E nga rau rangatira mā, e huihui mai nei i tēnei po, tēnei aku mihi nunui ki a koutou. Nau mai haere mai ki Te Whare Kawana o Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Kia ora tātou katoa.
I’d like to specifically acknowledge: The Honourable Dr Shane Reti, Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology; The Honourable Erica Stanford, Minister of Education; Distinguished Professor Dame Jane Harding, President of the Royal Society Te Apārangi; Distinguished Professor Geoff Chase, Chair of the Academy; and Professor Jeroen Douwes, Health Research Council representative.
And, of course, to all of tonight’s awards recipients, your friends and families – tēnā koutou katoa.
It’s my pleasure to welcome you all to Government House Wellington for this year’s Royal Society Te Apārangi Research Honours. As I’m sure many of you will know, I served as Chief Executive of the Royal Society prior to becoming Governor-General – and it remains an organisation very close to my heart.
Throughout my life and career, I have worked to expand and promote the importance of expert knowledge – for the wellbeing of tamariki and whānau, and our wider communities: a cause to which I remain committed as Governor-General.
Over my four years in this role, I have been guided by my strategic priorities, namely: taiao – stewardship of the natural world; oranga – wellbeing for all; and kotahitanga – the celebration of diversity and commonality. These priorities are underpinned by a fourth: mōhio – expertise, knowledge, and understanding. I firmly believe that the wellbeing of our communities and our natural environment, and the cohesiveness of our society, are contingent on our ability to better understand ourselves, each other, and the world around us.
It was the British author Hilary Mantel who said: ‘It is the absence of facts that frightens people: the gap you open, into which they pour their fears, fantasies, desires.’
We find ourselves in a moment in human history that can feel increasingly divided and uncertain: when the impulses of intolerance and hate are manifested in terrible global conflicts, and the devastating, irreversible effects of environmental damage are being increasingly felt by those least equipped to respond. However, through our staunch commitment to the pursuit, application, and sharing of knowledge, we uphold the preciousness and fragility of life, and our responsibility to protect it for future generations.
To all of tonight’s winners, may I offer my very warmest congratulations for your groundbreaking research across remarkably diverse fields: from the mechanics of memory formation, to the nuances of Māori dialects. Tonight, you are being recognised as researchers, but I know that you are also teachers, and I wish to acknowledge the work you do to nurture our next generation of thinkers and leaders.
As someone who has spent much of my own life in the exacting world of academia, I wish also to extend my thanks to the whānau and communities who stand behind tonight’s recipients. I know they could not do the work they do without your support.
I wish finally to take this opportunity to acknowledge Distinguished Professor Dame Jane Harding and the Royal Society Te Apārangi, for the work that you do to advocate for researchers and tertiary institutions. I am proud to serve as your Patron.
The whakataukī says: ‘Whaiwhia te kete mātauranga. Fill the basket of knowledge.’ As Governor-General, my very warmest congratulations once again to this evening’s award recipients – for your outstanding contributions to our collective basket – and my thanks once again to all here tonight who support them.
Kia ora, kia kaha, kia manawanui, huihui tātou katoa.