Graduation Celebration
Manukau Institute of Technology, Nga Kete Wananga

Dr Peter Brothers, (Chief Executive of Manukau Institute of Technology); Danny Hona, Head of Department for Nga Kete Wananga; Wiremu Doherty, (Maori Director of Te Amorangi); staff, students and whanau.

There are 100 good reasons for me to be here tonight, and I want to mihi to you all – the 100 graduates and all of your whanau who share in the honour of your award and your achievement.

This is truly a night for celebration and congratulations, to all of the talented individuals who will graduate from the Business Administration programmes and the Travel and Tourism programmes. 

You are now truly prepared for the business of life; to travel the journey that you have been preparing for, studying for, writing about, swatting up and now finally doing. I was inspired by a comment from the American boxer and activist, indeed the person who knew he was the Greatest before the World confirmed it – Muhammed Ali.

He said,

“Champions aren’t made in the gyms. 

Champions are made from something they have deep inside them – a desire, a dream, a vision”.

All of the champions we celebrate tonight, were inspired by a desire, a dream, a vision to make a difference. 

You have spent, hours, weeks, months and years preparing for this time – and the good news is, that tonight, this Graduation Event is not simply about an opportunity to win; it is not just about the supreme conclusion to your programme of study.

This is also an opportunity to begin again, to continue on a challenging journey that will truly demonstrate all the skills and strategies you have acquired.

Whether you become a business leader, a travel consultant, a tourism entrepreneur, a marketing agent – you are taking with you the dreams and aspirations also of all of the family members who have supported your journey here tonight.

It will be the support of your people that helps to make the challenges of your chosen profession less arduous.  How will you deliver on that vision?

You have, of course, had the advantage of being in an agency which is the first institution in Aotearoa to establish a formal Maori Caucus.

The caucus brings together both Maori staff and students to organise the strategic direction which will best achieve the desired outcomes for Maori across this organisation. 

What is so unique about this caucus is that while many organisations have a Maori representative on their executive committee, this is a formal structure that sits alongside all mainstream bodies within the institute.

And so you have already had the experience of being part of an organisation in which a strong and independent Maori voice is valued.

You have benefited from the experience of being in an organisation where a strong and independent Maori voice is influential.

And you have been part of an Institute where tiriti/treaty responsiveness and kaupapa Maori are valued throughout.

This experience will be invaluable as you venture out into your chosen career pathways.

I say this, because I am also proud to be part of an organisation, in
which a strong and independent Maori voice is valued.

The Pati Maori has come into the political arena, not driven by the hunger to be political junkies, but like yourselves, having a vision that we sought to uphold.

Our vision was to let the people’s voice ring through.  It is a vision that inspires us, every day to make a difference.

In fact is a vision which, as of end of May this year, created the reason for our four Members of Parliament to deliver some 544 speeches in the House (average of 136 speeches each).   Just as a point of contrast, for the same period of time, the ten Labour Māori MPs had delivered 404 speeches (average of forty per member).

Nobody ever said making change happen was easy.

We, the Maori Party, want to be in a position to influence, to keep Government real.

In the last three years we have walked the talk; our voice has been heard on every issue in the land – and across the globe. 

And we have done that because like you all had a vision to achieve here at MIT, we live by our inspiration which we find in the people of this land, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

It isn’t always easy.  We remember back to the election of 2005 when we were called ‘the last cab on the rank’; and the media liked to portray us as being a one issue party.

But none of this will be news to any of you.

Many of you have struggled with the very challenge of education – some of you will not have had a good experience to start off – and others of you will have been so focused on your family and the busy-ness of life, that the opportunity to learn has hard.

You may have returned to study at a time when your own children are starting to study.  At a time when the capacity to enjoy a decent standard of living is being thwarted by escalating food prices, the exorbitant cost of fuel, rising housing costs.


For some of you, the doorway to greater learning may have come from the free Level 2 programmes offered here, or in one of the FreeB classrooms in the community.

I want to really commend you, and this organisation, for the courage and the dedicated commitment you have shown in willingly taking up every challenge along the educational journey.

Ten days ago, I sent to the celebration of Adult Learners Week at Te Papa in Wellington. The theme that adult learners are leaders, he rangatira te akonga Pakeke, really resonated with me. 

I consider myself the ultimate adult learner – every day is a brand new opportunity to explore, to learn, to listen. 

In fact I’ll let you into a secret.  Our election theme is exactly that.  We ask the question “he aha te mea nui” – what is the greatest thing.

And when one asks a question, we must always be prepared for the answer.

A lot of you have taken up the challenge to learn later in life, but still brimming with enthusiasm.  The writer Maya Angelou says, ‘one isn’t necessarily born with courage but one is born with potential’.

In your case you have actually created the courage to explore your potential, to demonstrate the will to excel and the commitment to carry it off, to apply yourself to the rigours of your study.

No-one can test your faith and your vision more than you.

Because the learning you have succeeded in is much more than a personal career ticket. 

It is learning about life.  I want to really acknowledge you – to commend you for putting your hand up to learn – because I see that action as a vital component of the journey forward for the betterment of the nation. 

You are part of the solution for moving forward, in sharing access to information for all.

You are truly living the old adage – knowledge is power.

The test for us all is how we use that power for the greater good.

The Maori Party is proud to acknowledge you all here today – to welcome you into the next stage of your journey, and to encourage you all to grab the moment, to take up the challenge to be a leader, and to inspire everyone around you in the process.

And if you’re looking for a leadership challenge tomorrow morning; a business opportunity to explore; a reason to travel – perhaps you might like to take up door-knocking as a career  - and get out there and encourage everyone you know to enrol, to register to vote.

www.elections.org.nz is your new brand to sell.   The hottest text number in down is freetext 3676.  And if that doesn’t work, try the Postshop.  Whatever, use this time to remind everyone in your sphere of influence, that the greatest way to have a say about the running of our country, is to get on the roll.

It is my great honour to congratulate all of the graduates in this special graduation celebration and to wish you the very best in your future for success.