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Introduction

Thank you for that introduction and good morning everyone.

Firstly, I want to thank everyone in the New Zealand health services for their tremendous support for the people of Christchurch.

And I'd like to acknowledge the generosity of your people in the wake of the February 22 earthquake.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today.

The Canterbury earthquake has obviously been dominating our thoughts over the last couple of weeks, and it will continue to play a major part in our considerations for many years.

I have visited Canterbury three times since the earthquake, and can't speak highly enough of the people in the health and non-government organisation sectors, putting their own issues to one side while they help others.

Thank you for asking me to open your seminar today.  

I’m going to touch on three issues confronting the public health service:

The Canterbury earthquake, health finances and workforce

Canterbury:

Yesterday I travelled down to Christchurch for the third time following last month’s devastating earthquake.

I am very pleased to welcome you all to the New Zealand launch of the International Year of Forests.

As you know, the United Nations has designated this year to raise public awareness of the importance of forests. The theme is "Forests for People" – and it’s why we are gathered here this evening.

I want to take a moment to reflect on the devastation of my hometown, Christchurch. It is two weeks since the earthquake and the recovery process will be a long one.

Good afternoon.

I’d like to acknowledge fellow MPs and members of the judiciary and the legal profession for being here today to mark the opening of the Public Defence Service in the Wellington region.

This PDS branch will service district courts in Wellington, Porirua, and Lower Hutt, as well as the higher courts, including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

It is also from this location that the Public Defender for the southern region will ultimately lead the expansion of the PDS into the South Island.

Mr Speaker

I wish to make a ministerial statement under Standing Order 347 in relation to the extension of the state of national emergency over Christchurch City.

On 23 February, I declared a state of national emergency for Christchurch City under section 66 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. This was as a result of the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck Christchurch on 22 February and the continuing aftershocks. It was the first time in New Zealand history that a state of national emergency was declared as a result of a civil defence emergency event.

Thank you for inviting me to open the 83^rd Annual Conference of the Royal Federation of New Zealand Justices Association.

Can I acknowledge:

Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to address you here today.

First, I would like to extend my thoughts and support to the people of Christchurch including TINZ members from the region and their families.

My sincere condolences and sympathies to all who have lost loved ones, friends or colleagues.

As a Cantabrian myself with a large part of my extended family in Christchurch, my heart is very much with all the people of that redoubtable province at this time.

Good afternoon

I thought it appropriate to make some comments to mark the announcement made a short time ago in Christchurch that the rescue phase has come to an end, and that we are now fully in a recovery phase.

This will be a very sad day for the families of those who are missing.

This is also a very sad day for all those involved in the rescue effort, who have worked night and day combing the city valiantly searching for signs of life.

It is a great honour to be here, at this national Kaumatua Service Providers Conference, as you come together to focus on Kaumatua Care : future pathways.

And I want to acknowledge the chairperson of the Rauawaawa Kaumatua Charitable Trust, Tonga Kelly, for your initiative in hosting this hui.

I have been privileged to attend other functions over the years, hosted by Rauawaawa Kaumatua, and I am, as ever, impressed by the vision you have demonstrated in caring for the wellbeing of your people.

Tena koutou, and good morning.

I am delighted to be here today to celebrate the commitment and effort of all involved in improving the oral health of the children and teenagers of the Southland region.

However, before I talk about this new clinic and the Government and Southern DHB’s plans to improve oral health, I wish to acknowledge the work that has brought us to this point today.

It has been a long time in the making.

This day has been made possible by the leadership of Southern DHB and, most importantly, the support and input of this community.

Speech – completion of Stage 1 of the new Emergency Department and Assessment and Diagnostic Unit

North Shore Hospital.

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Dr Lester Levy, Board members, representatives from Fletcher Construction and project architects Klein, community health partners, ladies and gentlemen.  

Thank you for that introduction and good morning everyone.

Today we will honour, by our silence, those who died in the Christchurch earthquake.

And in those quiet moments we can contemplate what fear or courage, what horror or hope filled their last moments.

People who began their day, just one week ago, the same way as we began our day today.

Their conversations and their laughter were savagely stopped and their homes and workplaces are ruined and quiet.

Seaweek Patron Bunny McDiarmid, my fellow MPs, Auckland Councillors, ladies and gentlemen; good evening and thank you for your kind invitation to launch Seaweek 2011.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Phil Heatley, who is also Minister of Housing, sends his apologies for not being able to attend the launch tonight.

Due to the tragic events of last week, he is busy in Wellington organising housing solutions for those made homeless by last Tuesday’s earthquake.

I firstly acknowledge Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau – those iwi and hapu who have spiritual, ancestral, cultural, customary and historical interests within Tāmaki Makaurau.

I think particularly of the peoples associated to Ngati Whatua, Te Kawerau ā Maki; Ngāti Te Ata; Ngāti Tamaoho; Te Ākitai; Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki; Ngāti Pāoa; Ngāti Maru; Ngāti Whanaunga; and Ngāti Tamaterā.

Mr Speaker

I wish to make a ministerial statement under Standing Order 347 in relation to the declaration of a state of national emergency.

On the advice of the Director of Civil Defence Emergency Management, and in consultation with the Prime Minister and the Mayor of Christchurch City, at 10.30am I declared a state of national emergency for the Christchurch City under section 66 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002. This was as a result of the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that occurred in Christchurch yesterday at 12:51pm, and the continuing aftershocks.

Thank you for inviting me to speak to you. It’s a pleasure to be here.

Today I would like to speak about the Government’s plans for reform of the Family Court and the wider justice system.

One of the first decisions I made after being appointed Minister of Justice was to move away from using bricks and mortar solutions to resolve inefficiencies in the justice system. Building more court houses and appointing more judges gets us precisely nowhere if the justice system itself remains slow and overburdened.

Mr Speaker, on behalf of the Prime Minister, I wish to make the following ministerial statement.

In particular, I would like to:

Mark the tragic loss of life and injury that has occurred as a result of the earthquake in Canterbury yesterday;

Express our deepest sympathy to the families, friends and colleagues of those who have died and are still missing;

Thank the brave rescue teams who are working so hard in very difficult conditions;

And acknowledge the enormous impact this disaster will have on the communities of Christchurch and Canterbury.

New Zealanders have woken to a tragedy unfolding in the great city of Christchurch.

The earthquake that struck the Canterbury region at ten to one yesterday has wreaked death and destruction on a dreadful scale.

There is no reason that can make sense of this event.

No words that can spare our pain.

We are witnessing the havoc caused by a violent and ruthless act of nature.

Many people have lost their lives. Families have lost their cherished loved ones. Mates have lost their mates.

These deaths are the greatest loss.

Good morning.

Thank you, for the opportunity to attend the inaugural conference of the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre – it’s an important milestone.

We are all aware that the world is facing many challenges - balancing economic aspirations alongside environmental stewardship is one challenge, food security is another.

Commerce Minister Simon Power today announced that David Mayhew is stepping down as Commissioner for Financial Advisers, effective from 30 April or earlier upon the establishment of the Financial Markets Authority.

“Mr Mayhew has advised me that the substantive work of the commissioner will have been completed by April and the remaining work can be subsumed by the FMA as soon as it is established,” Mr Power said.

Trans-pacific Partnership Agreement – A 21^st Century Trade Agreement

Distinguished Guests.

Let me extend a particularly warm welcome to our American friends. We very much appreciate your travelling here to NZ and the commitment to the relationship that obviously represents for busy people with significant responsibilities.

Thank you for inviting me to open this forum. I would particularly like to acknowledge the Institute of Policy Studies for hosting this important public debate, fellow MPs, and all the organisations and NGOs here today from the coalface of dealing with crime.

I’ve been asked to speak to you about government policy on the costs of crime in the public sector.

“The road ahead: shaping the next decade of US/NZ cooperation”

May I start by extending a warm welcome to Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell; Members of the United States Congress, distinguished delegates from both this and the other side of the Pacific.

The first decade of the 21st century ended on a high note for US/NZ relations with a successful visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and signature of the Wellington Declaration on 4 November 2010.