Dunne Peter: Debate On Pacific IssuesText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeDunne Peter: Debate On Pacific Issues[Sitting date: 18 April 2013. Volume:689;Page:9580. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future): Can I join with others on behalf of United Future to welcome our visitors to this Parliament for this important forum. I have been a member here for nearly 29 years and I am embarrassed to say that this is the first occasion that I can recall in that time where such a gathering as this has taken place. It is long overdue and I hope we do not have to wait another 29 or 30 years for it to be repeated.Can I welcome you for the nations that you represent the diversity of your cultures and your backgrounds and say how well that sits alongside the diverse nature of our society in New Zealand. For my part I am a third-generation Irish New Zealander. My wife is a direct descendant of New Zealand’s recognised first European family a granddaughter some seven generations down the line. The thing we all have in common whatever our background whatever our cultural roots whatever our heritage is that we live in this part of the world. The issues that confront this part of the world—be they related to climate change be they related to the movement of people be they related to economic development—are issues for all of us and the solutions are ones that we all have to engage in.I do not subscribe to the view that New Zealand is some big sugar daddy on the edge of the Pacific. I think that is a very patronising and a very old-fashioned view and I think we have to work much more collaboratively on the things we have in common sharing the strengths that we have—and they will be different from nation to nation—and the capacities that we have and they will differ as well to assist each one of our nations to achieve their full potential.We say that often in respect of our attitude towards young New Zealand children. We want them all to have the opportunity to reach their full potential in life. So it is with our relationships with our neighbours. I do not think that it is for New Zealand or for any individual member of the Pacific family to presume a view in respect of other members of the family. What we need to do is work together to ensure that all of us are capable of achieving the goals that we want and they will differ. And in some senses New Zealand will be the provider of educational opportunity of employment of technology ofvarious other forms of assistance. But in other senses it is very much a two-way street and we have to recognise the strengths of our Pacific family as we move forward.One of the things that I think that leads to in a very immediate sense is the capacity to assist each other in times of stress. It may be physical stress brought on by adverse climatic events such as cyclones or storms or whatever or the mounting threat of climate change. It may also be unrest brought on by political or other means. We need to stand by to help. I think from New Zealand’s point of view we have to be very careful that we do not interpret such situations as ones where we effectively ration our assistance—not in financial terms so much but in terms of things like temporary immigration in terms of things like family reunification where we sometimes take in my view too rigid a position in respect of the nations of the Pacific.We are all in this part of the world together and the opportunity that we have may be on a smaller scale but it is no different from the opportunity that the Europeans have developed over the last 50 or 60 years. It is about the capacity to build a unique community where we work together collaboratively respecting the identity and the integrity of the member nations but where we speak with a much more unified and connected voice about the issues that concern us.I welcome this forum taking place in this Chamber and elsewhere over the coming weekend. I think it is a very important development. It is one that is long overdue. I acknowledge the work of colleagues in this House and elsewhere who have helped to bring it together. But the real challenge and the real test of its achievement will be what flows from this—that is what procedures protocols and forms of assistance are put in place that mean that the goal of a broad Pacific family which we often talk about in a loose-lipped way can be a goal that is actually achieved in practice. I believe there is sufficient goodwill on all sides for that to happen and I look forward to the deliberations. I encourage the delegates to participate fully. I give you a very warm welcome to this country. Have a great weekend. It is wonderful to have you here.