course, Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Their professional skills are no less important than their artistic and mechanical ones. They are entrepreneurs and employers as well as Academy Award-winning artists. They are 'the new professionals'.

This simple but elegant 'Student hub' is certainly what can be described as a 'user friendly' space in which to make plans for a successful future - and I believe that it is already being well used by students. 

I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Weltec Students Association for its magnificent fundraising effort for this new building.  I am told that the association has contributed $780,000 towards the cost of the Student Hub.

I would also like to make particular mention of former Council chair, Denford McDonald, who is present and who as chair of the steering committee, has been a driving force for this project.

I now declare this building open and I would like to wish the students of today and the future well in their studies here.

And on the note I have struck of admiration as well as respect combined with anticipation of a bright future, I would like to close by offering greetings and wishing everyone good health and fortitude in your endeavours and in New Zealand's first language - Maori: No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.