E ngā rau rangatira mā, e kui mā, e koro mā, e huihui mai nei i tēnei wā, tēnei aku mihi māhana ki a koutou. Nau mai, haere mai rā ki Te Whare o te Kawana Tinara o Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
I wish to begin by specifically acknowledging: Lorna Ingram, Kaiwhakahaere Matua of Community Research; Dr Brendan Stevenson and Dr Arpita Das, Co-Chairs; Kura Moeahu, Kaumātua; Atawhai Tibble, Master of Ceremonies.
And of course, award recipients and your whānau – tēnā koutou katoa.
I am delighted to be hosting these awards here this afternoon, and to acknowledge and thank you for your association with Tangata Whenua Community and Voluntary Research – whether it be as kaitiaki, kaimahi, researchers, and supporters – or as partners, community leaders, and collaborators.
As it happens, your kaupapa very much resonates with my own personal research experience. Like you, I know that knowledge doesn’t just exist in institutions. It lives also within our communities, through our connections with each other, and within the collective wisdom of ages. I appreciate your focus on amplifying voices that are too often left unheard. By listening to those voices, and acting on what we learn, we can create a more inclusive, equitable society in Aotearoa.
Having spent my own career across academia and the public service, while maintaining deep connections with communities, I also feel strongly about the importance of utmost academic rigour and the uncompromising pursuit of excellence in the quality and uptake of research – the kind of excellence we celebrate here this afternoon.
Early in my career, I grew aware that the experiences, knowledge, and aspirations of tangata whenua – and indeed many tangata tiriti communities – were often overlooked during public decision-making processes in Aotearoa. Inevitably, this absence led to a partial understanding – at best – of the issues they face – as well as mismatched solutions and predictably poor outcomes.
As a young researcher, I was motivated to do what I could to open the door to social and cultural perspectives that had been traditionally misunderstood or ignored. I wasn’t the only person motivated to go down that path, and I sensed an exciting momentum for change.
My research career would eventually take me to the role of Chief Executive of the Royal Society – where I saw research applications growing in diversity and strength. It was gratifying to witness that shift, and I am confident your research hub has played a role in making it possible.
The saying ‘knowledge is power’ aptly describes community research, where communities are empowered to be co-leaders in decisions about how that research is undertaken, what information is collected, how it is collected, and what is released. That knowledge informs and strengthens the community’s response to the issues at hand.
By making those findings accessible on the Community Research hub – and through your public submissions, webinars, and podcasts – you are also empowering others in the sector, and creating a greater sense of whanaungatanga.
In these uncertain times, when we are facing so many stresses and challenges, there is even greater need to understand the lived experiences of New Zealanders, and the pressures on the natural world that sustains us.
Today, we are celebrating the talent of researchers who are taking on that challenge. To all of the winners of today’s awards, I want to thank you for your commitment and effort, and to congratulate you on your outstanding achievements. Your curiosity, commitment to excellence, and connections to your communities will help to bring about meaningful change. I wish you every success on your research journeys, and trust that you, in your turn, will take your place as wise and generous mentors to community researchers of the future.
Confucius reminds us that: ‘Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance’. There is always so much more to know and understand, and hence the glorious search for knowledge continues unabated – building on what has gone before – in a collective effort to improve the wellbeing of our people and the planet, and to ensure a decent life for all.
Thank you all for what you do to acknowledge where there is ignorance, to be rigorous and relentless in your search for knowledge, and to help ensure that our decisions are informed, just, and equitable.
Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.