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Thank you to Mr Murray Kendrik, the Principal, Strathmore School, for your welcome to me this morning.

I acknowledge His Worship the Mayor; Neil Sinclair, and my colleague, Louise Upston, the MP for Taupo. And I am delighted to see such a large crowd here today, whanau, parents, health providers, local organisations – all here for such an important kaupapa.

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā hau e whā. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Good afternoon - thank you for inviting me to speak to you today.

I just want to start by acknowledging the work of the PPTA, particularly your president Robin Duff. Robin and I have enjoyed a constructive working relationship over the last 12 months, which has given the PPTA a strong voice.

I also want to praise the entire education sector in Canterbury for the way you all responded to the devastating earthquakes.

I want to firstly acknowledge Dr Amritha Sobrun-Maharaj, the Director of the Centre for Asian and Ethnic Minority Health Research, for the opportunity – and the honour – of being invited to launch a centre of such significance.

It is fitting that this event, which is both a rebranding and a relaunching, is located here at the School of Population Health at the Tamaki Innovation Campus.

Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you this afternoon as part of Mental Health Awareness Week. 

The theme for today’s seminar is 'The Great Push: Investing in Mental Health'.

In New Zealand there was a 'Great Change' in the way we delivered mental health services, before the “Great Push” to invest in mental health began.

Welcome guests and welcome to The Cloud.

The Cloud showcases New Zealand’s creativity and innovation – it’s a national centre showcasing everything that New Zealand does well.

The Rugby World Cup has provided a great vehicle for New Zealand to present itself to the world. We’ve warmly welcomed the tens of thousands of visitors here for the tournament and 95,000 are expected to visit in total.

Thank you for the warm welcome. It’s a privilege to be here today to open the Connect Conference.

Today we mark Connect’s “coming of age” since its formation 21 years ago by celebrating the mental health and addiction sector’s journey of growth and development over the same period.

 We do things differently now than we did 21 years ago.

 21 years ago most people with a severe mental illness lived in large psychiatric hospitals, often located in remote areas - hidden away from society.

Fifteen years ago, following the formation of the first National-led coalition under MMP, three members of Parliament were invited by Ngati Hine to Otiria Marae. Each member was presented with a gift. Two of the gifts were weapons of war, one was a waka huia. The three members were Rt Hon Winston Peters, Hon Tau Henare and myself. There is no prize for guessing who received the waka huia.

The kaumatua told me to fill this treasure box with those things I most valued from my Parliamentary life. So, what are they?

Kia ora huihui tatou katoa

Can I start by acknowledging your president Helen Atkins, the other speakers, and members of the Resource Management Law Association.

There are four dimensions I want to cover this morning regarding resource management law.

First up, I want to set the scene on why it matters and the context of our RMA reforms in the broader environment and economic policies of this Government.

Second, I want to review progress on our first phase of resource management changes and the results of the 2010/11 RMA report on Council performance.

As I was driving into town today I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be great to see a ‘Welcome to Te Kuiti’ sign based on the statement on the inside cover of the Te Kuiti Action Plan.

Just imagine if every bus, every car, every motorbike, every truck that roared into town was greeted by the words; “Welcome to a vibrant, inclusive, unifed community that young people are proud to be part of and contribute to”.

I am so proud to be here; to be able to bask in the collective satisfaction that comes with the ethos of success that we are celebrating tonight.

There is nothing quite as uplifting as the sensation of achievement.

Tonight we are gathered to pay tribute to outstanding accomplishments of our students who are receiving honours in the John McLeod Awards and the Te Apa Mareikura category.

But before I talk about these students, I want to acknowledge the High Five who provided the inspiration and the foundation for this award ceremony tonight.

Mr Speaker,

I have been surprised by some of the reaction I have had to my decision to retire. All sorts of motivations have been ascribed to my decision.

One of my cabinet colleagues – who is always concerned about how these sorts of things look for the Government – was keen to spread the rumour that the real reason could be traced to the existence of a series of incriminating photographs.

I was alarmed at the speed at which Murray McCully was able to invent such a scenario.

Good afternoon.

It's great to be here.

And it’s a pleasure to officially open Lower Queen Street Health.

This is a significant event – not just because this is a new and innovative medical centre for Richmond - but also because Lower Queen Street Health represents a future of primary health care for New Zealanders.

When I am working in my electorate, or around the country holding public meetings or talking to people in the street, I hear stories that show where the public health service can improve further.

Good morning.

I am honoured to be with you today as we honour serving Police officers who have given their lives in the course of the duty, and remember all members of Police, serving and retired, constabular and employees, who have died in the past year.

On this day of remembrance, I would like to very briefly acknowledge Lance Corporal Leon Smith who was killed in action in Afghanistan yesterday morning.

The risks facing our soldiers in the pursuit of freedom is something we all recognise.

Good afternoon and thank you for your kind welcome to this magnificent vessel.  It’s an honour and a privilege to be aboard and I thank Lieutenant Commander Simon Griffiths for his hospitality.

I also acknowledge Rear Admiral Tony Parr and Commodore John Martin – as well as all the Navy and Fisheries staff responsible for the extremely successful Operation ZODIAC.

The operation was a superb example of collaborative interagency work protecting our wider fisheries interests in terms of the important international support we can offer.

As we pause to remember those who have gone before us, we think foremost of your tupuna Mokomoko – arrested, tried, convicted and executed by the Crown for his alleged involvement in the murder of Reverend Carl Sylvius Volkner.

Your journey to have appropriate recognition of his pardon, and the stigma and shame removed from his uri, has been a long one.

Today we take one further small step along that journey.

Good evening. It’s a pleasure to be here to celebrate the work of our Antarctic science community as your International Polar Year projects come to a close.

I’d like to congratulate you all on your collaborative approach towards the IPY programme both across government and as researchers.

Kia ora and good morning.

It’s a pleasure to be with you today to open this Drug Treatment Unit – the ninth such unit operating out of New Zealand prisons.

I would like to make a special welcome today to CareNZ Chief Executive Tim Harding and his team.

Tim, your organisation has long affiliations with the Department of Corrections.

You have been running most of the Department’s Drug Treatment Units for almost 15 years.

Today we celebrate another milestone in this partnership.

Mr Speaker, I move that the Video Surveillance (Temporary Measures) Bill be now read a first time.

Speech notes prepared for 2011 AUT University Faculty of Health and Environmental Science’s Dean’s Public Lecture Series

Professor Abbott, Vice-Chancellor McCormack, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you for the invitation to be part of AUT University’s 2011 Faculty of Health and Environmental Science’s Dean’s Public Lecture Series.

Thank you for inviting me to the launch of your home safety flipchart.

This is important information that will support Napier’s older people to live safely and confidently in the community.

You have had a number of partners in developing this resource and there is no doubt that a job shared is a job well done. This flipchart is an excellent example of what agencies can do when they work together in partnership.

E nga mana e nga reo, koutou kua huihui mai nei, ka nui taku mihi ki a koutou.

Te Atiawa, tena koutou katoa.

I am so proud to greet everyone today; on this most auspicious occasion.

I want to acknowledge the presence of David Rutherford, the new Chief Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission; Commissioners Dr Judy McGregor, Jeremy Pope and Richard Tankersley.

I thank our interpreters, Wenda Walton and Alan Wendt for helping to support this event.

I am so pleased to welcome everyone here today to this very important moment.

The intersection between trade and climate change is a large and open policy space. I want to concentrate today on a helicopter view of the two sets of formal negotiations, one in the WTO and the other in the UN setting of the UNFCCC.

I am, one could say, going back to school here: "compare and contrast the two multilateral economic negotiations in trade and climate change". However, before doing so, let me start with a few comments on some specific examples of work New Zealand is doing in this joined-up policy space with Latin American countries.

Tuatahi me mihi atu au ki a koutou kua huihui mai nei, te reo o te kaikaranga, nga kaikorero o te paepae, me nga manu tioriori me te hunga kua huihui mai.

Tuarua, me tukuna au aku mihi ki a Tuheitia me te Kahui Ariki e noho mai ra ki Waahi i raro i te kapua pouri. Haere atu koe Whatumoana.

Ratou ki a ratou, tatou ki a tatou, tena koutou, tena koutou.

I have a very good feeling about being here today.

In 2005 I had the privilege of launching the Tipu Ora National Certificate in Hauora at Houmaitawhiti Marae in Rotorua.

E nga mana e nga reo, koutou kua huihui mai nei, ka nui taku mihi ki a koutou.

Tuheitia, me te Kahui Ariki, e noho mai nei ki Turangawaewae, tena koe, tena koutou.

Waikato-taniwha-rau
He piko, he taniwha
He piko, he taniwha

I greet you today, as uri of Whanganui – a descendant of te awa tupua.

Our rivers connect us to a common whakapapa; our stories link us forever, in the journey we make as whanau; every bend reminding us and inspiring us to cherish the leadership within.