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I am delighted to be in the company of the three wise women of the South – our kuia from Oraka Aparima, Jane Davis; Elizabeth Cunningham, the interim Chair of this inaugural wanaka, and representative of Manawhenua ki Waitaha; and Lisa Tumahai – the funding portfolio holder for Maori – deputy chair of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu and Canterbury DHB.

When we are talking about Maori leadership within Te Waipounamu, these three wahine represent between them, the range of responsibilities and relationships that are so critical to the health and wellbeing of our whanau.

I’d like to thank Mauri Ora Associates for organising this hui and providing us all with a vital opportunity to extend our thinking and our actions around cultural competency in delivering health services.

And I have to say I am really excited by the wide range of specialist areas represented in those attending today’s hui. It is so important that we make the connections and learn from each other in applying our understandings around cultural competence.

Thank you to Professor Smith, and our kaumatua, Beau Haereroa, for laying out the whariki by which our korero today can be held.

This is an extremely important forum and I want to acknowledge the commitment of the Maori Health Committee of the Health Research Council, in hosting this hui; and in providing us all with an opportunity to map health research to Maori health gains.

I am so pleased to be here today, to celebrate your success in receiving the Te Wana quality accreditation for service delivery.

Exactly two years ago, this marae achieved nationwide acclaim when your story featured on Maori Television’s DIY Marae series.

On 8th November 2009 the story of Wairoa Marae screened on the channel, showing some 150 people who got together over four days to lay concrete, bang in nails, pull up the asphalt and lay out a beautiful lawn and gardens.

I am very pleased to open the third linear accelerator at Canterbury DHB in just 18 months.

I know this machine will add considerably to Canterbury's ability to provide a high quality, timely service to people with cancer for the Canterbury region and beyond.

Access to advanced cancer treatments continues to improve for Canterbury patients with the addition of a new Linear Accelerator at Christchurch Hospital that is set to lift treatment capacity by 33 percent.

Delivered by Te Ururoa Flavell, MP for Waiariki on behalf of Minister Turia

I am delighted to be here tonight at these 13th Annual Provider Awards to acknowledge and celebrate each and every one of the network that comes together under the kaupapa of the Poutiri Trust.

I want to firstly acknowledge the Poutiri Trust chairperson; George Skudder for the invitation to be here tonight; and to also pay tribute to our special guest speaker, Reverend Tom Poata from St Faiths.

The Poutiri Trust is founded on the vision of these words:

Thank you for inviting me to celebrate the new Varian TrueBeam radiotherapy linear accelerator machine.

I am told that this particular multi-million dollar machine is the first Varian TrueBeam radiotherapy linear accelerator in Australasia and the first of its kind to treat patients in the Southern Hemisphere.

This is one of ten new cancer radiation machines approved under this John Key government. And it's part of our comprehensive plan for better treatment for cancer patients which we put into action in late 2008.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Good morning and thank you for inviting me to speak at this Healthcare Summit. 

This is now the third year that I have spoken at this event, and I am pleased to see that it has become a regular fixture on the health sector calendar because it is an important event each year.

I am also delighted to see so many people involved in providing and managing health care resources having come together here today to discuss some of the key issues in determining the future direction of health care in New Zealand.

E nga mana, e nga reo, tena koutou. Ngati Toa Rangatira, Ngati Raukawa, Te Atiawa, tena koutou.

This morning at 5am, there was the most brilliant full moon. It was one of those sights that make you think everything is fine with the world.

The perfectly formed moon shimmering on still waters – the first light of day breaking through, the quiet calling of the birds reminding us that we share our universe with others.

I am so pleased to be here at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o te Rangianiwaniwa surrounded by the wonder of all of our tamariki and mokopuna, to launch this aptly named initiative : MOKO – Manawa Ora, Korokoro Ora – a healthy heart, a healthy throat.

Today is about all our mokopuna - our heart and soul.

I have always liked the whakatauaki – kia tötöia ngä waewae o taku mokopuna hai whai tako: let the legs of my grandchild be massaged so that he may be supple and agile.

Good morning. I am pleased to be here with you today to open this year’s Suicide Prevention Information New Zealand (SPINZ) Conference.

I would like to thank SPINZ, the Mental Health Foundation and Te Rau Matatini for jointly organising and promoting the conference.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank the speakers and attendees here today.

Looking around the audience I can see a fantastic turnout.

It is a great pleasure to be in the company of a group of people dedicated to improving Maori health.

And it is both a credit to this organisation, and the initiatives you have pioneered, that I am told there are now over 250 Maori students and medical practitioners currently registered with Te Ora.

That’s 250 guardians to advance outcomes for whanau, hapu and iwi!

It also means we have 250 champions to pursue article 24 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People: that is,

Good morning and thank you for inviting me to address the Centre of Performance Measurement and Management’s inaugural event. It’s good to see you and the Centre for Health Systems jointly looking at improving health system performance. I look forward to hearing the outcomes of having the ‘bean counters’ and the ‘improvers’ in the same room.

Good morning and firstly, welcome to Dr Tom McLellan, from the United States, and other distinguished visitors, and contributors to this symposium.

I would like to begin by congratulating the New Zealand Drug Foundation for organising this important event.

As a Member of Parliament, and also as a Minister, I get to meet all sorts of people. 

Often in the course of my electorate work I come across individuals and families whose lives have been directly affected by alcohol and drugs.

Good afternoon.  It is a pleasure to be here to address the New Zealand Aged Care Association conference and I would like to thank the Association for its invitation to speak to you.

Today I would like to thank you for all you’ve done following the Canterbury earthquakes, clinical integration and the launch of comprehensive clinical assessments for all residents.

Christchurch

Parliamentary Colleagues
Dr Virginia Hope – Chair of Hutt Valley DHB
Keriata Stuart, Chair of the Maori Partnership Board
Graham Dyer, CEO
Peter Glensor, former Chair, current Board member
Staff and ladies and Gentlemen

Thank you for inviting me here to celebrate this important development for the people of the Hutt Valley.

What we are celebrating this morning is: