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Forum Co-Chairs. Ambassadors. Ladies and gentlemen.

Kia ora and good morning.

It’s great to be here and to welcome you to the fantastic city that I grew up in.

I’d particularly like to welcome our US guests and thank you for travelling to join us for this forum.

It’s always great to have our friends from across the Pacific paying a visit and I know that some of you travel here regularly.

As you will know, Christchurch and the wider Canterbury region were shaken by a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake six months ago.

New Zealand’s prosperity will be built through engagement with international science. We need to connect our ideas, research and innovation with the global economy to fully realise the benefits.

International science linkages are a hallmark of leading small economies. Countries as diverse as Finland, Denmark and Singapore have grown their economies through a combination of smart thinking and international collaborations that stimulate ideas, transfer knowledge and ultimately boost high-value exports.

 I want to start by acknowledging the immense amount of hard work that has gone into opening this new facility. 

Congratulations and well done to the staff and board of Canterbury Scientific.

The Government is committed to science and innovation, and that commitment has seen us embark on a significant programme of change. 

Today I want to take the opportunity to talk with you about those changes.  I would also like to talk about what those changes will mean for a small, innovative company like Canterbury Scientific.

Good morning.

It is wonderful to see you all here so bright and early today.

And it’s great to see so many familiar faces.

It is a pleasure to be talking to a group of people who will be very much in the driver’s seat of New Zealand’s economic recovery in the months and years ahead.

As New Zealand and the world emerges from the recession there will be plenty of opportunities for New Zealand businesses.

Good afternoon and thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and Massey University for inviting me back to speak to you this year.

A lot has happened since I was at this forum 12 months ago.

Throughout 2010, aftershocks from the global financial crisis continued to ripple around the world.

Today I’m going to talk about what we are doing to equip New Zealand for this changed world.

Secretary General, your Excellencies, honoured guests, speakers and participants who have travelled to join us from across the Pacific, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you for inviting me to address you today.

I want to take this opportunity to speak to you about the process we have underway to address some of the priorities of the Pacific region.

The Key Government was elected with a mandate to commit a greater share of our resources to our own region and shift the focus of our development assistance to give a greater emphasis to sustainable economic development.

This is a very special day for the New Zealand Parliament.

Prime Minister Gillard, New Zealand acknowledges and welcomes you as the first foreign leader to address the members of our House of Representatives.

It is entirely fitting that an Australian Prime Minister is the first leader to have this honour.

This is also a sad day for the New Zealand Parliament.

Today we acknowledge with great sadness the loss of a New Zealand soldier in Afghanistan, Private Kirifi Mila, as the result of a motor vehicle accident.

Mr Speaker
Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet
Leader of the Opposition and party leaders
Honourable Members

It is truly a privilege to be the first Australian Prime Minister, indeed the first foreign head of government, to address members of the Parliament of New Zealand. 

I accept your welcome to this historic chamber as a profound tribute to the friendship between our nations and our people.

I also acknowledge it has been some time since a full bilateral visit by an Australian Prime Minister ...

Introduction

Thank you for the invitation to address the Second Annual Fresh Water Management Forum which I have titled Fresh water reform: a work in progress.

It’s great to see so many major stakeholders from the fresh water sector here today. I’d like to specifically acknowledge Dr Bryan Jenkins and wish him well in the key role of heading the Waterways Research Centre jointly funded by Lincoln and Canterbury Universities.

I want to firstly congratulate and celebrate with you, each of the organisations who have taken up the challenge and the opportunity to be involved in Whanau Ora:
• Korowai Aroha
• Arohamai Cancer Care
• Te Papa Takaro o Te Arawa
• Te Roopu a Iwi o Te Arawa
• Te Runanga o Ngati Pikiao
• Te Whare Hauora o Ngongotaha
• Te Kaahui Hauora Trust
• Te Utuhina Manaakitanga Trust
• Te Waiariki Purea Trust
• Tipu Ora Charitable Trust

Thank you for inviting me to speak here at the Inaugural International Cancer Symposium in Wellington.

I’d like to acknowledge the participation of the Mayo Clinic. To have people from such an internationally renowned centre of excellence in cancer care is a great honour for New Zealand.

Similarly, it is a privilege to also have clinicians here from the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in the United States, and the Royal Prince Albert and Peter MacCullum Cancer Centres in Australia.

I am very proud to be here today, in the company of
 

Hon Rodney Hide opening address to SOLGM Shared Services in Local Government Conference; Brentwood Hotel, Kilbirnie, Wellington; Monday, February 14 2011.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you this morning at your Shared Services in Local Government conference.  I would like to thank SOLGM for organising this event and, in particular, Western Bay of Plenty District Council Chief Executive and Conference Chair Glenn Snelgrove for bringing us all together.  It is great to be here. 

Welcome

Thank you chairman Sally Webb for the introduction and welcome everyone to the launch of this exciting initiative.

It gives me great pleasure to open the 2011 World Jersey conference.

I want to extend a warm welcome to international and national delegates, particularly members of the World Jersey Cattle Bureau and Bureau President, Gonzalo Maldonado.

For the benefit of our overseas visitors - New Zealand is a proud agricultural nation.

There are around seven sheep to every person, and for our human population of 4.4 million there is also at least one dairy cow.

This year the National-led Government will continue building a brighter future for New Zealand.

Our 2011 programme will focus on achieving two of our key goals:  We will build the foundations for a stronger economy and build better results from the public services New Zealanders rely on.

These are the platforms upon which New Zealanders’ aspirations rest. 

Building a strong economy, based on real enduring growth, will provide New Zealanders the jobs, improved incomes, and improved living standards they desire and deserve. 

This evening I wish to discuss the State of the Maori Nation. It seems appropriate as we gather here to celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on these lands 171 years ago. To take pause on how much we have achieved – through hard work, through sacrifice, through struggle – and how much we still have to do. And – to provide an insight into the tone for the new political year from where I stand.

Thank you for the opportunity to be with you at this special event in honour of Waitangi Day 2011.

In politics, we are often told that it’s all about the timing.

And I can’t help but be impressed by your decision to hold this launch tonight; on the brink of such a significant event in our national calendar, as we honour the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi; the foundations of our land, Aotearoa.

The timing is even more interesting if we think about 24 hours in the life of the North.

Introduction

I am very pleased to talk to you today about technology.  As you might know, I’m very passionate about it.

The new technology out there right now is astounding.  As Arthur C Clarke said, “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”

But are we using it to our full potential? 

Tena koutou katoa

Ki te maunga o Maungawhau, ki te waka o Maahuhu-ki-te-Rangi, ki te iwi o Ngati Whatua me nga mataawaka maha o roto o Tamaki Makaurau. Kei te rere te mihi.

Tena koutou i runga i tenei kaupapa whakahirahira, he kaupapa ataahua.

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

The Mayor of Auckland Council; Len Brown; the Right Honourable Jim Bolger; Naida Glavish; my parliamentary colleagues, both past and present.

Distinguished guests, whanau, and nominees of the New Zealander of the Year Awards.

It gives me great pleasure to be here tonight to recognise all of you as nominees in the New Zealander of the Year Awards 2011.

As Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector I am very proud to support these awards and to acknowledge the incredible difference each of you make in so many different ways.

I often think I have the best job in the world, to be in the company of people who make every day special through their selfless dedication and commitment to their communities.

Today’s launch of the Ministry of Science and Innovation is the latest step in the most intense development of our science strategy in the last 20 years.

When this Government came into office, we knew that New Zealand needed to get more out of our science and innovation system. 

Good evening and bonsoir ladies and gentlemen.

I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome you, Your Excellency, Mr Francis Etienne and wife Jane to New Zealand.

I thank you also Your Excellency and Dr Richard Wild, president of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, for hosting this evening’s event.

As Minister of Agriculture I am responsible for animal health and welfare, so I am very pleased to welcome guests to the New Zealand launch of World Veterinary Year.

New Zealand has a strong and long connection with France.

This 12th Bluegreens Forum in the beautiful coastal and heritage village of Akaroa is a landmark in our work to advance our ideals for a cleaner and more prosperous New Zealand. This morning I want to do some thank yous, I want to reinforce the values we have developed and advocated for a decade, and I want to make some important Government announcements on the environment.