State Banquet in Finland

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I greet you: Your Excellencies, President Tarja Halonen, President of the Republic of Finland and Dr Pentti Arajärvi; Your Excellency, Mrs Maja Lahteenmaki, Ambassador for Finland to New Zealand; Your Excellency Mr George Troup, Ambassador for New Zealand to Finland; Distinguished Guests otherwise, Ladies and Gentlemen. 

I begin with the New Zealand Māori greeting, "Kia Ora" and in the context of this evening’s dinner may I add the following: Hyvaa tita. Kiitoksia ystävällisestä tervetulosta  (“Thank you for the friendly welcome”)

Your Excellencies, first, Susan and I are honoured to be received as your guests.  We were delighted to welcome you both to New Zealand in February 2007 with a State Dinner at Government House.  A noteworthy photograph of you both at that occasion sits on a grand piano in the drawing room in the House.

It is now our turn to say how warmly we have been welcomed to Finland and how much we are enjoying the opportunity to visit here a formal capacity. 

At the outset, Your Excellency, I would like to thank you for your heartfelt and immediate letter of condolences regarding the tragic loss of life and destruction wrought by the earthquake that struck Christchurch on 22 February.  All New Zealanders have appreciated the widespread international support we received on such a dark day in our history.

Your Excellencies, despite the geographic distance that separates New Zealand and Finland, the relationship between our two countries is marked by warmth and co-operation and a commitment to democratic values.  It is a relationship, though, that has considerable potential for growth.

New Zealand greatly values the very friendly and co-operative relations it has with Finland.  Along with your Nordic neighbours, Finland has similar views to New Zealand on many international issues and there is record of a high level of co-operation and sharing of information.
Finland is of interest to New Zealand for many reasons.  As a leading agricultural exporter, New Zealand admires how Finland, has transformed itself from an agriculturally-focused economy into one that also includes a strong emphasis on innovation, technology and design where the emphasis is on export of quality commodities. 

On the international stage, as a small developed country, Finland, like New Zealand, takes a strong multilateral approach to global security and is an active member of the international community.  Our two countries have often adopted similar positions on many issues and our respective contributions in Afghanistan is an area of increasing engagement as we share perspectives and experiences as small, non-NATO contributors to the international stabilisation force.

The last 15 years have seen a series of reciprocal ministerial, parliamentary and governmental visits that have significantly strengthened ties.  Earlier this year, the Chief Executive of New Zealand’s Ministry of Science and Innovation, Murray Bain, led a delegation to Finland, and Minister of Education, Hon Anne Tolley, visited in 2009.  These connections have followed recent visits by your Parliamentary Audit Committee and your Minister of Social Affairs, Liisa Hyssälä, in 2009.

These links at the ministerial and parliamentary level have been matched by a growing number of connections between businesses, universities and in people-to-people contacts, some of them dating back many years.

Finns, for example, were instrumental in the establishment of New Zealand’s pulp and paper industry in the 1950s and 1960s and the work of the renowned New Zealand running coach, the late Arthur Lydiard, who lived here in the late 1960s, is generally acknowledged to have contributed to the success of Finnish distance runners in the 1970s.

On the other side of the ledger, and more recently, Finns continue to be prominent in New Zealand cultural life.  As Patron of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, I have had the pleasure of meeting, with Susan, the Conductor and Musical Director, Mr Pietari Inkinen and Concert Master Mr Vesa-Matti Leppänen.  Their work has enhanced connections between the orchestra and Europe, as well ensuring the ever popular works of Sibelius feature more prominently in the orchestra’s repertoire.  On Air New Zealand flights, one of the items in the clasical repertorie is a collection of the music of Sibelius.

For younger people, the successful working holiday scheme and a number of high school exchange programmes, have give them the opportunity to experience living in another country.  I understand that since its implementation, almost 1200 young Finns have made use of the scheme to work in New Zealand.  We would, of course, like to see more New Zealanders travel to Finland, but recognise that the language barrier may provide a significant hurdle.

If communication has ever been a barrier, without doubt no country has done more to aid this endeavour with its successful communication technology industries than Finland.  There would be few people in New Zealand, myself included, who have not owned or used a Nokia mobile phone.

There are already a number of linkages between our two countries that seek to build on these capabilities.  Two New Zealand universities, the University of Otago and the Victoria University of Wellington, have established formal student exchange programmes with parts of Aalto University whilst Weta Workshop, which was involved in the award-winning Lord of the Rings movies, has a relationship with the Aalto design school.  This occurred, Madame President, after your 2007 visit when you met Sir Richard Taylor, the Workshop founder.

Your Excellencies, in conclusion, New Zealand’s relationship with Finland is warm and friendly with a growing number of connections, first, between our governments, then between our people and our research and education sectors.   There remains, however, potential for more enhanced connections in trade, tourism, research, technology and other sectors as well. 

Your Excellencies, thank you again for your generous hospitality this evening.  We thank you and the Government of Finland for making possible this opportunity for us to learn more about Finland and its people, and to foster the ties of friendship between us.

And on that note, I seek to close in New Zealand's first language Māori, offering greetings and wishing everyone good health and fortitude in your endeavours.  No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.