E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e karangatanga mā, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou kātoa. Mālō e lelei.
I wish to begin by acknowledging: Their Majesties, King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u; Their Royal Highnesses, Crown Prince Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala and Crown Princess Sinaitakala; Members of the Royal Family; Prime Minister, Lord Speaker, Cabinet Ministers, Nobles of the Realm, and Members of the Legislative Chamber; Distinguished foreign dignitaries, Your Excellency, Mr Matthew Howell, New Zealand High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga; and members of the diplomatic corps and the clergy.
And to all distinguished guests in attendance here this evening – tēnā koutou katoa.
I wish to extend my warmest congratulations to the Tongan people on marking the 150th anniversary of your Constitution, and the founding of the modern Kingdom of Tonga.
As Governor-General, I am also honoured to be here to celebrate 55 years of formal diplomatic relations between Tonga and New Zealand. Of course, our relationship long predates this milestone in 1970, and finds its origins in our shared Polynesian whakapapa. It is a friendship that has endured through times of crisis and need; that thrives across the areas of trade, defence, education, religion, and sport; and that is embodied by those most precious bonds of family which span our two countries.
As close friends, we are always ready to support each other, as we’ve seen so many times through shared humanitarian and disaster responses. On that note, I wish to specifically acknowledge the generous support that Tonga provided to New Zealand following the Christchurch earthquakes.
New Zealand’s presence in Tonga continues to expand, with New Zealand government agencies and NGOs partnering with Tongan organisations on large-scale projects, such as the building of the new Parliament building – as well as initiatives as wide-ranging as the preservation of traditional arts and languages, beekeeping, and volcanology.
I know that New Zealand’s work has always been about supporting Tonga to identify your priorities, to build capacity, and to support growth. I am confident that our ongoing work together will help us both to meet our shared regional and global challenges.
I understand that our bilateral relationship is guided by the Statement of Partnership which sets out the principles and priorities for our work together. It reflects our shared Polynesian worldview and commitment to the values of respect, reciprocity, and humility.
New Zealand is proud of the history, the strength, and the depth of our relationship with Tonga, and all that we’ve achieved together. I am confident we will continue to foster and strengthen this very special relationship.
My sincerest thanks once again to Your Royal Highnesses, and the Government and people of Tonga, for the very warm welcome that you’ve extended to me, my husband Dr Davies, and my delegation. As Governor-General, on behalf of all New Zealanders, I wish you all the very best for your future.
Mālō ‘aupito. Tēnā tātou kātoa.
May I conclude by offering a toast: to 55 years of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and the Kingdom of Tonga.