Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.  It is a great pleasure to be here at the National Library this evening.  This event has special significance for me, as it is my first official engagement as Minister responsible for the National Library. 

I'm delighted to see so many of the diplomatic community here, along with Members of Parliament and members of the arts and literary community.

Poet Laureate Award

The National Library of New Zealand plays an important role in preserving the documentary heritage of our nation and in doing so is ‘charged with enriching the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchange with other nations'. 

For this reason, it is entirely appropriate that the Poet Laureate Award sits here with the National Library, presenting a unique opportunity to acknowledge the value of poetry in our culture, and to recognise the outstanding contribution made by particular individuals in this artform.

The Award also allows us to record the way in which they create their poetry, as well as preserve the works themselves in written, verbal and now digital form. 

For a small country, New Zealand has produced some great poets, whose works have become much loved and well-known both here and internationally. Their writing defines and enriches our country, our culture and heritage.

Just look at some of our past Te Mata Poet Laureates including Hone Tuwhare, Bill Manhire, Elizabeth Smither, Brian Turner, Jenny Bornholdt, and of course, our first Government-appointed Poet Laureate, Michele Leggott. 

I recall in my college days hearing Sam Hunt perform at Waiopehu College in Levin.  He arrived in his old V8, his dog Mistral in tow, and away he went on stage.  I was blown away by his raw energy and powerful prose.  It is great to see poetry being taken to the people.

Thanking Michele and John Buck

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you - Michele - for your enormous contribution to New Zealand poetry and for doing such a great job in building the profile of Poet Laureate amongst New Zealand communities. 

By all accounts, you have been a fantastic Poet Laureate; and have taken poetry to the people - thank you. 

I'd also like to pay special thanks to John Buck, Chairman of Te Mata Estate whose energy and foresight in establishing a New Zealand poet laureate has paved the way for the current programme.  I am sorry that John cannot be here today, but we're very grateful that his wine is here, continuing the strong Te Mata association with the Poet Laureate programme.

Research into arts

While I'm here I'd also like to highlight the results of a study into New Zealanders' attitudes towards and participation in the arts, which was released in April this year by my colleague, Christopher Finlayson, the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage. 

This was the second comprehensive report funded by Creative New Zealand on New Zealanders' attitudes towards the arts, as well as substantive data on attendance and participation trends, following an initial investigation in 2005.

The report showed that more people are taking part in the arts and more New Zealanders see the arts as part of their everyday life, and support the role played by local and central government in making the arts happen in the community. 

It's great to see this trend and to see programmes like the Government-sponsored Poet Laureate Award go from strength to strength. 

In recognising the value of arts and culture in New Zealand this Government has given key artistic and cultural organisations a boost of $10.5 million over the next four years, in the recent Budget round. 

With the current economic situation putting pressure on sponsorship and donations given to arts organisations, this additional funding will help relieve some of that pressure.

Now back to the Poet Laureate Award. On behalf of the Government, I am very pleased to announce the Poet Laureate for 2009 - 2011.

Without, I hope, giving away too much, this very talented poet has been widely published, won numerous awards, and is an accomplished and very popular performer of her poetry.

I am very pleased to announce that our new Poet Laureate for the next two years is Cilla McQueen.

Cilla has published 10 collections of poetry and has won the New Zealand Book Award for poetry three times. Her first collection, Homing In, also won the Jessie MacKay Award.

Cilla has also held the University of Otago Burns' Fellowship, a Fulbright Visiting Writers' Fellowship and in 1991 was awarded the Queen Elizabeth Arts Council Scholarship in Letters in 1992.

Cilla hails from Bluff and I understand her practice of keeping a diary has shaped much of her work. 

I would now like to call on you, Cilla, to come forward and receive this magnificent tokotoko and thereby accept the honour of becoming New Zealand's Poet Laureate for 2009 to 2011.

Congratulations Cilla - we look forward to you taking on the prestigious mantle of Poet Laureate and to continuing the strong tradition of all those poet laureates that have been before you.

Tena koutou katoa.   Thank you.