Top Scholars

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 morning (Sign).

I then specifically greet you: Minister of the Crown, Hon Anne Tolley, Minister of Education; Members of the Education and Science Select Committee, Jo Goodhew, and Hon Trevor Mallard; Sue Suckling, Chair of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and your fellow board members; Dr Karen Poutasi, Chief Executive of NZQA and your staff; Karen Sewell, Secretary for Education; Dr Roy Sharp, Chief Executive of the Tertiary Education Commission; Julia Davidson, Chair of the New Zealand Secondary Principals' Council;  Deborah James, Executive Director, Independent Schools of New Zealand; Scholarship recipients and your families and friends and whānau; Distinguished Guests otherwise; ladies and gentlemen.

It has been with pleasure that my wife Susan and I have accepted the invitation to be here this morning to attend this year's New Zealand Scholarship Top Scholar Awards here at Parliament.

The Top Scholar Awards recognise the importance of outstanding achievement in education. Every recipient this morning has gained the confidence of educators and has demonstrated commitment, intelligence and curiosity. You are an inspiration to others, and are set to make a significant contribution to our country's future.

I would like to take an opportunity to speak about the importance of education in the 21st century.  As we all know, technology is transforming our lives at an extraordinary rate.  Increasingly we are interacting in a global fashion and there are many challenges that New Zealand needs to be ready to meet.

New Zealand's economic growth and success will depend on having a highly skilled workforce that is able to respond to new technologies, new systems of work, and new ways to deliver products.

A forward-looking society needs people who can look beyond the present, people who can keep one step ahead. Innovation and research are vital for our social and economic prosperity.

New Zealanders are a nation of creative people who have traditionally done things with pieces of number eight wire and who do the same today with good software. That inventiveness was well described by Kevin Roberts, the CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi in the following words

"We were the last to be discovered and the first to see the light. This makes us one of the great experimental cultures. We try things first. Whether it's votes for women, the welfare state or the market economy, powered flight, nuclear physics, anti-nuclearism, biculturalism. First-isms. The New in New Zealand is our reason to exist."

New Zealand is of course the nation that produced Lord Ernest Rutherford, the man who split the atom, and New Zealanders also invented the disposable syringe  and the world's first stamp-vending machine.  New Zealanders have contributed to understanding of the structure of DNA , the nature of galaxies , electronically conductive plastics , and the more prosaic but equally revolutionary whistle used by sports referees.

Today ‘life-long learning' has become an expectation. Being at the leading edge of the knowledge and skills which New Zealand needs to succeed in our fast-changing world is a daunting task. Looking at the talent and energy of all of you here this morning I feel very confident that our future is in good hands.

It is with pleasure then that I congratulate all the award winners; the Premier Award winners and the Top Subject Scholars.

Your achievement has come with perseverance and sweat, and possibly also a few tears and the need to overcome self doubt. It is these qualities that ensure you will make the most of the opportunities that education will continue to provide.

Tradition has it that the Premier Award winners are introduced by the speakers, and I have the pleasant task of talking about Stewart Marshall from Wellington College, Nelson Yuen Sum Lam from St Kentigern College and Joel Lawson from Macleans College. It has been interesting finding out a little more about these three awardees and their range of interests and achievements.

Stewart Marshall and Nelson Yuen Sum Lam were both duxes of their schools. Stewart, the Top Subject Scholar for Mathematics with Calculus, was among the Top 15 in the Eton Press Senior Mathematics Competition and is studying a conjoint Bachelor of Commerce and Administration and Bachelor of Science at Victoria University of Wellington.  Roger Moses, his Headmaster, has spoken of his qualities as a scholar and as a person as follows:- "A very good-natured and pleasant young man, Stewart has top qualities of character and scholarship - is totally responsible, thoroughly reliable...and has a ready willingness to help others."

Nelson, the Top Subject Scholar for Music Studies, has been applauded by his Principal Steve Cole for his "care and concern for other students." Nelson was awarded the Michael Lonsdale Cup for Citizenship and won the "Score it Strange" film scoring competition in 2008. He is studying a conjoint Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Science at the University of Auckland, and aspires to be a composer and conductor.

Joel Lawson, school prefect and academic prefect from Macleans College, aspires to undertake postgraduate research overseas and work in scientific research and development. A recipient of a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, Joel is studying a conjoint Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Science at the University of Auckland. His Principal Byron Bentley has described him as "a well-rounded, personable young man whose academic rigour, service to Macleans College and sporting success all made him a fine role model to his peers."

I know that I will be hearing these and many other of your names in the future as you discover your own paths and roles in our society. I congratulate you all and wish you the very best for the challenges and joys ahead. I will leave you with a thought expressed by the Anglo-American poet and playwright, T.S. Eliot:

"It is in fact a part of the function of education to help us escape, not from our own time-for we are bound by that-but from the intellectual and emotional limitations of our time."

And on what I hope is a satisfactory uplifting and optimistic note, I will close in our country's first language Māori, offering everyone present this morning greetings and wishing everyone all good health and fortitude in your endeavours.  No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.