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It was a great honour to be re-elected for a third term in Government, and to be reappointed as Primary Industries Minister.

Over the last two years as Minister I’ve strongly advocated irrigation and I see the election result as a mandate for our approach.

The need for new irrigation and water storage has been highlighted by severe droughts over the previous two summers.

In fact it is wasteful that we only capture around 2 per cent of rainfall in New Zealand, with the rest roaring out to sea.

Thank you for the invite.

I want to start by saying that as Minister I’m committed to a vibrant, profitable and sustainable aquaculture industry for New Zealand.

Your industry is a priority for us as a Government and we have a strategy to support this.

Your goal of reaching $1 billion in annual sales fits in with our goal of doubling the value of primary sector exports by 2025.

Challenges ahead

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā hau e whā. 

Ka nui te hari ahau kua tae mai nei, I waenganui a koutou me tēnei hui. No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Good morning everyone and thank you for the invitation to open your annual conference, my first as Minister of Police.

I am looking forward to the challenges that come with this exciting portfolio and to understanding the business of policing.

I am also looking forward to getting out and visiting as many stations and meeting as many staff as I can.

Delivered by His Excellency Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM, QSO, Governor-General of New Zealand, on the occasion of the State Opening of Parliament, Tuesday 21 October 2014

Honourable Members of the House of Representatives.

E nga Mema Honore o te Whare Paremata o Aotearoa, tenei aku mihi mahana ki a koutou, tena koutou katoa.

Following the General Election, a National-led Government has been formed with a majority in the House on confidence and supply.

E aku rangatira, tēnā koutou katoa.  Ka nui te honore ki te mihi ki a koutou.

Good afternoon everyone.

I am delighted to have been reappointed as Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, to have the chance to once again address you and I am looking forward to continuing the partnership between Government and your sector over the next three years.

I am an immensely proud supporter of your work and want to thank you all for your valuable contribution. You are making New Zealand a better place.

It’s great to be here tonight, talking to everyone involved in Fieldays. This is the biggest event of its kind in the southern hemisphere, attracting nearly 120,000 visitors this year including a large number of international visitors and delegations.

I’ve been coming for a number of years and I’m always blown away by the technology and innovation on display. Fieldays also plays a big part in helping connect rural and urban kiwis, showing off what’s best about the primary industries.

Good morning and thank you for the invitation to open the New Zealand Respiratory Conference for 2014, A breath of hope. I opened this conference two years ago, and I am very pleased to be here again in this 50^th anniversary year of the Asthma Foundation – a great achievement.  This year the conferencewelcomes over 200 attendees from across New Zealand and Australia.

I would like to acknowledge my colleagues, MPs and extend a particular welcome to those who have travelled from overseas for this conference, including: