Race Relations Day

May 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 afternoon (Sign)
May I specifically greet you: Hon Pansy Wong, Minister of Ethnic Affairs; Mervan Singham, Director of the Office of Ethnic Affairs; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.

Thank you for accepting the invitation from my wife Susan and I to attend this reception to mark Race Relations Day 2009.

That New Zealand has become a substantially diverse nation-culturally, ethnically and religiously-is self-evident from the people at this reception.  The 2006 Census, for example, showed that more than 22 percent of New Zealanders were born overseas, a significant increase on five years earlier.

To see that growing diversity in action one only has to look at the Parliament elected at last year's General Election.  Thirty-one of the 122 MPs, about a quarter, are of either Māori, Pacific or Asian descent and five are Ministers. 

In contrast, 30 years ago after the 1978 Election, just seven of the 92 MPs were of Māori descent-one of whom was a Minister-and there were no MPs of Pacific or Asian ancestry at all.  Indeed all but four MPs, Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan, Marilyn Waring, Ann Hercus and Mary Batchelor were men to boot.

Our Parliament is not only a House of Representatives but a House that increasingly can be said to represent New Zealand's ethnic diversity.

Like the change in our Parliament, all this change has occurred in a relatively short space of time.  And there is no sign of this rate of change abating with Statistics New Zealand predicting an even more diverse makeup in 20 years' time.

In looking at race relations, it is perhaps inevitable that it is the negatives that often stick in the mind.  There have been inflammatory comments and controversies. There have been, sadly, racist-inspired attacks and even more tragically, some deaths.  

Those events and tragedies should never be minimised.  They should always give us pause to reflect and to redouble efforts to promote, not only tolerance, but also understanding of those who are different from ourselves.
 
But the negatives should not be overstated either.   It is of the nature of the Governor-General role that my wife Susan and I have been privileged to see New Zealand and New Zealanders at their best.

In just over two-and-a-half years, we have visited a host of different community organisations and events from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island and from the Chatham Islands to the West Coast.  We have seen New Zealanders from all walks of life, young and old, and different cultural and religious groups working together. 

Waitangi Day this year, for example, called for attendance at two significant community events in Auckland, one at Manukau City and the other at Orakei.   What both family events showed was New Zealanders from all ethnic groups, enjoying the sun and celebrating our national day.

Likewise, we have seen how all New Zealanders have embraced cultural festivals such as the Indian Diwali and the Chinese New Year.

So I was pleasantly surprised when I was advised that the theme for this year's Race Relations Day would be "People in your neighbourhood."  A year ago, I made the following comments to the National Interfaith Forum:

"While forums such as this are an important first step, barriers will only be broken down if people communicate at a community and neighbourhood level. By talking over the fence or over a meal or by watching sport together is how we get to know others.  By talking about everyday things-parenting, schooling, paying the mortgage and working lives-we often find we have much in common with those who initially seem so alien. Let the weighty discussions come later when that fundamental human base is established.  When it is, even greater understanding will develop."

So how do we get those discussions going?  At the beginning of this year, I issued my first New Year message.  In that message I urged all New Zealanders to become engaged in their communities and in particular to become involved with voluntary organisations. I noted that these organisations provided the "glue" that holds our society together, giving it strength and resilience.

But I am increasingly convinced that they offer much more.  I believe that the key to getting cross-cultural discussions going is to get more people involved with broad-based community, voluntary and sporting groups.

It is by volunteering their time and skills to such organisations, people get to meet, talk and make friends with others outside their normal social circle.  

Multicultural festivals and exhibitions all have their place and are great fun.  But like an exhibit in a glass case in a museum, they are something removed from everyday experiences.

But when the person across the dinner table is a friend from a different ethnic or cultural group, that is when it is real.  I suspect real cross-cultural communication occurs when it is almost incidental to the conversation rather than being its major focus.

In conclusion, I remain increasingly optimistic about race relations in our country.  New Zealand and New Zealanders have absorbed the sea change in our nation's cultural and ethnic makeup that is in turn transforming, enriching and strengthening our country.  As New Zealand historian, the late Dr Michael King noted in the last paragraph of his Penguin History of New Zealand:

"...most New Zealanders, whatever their cultural backgrounds, are good-hearted, practical, commensical and tolerant.  Those qualities are part of the national cultural capital that has in the past saved the country from the worst excesses of chauvinism and racism seen in other parts of the world.  They are as sound a basis as any for optimism about the country's future."

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.