NEW ZEALAND BOOK MONTH 2007 LAUNCH

The number of children here today taking part in today's celebratory launch is encouraging. We cannot talk too much the vital importance of bringing books into their lives and giving them a lifetime treasure.
It's a treasure that they can use to learn about the world they live in, and to understand more about it, as the boundaries of their own worlds expand over time.

Last year's New Zealand Book Month was a great success, both in promotional terms and in the increased book sales made over the period. Judging by the number of events lined up today in Wellington, and throughout the country, September 2007 will have just as much to offer New Zealand book lovers, publishers, distributors and writers.

Book Month fits government's overall knowledge industry development strategies We have invested much in building up a strongly supportive cultural infrastructure, and gained much satisfaction from the growth across creative industries, in jobs, careers and output.

The significance of New Zealand book Month in economic and cultural terms is indicated by the support provided by both Creative New Zealand (under its Audience and Market Development Programme) and the Ministry of Economic Development, through its Regional and Industry Development Fund.
There are tremendous mutual benefits to be gained from working in partnership with other organisations within the cultural sector whose goals are consistent with your own. Much can be achieved, too, through co-operative working relationships built between central and regional government and industry.

The New Zealand Book Month initiative is one such partnership; a highly collaborative undertaking by industry bodies such as book sellers and publishers, and the broader literary environment including advocacy and support groups such as the Book Council and Society of Authors. It's a partnership that is enhanced and strongly supported by corporate sponsorship, the generosity of individuals and charitable trusts.
Together, these groups have created an energy and momentum that drives activities throughout New Zealand book Month. Its success must be due in no small part to the fact that it's both a commercial and a cultural event.

It's an event that is taken up enthusiastically throughout the country. In libraries, schools, community centres, there are opportunities for New Zealanders everywhere to get involved, simply to sit and listen, or to take a more active part in competitions, or to share reading enthusiasms and experiences.

The opportunities offered during September 2007 align well with government's goal of ensuring that cultural events and experiences become more and more accessible.

The success of a big, nationally significant project is a great tribute to the spirit of co-operation between industry groups, writers' groups, schools, libraries, communities – all those involved in the initial planning stages through to those presenting events large and small.

And of course to the response by readers and buyers of New Zealand books everywhere, who will be participating on so many levels.
The significance of role models for those embarking on career in creative arts cannot be overstated. The achievements and international success of New Zealand writers – most recently, perhaps, Lloyd Jones' success with Mr Pip with the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, and in being long-listed for the Man Booker – are a great inspiration.

There is in this Book Month initiative a very strong sense of the generosity of established writers, so many of whom are taking part in events in September. Their willingness to pass on their knowledge and experience will encourage new writers to embark on their writing journeys, and perhaps inspire published writers to try new styles or approaches.

The exchanges gained from face-to-face encounters between New Zealand writers are reflected in the ongoing benefits gained from international exchanges between creative communities.

The long-established Menton and Randell Cottage residencies model the mutual benefits of cultural exchanges between French and New Zealand writers; they're complemented by other European experiences such as the Creative New Zealand Berlin Writers' Residency; or, nearer to home, the Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writers' Residency (Hawai'i) and the 'Artists to Antarctica' programme.

Congratulations to all writers who submitted written work for this New Zealand Book Month's contest. They represent some 400 New Zealander writers who are keen to get their words down, and to get their stories and imagery out there – and who see the Six Pack as an excellent way of doing so.

For those writers, submitting their work is also an act of faith and confidence on many levels: It represents confidence in their own abilities as creative writers; confidence in their identity as a New Zealanders; and a conviction that New Zealand stories, written from New Zealand perspectives and framed in New Zealand settings, are worth the telling.

Six writers have been chosen to be included in this year's Six Pack Two. They will find their selection a great honour and not only because their writing resonated with the judges and was selected from amongst a very high standard of written work. They can also feel proud to be joining the ranks of accomplished group of New Zealand writers of prose and poetry: the six 2006 winners who established such a fine tradition last year with the inaugural New Zealand Book Month publication.

Last year's Six Pack has benefited so many: it's gone to readers in homes and schools, libraries and community centres – and even to trampers in DoC huts in our wilder places!
This wonderful publication's initial success has ensured the contest a place in New Zealanders' literary calendar along with other established writing competitions.

The judges must have had an incredibly difficult task. Congratulations to them all on the work they've done in reading and selecting a final 15 written works. We'll shortly hear from Miriama [Kamo] who'll speak on behalf of the panel about that process and their own judging experiences.
We can then look forward to the announcement of the 2007 winners and the release of this year's book, Six Pack Two.

While we celebrate New Zealand books and writers particularly in September, in fact the increase in the number of readers' and writers' festivals throughout the country over past few years indicates that books and reading are very much part of our lives, our leisure and our learning.

We are keen attenders of festivals. They're increasingly part of the way we share reading experiences and celebrate New Zealand books through the year.

Today's programme in Wellington is marked by the participation of many of our established writers, alongside mid-career and emerging talent. It's a pattern that it seems we'll see repeated throughout New Zealand over September.

Their participation is a tribute to the planners and the "doers", and I wish everyone the greatest success in promoting New Zealand books this year.
It is my very great pleasure to declare New Zealand Book Month 2007 officially launched.