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I have been so looking forward to being with you today, to celebrate the transformation that we see already evident in Te Pūtahitanga o Te Wai Pounamu.

It is the most powerful concept to think that all of our whānau here in Ōtautahi are simultaneously connected in time and concept with all the whānau gathering at launch events today at Murihiku, Ōtākou, Tai Poutini, Whakatū, and Wairau.

Thank you for inviting me to your annual conference. It is my pleasure to be here to express my support for your organisation and to hear how your work is progressing.

I would like to acknowledge:

Mr Speaker, I move that the Māori Language (Te Reo Māori) Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Māori Affairs Committee to consider the bill.

At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by 20 March 2015, and that the Committee have authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting (except during oral questions), during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House, and on a Friday in a week in which there has been a sitting of the House, despite Standing Orders [188 and 191(1)(b) and (c)].

Tāmaki herenga waka

Tāmaki whai rawa

Tāmaki pai

Tāmaki-makau-rau

Ko ngā kurī purepure o Tāmaki e kore e ngaro i te pō....

It is with immense pleasure that I welcome for the last time into this House, the kāhui rangatira of Tāmaki-makau-rau.

Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki

Ngāti Maru

Ngāti Paoa

Ngāti Tamaoho

Ngāti Tamatera

Ngāti Te Ata

Ngāti Whanaunga

Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara

Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei

Te Ākitai Wai-o-hua

Te Kawerau-a-maki

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua

Thank you for inviting me here today. I’m especially pleased that you’ve asked me to talk about the challenges for the NZ tax system and creating certainty.

These are very topical issues and two things I am deeply interested in.

Taxation is a necessary part of society as long as government is required to provide services such as health, education, police, social welfare and rebuilding Christchurch.

Yet today, it seems to me that our tax system and in fact tax systems around the world, are at a cross roads.

It’s a pleasure to be back at the West Coast Minerals Forum for another year. 

The minerals industry is important for New Zealand. 

The sector plays a major role in our economy and contributes more than $1 billion to our GDP.  It is highly productive, provides high-reward jobs for New Zealanders, produces vital materials for industry, and adds significantly to our exports.

Developing our mineral resources can take decades — it is a long term game that the Government is committed to supporting.

Thank you Mark [Christie, President of Agcarm] for your introduction.

I firstly want to acknowledge the significant contribution members of Agcarm make to New Zealand.

As a farmer and a Minister, I know that the productivity of our land is critical to the wealth of our country and the ability to meet the aspirations of New Zealanders.

The products your members provide are a vital link in a supply chain that starts with our fertile land and ends with satisfied customers around the world.

He kohu, he kohu, tau ana, tau ana.

Tau tāpapa ana ki runga ki a Maungapōhatu a Hinepūkohurangi.

E, ko Tūhoe-Pōtiki, nau mai, hara mai rā, nau mai.

I am deeply honoured to welcome to this House, the sons and daughters of Maungapōhatu; the children of Hinepūkohurangi; and the descendants of Tūhoe-Pōtiki.

I am honoured because this landmark legislation concludes its passage in the final weeks of my office as Minister of Māori Affairs.

What a privilege to be part of such an historic process! 

Zespri Chairman Peter McBride, CEO Lain Jager, my ministerial colleague Todd McLay, Todd Muller, our candidate for the Bay of Plenty – well known to all of you because of his close involvement with your industry – ladies and gentlemen.

It’s great to be here today to witness the signing of the Government Industry Agreement Deed by the New Zealand Pork Industry.

This is a historic day. It’s the result of the hard work over several years of both industry and government to realise the benefits of working in partnership. 

There is a simple but important principle behind the GIA: by working together, we are stronger.

This agreement means we can share our expertise, experience and knowledge to make joint decisions on biosecurity readiness and response.

Thank you for inviting me to the Local Government New Zealand conference. It’s great to be here in Nelson, and it’s great to see all the local mayors, chief executives and elected members.

Ladies and Gentlemen.

The relationship between central government and local government is one of partnership.

We rely on each other to make good choices for our fellow New Zealanders.

Tēnā koutou. Ka mihi au ki te kaupapa o Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori. He taonga motuhake tēnei nō tātau, nō te motu. Kia kaha tātau ki te ako i te kupu o te wiki. Kia ora.

My acknowledgments firstly to:

Good afternoon.

Today I want to speak on the government’s achievements in transport over the last three years and our future plans.

But before I do that, we are just 64 days from a general election, and I want to quickly give you a few reasons why the John Key-led Government’s economic plan is helping Kiwis get ahead.

I want to thank Waitangi Wood and Lee Tuki, current Māori caucus representatives for the opportunity to talk with you and Warren Lindberg in his role as Chief Executive.

In ten days’ time, I will be preparing to give my valedictory speech.   Usually in election year there is a curious intensity, as campaign fever takes over Parliament.  Add to that, the frenzy that is associated with the impending closure of the Parliament, let alone the end of eighteen years of service, and you can probably guess that the demands on my time are at an all-time high.

Good morning. It is a pleasure to be invited to speak at this year’s NetHui.

Can I begin by acknowledging InternetNZ for organising this event, and for their on-going work in ensuring that key issues affecting the development of our digital future continue to be prominently and actively debated.

In particular, I want to acknowledge InternetNZ’s ongoing work on:

Around the world, friends of India, strategists, business groups and others are all starting to ask a rather important question. With the landslide victory of the BJP over Congress, we have seen a shift in the political tectonic plates. What implications will this have, if any, for India’s approach to international economic negotiations? No doubt, even that is too confining; as Minister of Climate Change Issues, I am also wondering about that matter in terms of the international climate change negotiations. But today, I wear my Trade hat.

Tēnā tātou katoa.

Tēnā koutou Te Akitai, te mana whenua o tēnei rohe, ka nui te mihi ki a koutou.

Tainui waka, Waikato iwi ki te whare o Te Kāhui Ariki, ngā tāngata o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa.

Ka nui te mihi ki a koutou.

I was a little bit thrown by the kōrero this morning.  

Tēnā koutou katoa.

Ki ngā kuia me ngā koroua o Ahuriri, tēnā koutou.

Ki ngā whānau me ngā hapū o Ahuriri, tēnā koutou katoa.

Ki te Poari Matua me ngā kaimahi o Te Kupenga Hauora Ahuriri, tēnā koutou. Otirā ki a tātou te hunga ora, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

I am so very pleased to be here at this wonderful celebration of two decades of dedication. 

E ngā kanohi o Ngāti Raukawa i konei i tēnei rā, tēnā koutou katoa.

He mihi nui rawa atu ki a koutou kua tae mai nei ki te whakanui i te kaupapa o te rā nei. Tēnā koutou.

Your Honour the Mayor and Councillors of the Horowhenua District Council.

The Chair and Chief Executive of Mid Central District Health Board.

The Chair and General Manager of Te Rūnanga o Raukawa.

The executive leadership of the bCentral Primary Health Organisation

The fabulous project sponsors of Te Waiora – Materoa Mar and Ana Winiata.

In three weeks time, at about this time of the day, I will stand to deliver my valedictory speech after 18 years in Parliament.  

The usual pre-election frenzy of making sure all loose ends are tied up has intensified beyond belief, as I look critically across all my portfolios, and assess what needs to be done before I shut down the computer and close the door.

But if there’s one thing I know for sure, it is that the future for tobacco reform has never been more promising.

I am so very pleased to have the opportunity to join you again.  

Thank you, Henare Mason and Ngāti Whatua, for the warmth of your welcome to us all.

I congratulate the Deputy Commissioner Disability, Rose Wall and the Health and Disability Commissioner Anthony Hill for this excellent initiative. From the look of your programme there are some fabulous features of this day ahead.

Thank you for this opportunity to address the NZ China Centre at my old Alma Mater, Victoria University.

I of course understand there are other pathways to relative professional success than tertiary qualifications. But having a great education from an excellent University is certainly one of them. I have never forgotten that. Nor have I forgotten one or two of the key Professors of this University who helped me so much as a young man.

I am thrilled to be with you tonight; at this very important launch – and to celebrate with you and congratulate you on an amazing milestone in reaching thirty years.

I’ll let you into a secret too – I’ll go out of my way to be in the company of such beautiful kuia as Aunty Kiwa (Hutchens) because she does so much for our wairua just learning from her example in life.  She has had a huge impact on me.

Ki a koutou Ngāti Toa, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne, ngā iwi o te motu katoa.

Tēnā koutou, ā,  tēnā tātou katoa.

I am so happy to welcome you here to your House, in the spirit of Puanga / Matariki.

There could be no better time to be launching He Korowai Oranga than at the Māori New Year.