Motions — Queen Elizabeth II—90th Birthday

I seek leave to move a motion without notice to congratulate Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of her 90th birthday.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none.

I move, That this House congratulate Her Majesty The Queen on the occasion of her 90th birthday. On 21 April this year Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 90th birthday. New Zealand has marked this occasion in a number of ways—including in the naming of this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List, with 21-gun salutes on 21 April and again yesterday, and with a service of celebration at Wellington’s Cathedral tomorrow evening.

The Queen’s life has spanned some extraordinary events, changes, and celebrations. She was born in 1926, when the New Zealand population was 1.4 million and Gordon Coates was the Prime Minister. She became Queen of New Zealand when she was 25 years of age. Much has been said of the Queen’s lifetime of service, and she is widely respected for the grace and dignity she has brought to her reign. She has also been supportive and encouraging of some profound changes in society, technology, and culture over the years.

A striking example is the way the Commonwealth has altered since the young Princess Elizabeth made her pledge of lifelong service on her 21st birthday in 1947. That pledge was to the people of the British Commonwealth and Empire, which included the seven independent members of the Commonwealth, of which New Zealand was one.

This year in her Commonwealth Day message, Her Majesty spoke of diversity, inclusiveness, and acting for the common good. The audience for that message was the populations of 53 independent countries. The Commonwealth today includes some of the world’s largest, smallest, richest, and poorest countries, spanning five regions. They have all chosen to join this organisation and retain a link to its shared inheritance and values. That is, I believe, a testament to the Queen’s stewardship of the Commonwealth family in a way that has enabled it to adapt and remain relevant through some remarkable changes.

The Queen has been a steadfast figure in New Zealand’s national consciousness: as the embodiment of our system of constitutional monarchy, and as a touchstone for our democratic principles and institutions.

Today I am pleased to announce New Zealand’s gift to the Queen to mark her 90th birthday. A new Education Centre at the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park has been chosen as the gift from New Zealand, to acknowledge this special event for the Queen and will be named the Queen Elizabeth II Pukeahu Education Centre.

I wish to offer my warmest congratulations to Her Majesty the Queen.

I join with the Prime Minister in extending the congratulations of myself and the Labour Party to Her Majesty on the celebration of her 90th birthday—which we did over the weekend, but, of course, we know that it actually happened about 6 weeks ago.

As I have said before, Her Majesty has served with grace and dignity, and she has raised both the stature and the popularity of the monarchy here in New Zealand and right across her realm, even amongst ardent republicans like myself. Queen Elizabeth has a special connection to this House: she was the first reigning monarch ever to open a Parliament here in New Zealand.

As the Prime Minister has acknowledged, her reign has included or surpassed some of the major historic events of her 60 years: politically, from Churchill to Cameron; culturally, from the BBC at the Proms to Britain’s Got Talent; and, of course, from Home Guard and Home Watch to the Apple wristwatch. In her reign, she has appointed 13 Governors-General of New Zealand—and in September that will be 14. She has overseen 14 New Zealand Prime Ministers—and, of course, in November next year that will be 15. She has presided over 41 All Black captains and 610 men who have put on the black jersey. And she has superintended one attempt to remove the Union Jack from the New Zealand flag.

The fact that Her Majesty continues to do her duty with considerable vim and vigour at the age of 90 is a testament to her character, her dedication, and her sense of duty to all people in the realm and across the Commonwealth. We give her our warm congratulations.

The Green Party shares in the nation’s expression of goodwill to Her Majesty on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Our collective goodwill is due to an extraordinary and, indeed, quite unique life already lived, and, for us in this particular realm, her continuing reign in New Zealand. Her Majesty is the symbol of the unity of our country, something that is quite different from the composition and functioning of this legislature. The Queen has reigned in New Zealand for 64 years. That comprises a long, not to say tortuous, flowing of the political rivers since 1952, when East Germany looked out on the West, when Churchill and Truman and Adenauer and Nehru led their nations, and when Yvette Williams won the gold for New Zealand in Helsinki.

The issue of New Zealand’s constitutional future is not the matter before us today; suffice it to say that this subject will inevitably be explored at the appropriate time, including in this House. That is entirely compatible with an expression of goodwill, respect, and affection for Queen Elizabeth of New Zealand. Nō reira, tēnei te mihi aroha hari huritau ki Te Kuini, tēnā tātou katoa.

[So I wish the Queen a fond happy birthday, and a thank you to us all.]

We join in celebrating 90 years of Her Majesty’s life, in this, the second Elizabethan era—one that would be made complete should Britain show its independence from an ungrateful European parliamentary yoke and come back to the Commonwealth.

Fourteen Prime Ministers of New Zealand have come and gone during her reign, some memorable and others, alas, far less so. But, thankfully, we have had but one queen. Indeed, that continuity means that she has worked with well over 150 Prime Ministers and others of her realms. Some in this House believe we should become a republic—maybe that will happen, or maybe it will not. This is because, if anything, our young recognise that although many countries have presidents, few have monarchies like New Zealand.

To our Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II of New Zealand, New Zealand First joins with other New Zealanders in saying “Long may she reign.”

Mr Speaker, tēnā koe. Tēnei te tū ake ki te whaiwhai haere i ngā kōrero me te tuku i ngā mihi ki Te Kuini o Ingarangi kua eke ki te iwa tekau tau. Me mihi rā ki a ia! Ko Ia tērā hei whaiwhai haere i ngā rārangi Kīngi, ngā rārangi Kuini o Ingarangi, ā, kua eke ki tēnei o ngā taumata, arā, te noho hei tumuaki mō Ingarangi, otirā, mō Niu Tīreni.

I a au e tū nei, me whai wāhi anō hoki au mō te hunga mate, arā, kātahi anō ka rongo mō te matenga o Tā Kereama Rātima. Ko ia tērā i tūtaki i Te Kuini i ngā tau kua hipa ake ki te kōrero mō tēnei momo o Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Nō reira, ka tangi ake ki a ia ko ia tērā kua riro i nā tata nei. Me waiho a Tā Kereama ki ngā kāhui mate e tangihia nei e Te Motu i tēnei wā, ka hoki mai ki a tātou, e Te Whare tēnā tātou katoa!

I ngā tau kua hipa, i tū tētahi Pīhopa rangatira o Te Motu, a Pīhopa Whakahuihui Vercoe. I tū ki runga i te papa o Waitangi i te wā i whakanuia ai te hainatanga o Te Tiriti o Waitangi. I tērā wā i tae atu Te Kuini o Ingarangi, a Irihāpeti, ki mua i tērā o ngā whakaminenga. Ka mutu, i puta te whakatau a Te Pīhopa: “E Te Kuini, me hono anō rā Te Iwi Māori me koe, a Ingarangi ki te whakatinana i tēnei mea mō Te Tiriti o Waitangi.” Ēhara i te mea kua whakatinanatia tērā kōrero ēngari, he tohu nui tērā mō te āhuatanga o te herenga o Te Ao Māori ki Ingarangi, me pēhea e taea te herehere i ā tātou, ā, ko Te Kuini tētahi. Ka noho nei hei kanohi mō Ingarangi, anei, ko Te Pirimia, ko Te Kāwana Tianara i konei. He aha kei te pūtake o ngā kōrero, ko Te Tiriti o Waitangi! Koinā te here! Me mihi ki a ia kua eke ki tēnei taumata.

He kupu whakamutunga, ko tōku kuia i eke ki te kotahi rau, tekau mā rua ngā tau. I te wā i mate ia kua āhua tamariki tonu Te Kuini i tēnei wā, hoi anō kia kaha ki a ia kia eke ai ki tērā taumata. Hoi anō kia ora tātou katoa.

[Thank you, Mr Speaker. I rise to follow on with the congratulatory messages accorded to the Queen of England, who has reached the age of 90 years, and congratulate her. She follows a line of kings and queens of England who have reached this milestone, in other words, to be a ruling Head of State of England and of New Zealand as well.

While I am standing I take the opportunity as well to pay a tribute to those who have passed away, namely Sir Graham Latimer, whose death has just come to hand. He was the one indeed who met the Queen some years ago and told her what this Treaty of Waitangi was about.

Therefore, I mourn him who has just passed away, and leave Sir Graham and the multitude that are being mourned at this moment by the nation to come back to us, the House; my acknowledgments to us all.

Some years back an esteemed bishop of the country, Bishop Whakahuihui Vercoe, stood on the ground of Waitangi at the time the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi was being celebrated. Queen Elizabeth had arrived before those assembled there. The Bishop then extended a formal welcome and said: “Your Majesty the Queen, you, Māoridom, and England must unite to embody this thing about the Treaty of Waitangi.” It was not as if that statement had not been implemented, but rather a proof of significance in regard to the circumstances that links Māoridom to England. What will possibly bond us, the Queen is an element as she represents England. For us here, it is the Prime Minister and the Governor-General. What are the sentiments founded on? It is the Treaty of Waitangi. That is the link. We must indeed acknowledge her for reaching this pinnacle.

A final comment: my grandmother reached 112 years. When she died, the Queen was still somewhat young; we therefore urge her to make it to that stage. My appreciation to us all.]

The British Queen, Queen Elizabeth II, would probably be one of the most well-known and popular people throughout the world. I venture to suggest that that is not necessarily because of the institution to which she belongs but because of her unique values and service over the 64 years that she has occupied the British throne. She has come to epitomise dedication, humility, loyalty, service, and a number of other positive attributes.

Other speakers have drawn all sorts of historical allusions to the length of the Queen’s reign and how things have changed. I note that shortly after her coronation in 1953 was the last time that the Welsh beat the All Blacks. I note also that the Welsh play the All Blacks again this Saturday—and I hope that the gift that the Prime Minister announced as being New Zealand’s gift to recognise the Queen’s 90th birthday is all that we will give them on this occasion.

May she have an enjoyable year ahead, and may her lifetime of service continue to be recognised.

On behalf of the ACT Party, I would like to join with other leaders in congratulating Her Majesty, our Queen, on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Long may she reign.

Motion agreed to.