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notices and features - Date published:
2:15 pm, January 1st, 2012 - 24 comments
Categories: republic -
Tags: 2012
Kia ora. Nga mihi o te tau hou. Greetings to you all for the New Year. It’s an honour, as Governor-General and representative of Her Majesty the Queen of New Zealand, to give my first New Year message.
The start of the year is a time when most of us take a break, catch up with family and friends and enjoy the long summer days. It’s also a time when we reflect on the year that was and look forward to the year ahead.
The last year has been difficult. The loss of life from the earthquake on February 22, like the Pike River Mine disaster in November 2010, reminded us that life is precious. When the container vessel Rena went aground near Tauranga, we were reminded that protecting our pristine environment is also important to us. As a nation where the roots of family, neighbourhood and community run far and deep, these events touched us all.
While we remember these terrible events, we should not forget all that we have achieved. It was superb that the All Blacks won the Rugby World Cup, giving us something to celebrate. Even more fantastic was the way we made the tournament our own, embracing the notion of a stadium of four million people.
Our response to the good and the sad times has galvanised my belief in New Zealanders. I have seen New Zealanders repeatedly demonstrating the values we all cherish. I have seen compassion, warmth, tolerance and a strong sense of community, where everyone is prepared to get stuck in and help friends and strangers alike. And I have been impressed by the ingenuity, talent and innovation demonstrated by our young people and leaders in many diverse fields.
We do not know with any certainty what lies in store for us this year. There are events like Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympic Games and other commemorative events to acknowledge. There will also be other occasions to celebrate our heritage, our way of life and our aspirations for the future. Undoubtedly, there will also be occasions where we will need to comfort our fellow New Zealanders and again demonstrate our resolve.
Building a better future for our tamariki and mokopuna requires us to draw on the storehouse of New Zealand’s strengths. Our values and our people have served us well in the past and will do so in the future. I intend to work to serve New Zealanders, bringing people together, promoting what is important to us and celebrating excellence. Most importantly, I urge you keep before you the sentiment of the proverb: “He aha te mea nui o te ao-What is the most important thing in the world? The answer is: he tangata, he tangata, he tangata – it is people, it is people, it is people.”
Thank you and I wish you all a happy and safe summer holiday and a successful 2012.
Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae, GNZM QSO
Governor-General of New Zealand.
chur bro !!!
ERRR No Comment
Sooo to sum up:
Horrific death bad,
Sport good,
Kids neat.
He’s truly a man for our time innit?
in one felix.
TIm Hazledine’s comments are more relevant:
Greedy warriors of privilege threaten our Decent Society
“So who should care about this? You’d think those on the political left would care, and they do complain, but it was their preoccupation with identity politics and the beneficiary society that left the gates open and undefended when the warriors of privilege roared in and purloined the booty. ”
What does that mean?
It means that he thinks the left shouldn’t talk about gay people, women, Maori, or any other group that is not white or male.
We should also not talk about beneficiaries in any way other than bashing them for being bludgers and suggesting that all they need is a kick up the arse.
According to Tim, when we talk about the rights of the marginalised groups in our society, the majority switch off and abandon us, thus ‘leaving the gates open’ for the right to come in and pillage everything.
Well, the last Labour government lost their mandate by forgetting core labour values, ie. social equity, empowered workers, grass roots democracy. The endless parade of fringe issues rankled, people felt disempowered, and faceless corporations took over public utilities. I know that’s not what they set out to do but that’s the way it played out.
I wasn’t sure if he was referring to the 80s or something more recent.
At least we have a Governor General who looks like a Kiwi. Suck it up Henry..
A Tongue in cheek comment surely. Our previous GG Was born in Auckland in 1944 And he has had a distinguished career.He,s as Kiwi as.
Indeed Livingstone. I am constantly surprised that Paul Henry is regarded with anything other than derision..
Can’t wait for an Aussie TV commentator to ask (re Henry), “When are we going to get a real Australian on our airwaves?”
What was the message?
Zzzzzzzzz……
Call me old fashioned but I prefer Governer Generals with a C.V. that demoninstrates a strong background in Constitutional Law…
What do we have here? – A domiciled head of state that is a former head of the military and the security intelligence service.
2012 or 1984?
Being that he’s implicated in war crimes… he’s definitely a throw back.
Personally I’m even more of a throwback. I prefer the ones who were wealthy English peers.
Look at the advantages we had.
Firstly they used to give us things. The Ranfurly shield, the Plunket shield and the Bledisloe cup were all donated by GGs who were in that category. Bledisloe also bought up and gave us the Treaty house and about 600 acres at Waitangi.
Secondly when they left the job they left the country and we didn’t have to keep providing them with things like the free VIP limousine service for the rest of their lives.
Can anyone tell me anything any of the last half dozen have done for us?
Alright I’m not truly serious so please don’t quote the ones like Cobham who seemed to be in it only for what he could get out of it.
Anyone notice the coat of arms on the front page for the post?
The good Shepherd who looks after the Sheeple?
John Clarke for President!!
What’s the significance of an extinct native bird – the moa? Yeah… I’m dumb when it comes to significances.
Edit: The Gov. Gen. – an archaic symbol?
so our hand picked royal stooge has a talent for meaningless waffle….. explains why mr muddle was so keen on him……. manages to say absolutely nothing of consequence in a series of convoluted platitudes….. i bet him and key have lots to talk about…
And still this nonsense goes on and on.I truly wonder if we will ever become a republic and have our own leader.The House of Windsor seems to have found new champions to fleece and scrounge on the public purse.A new reason to also strengthen the corner stone of the crass class system.
Unfortunatly with the present PM dearly planning a Knighthood for himself ,the republicn cause, is now truly on the back burner ,Im sorry to say.
Expect a Royal tour in the near future with Key bowing and bobbing and his wife curtsying before some chinless wonder or the old girl any time now. Surely nothing more demeaning than to see the leader of
our country of Aotearoa bowing before these parasites .