Shearer David: Motions — United Nations Security Council—Election to Non-permanent SeatText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeShearer David: Motions — United Nations Security Council—Election to Non-permanent Seat[Sitting date: 21 October 2014. Volume:701;Page:9. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]DAVID SHEARER (Labour—Mt Albert):The Labour Party supports the Government’s motion to recognise our election on to the United Nations Security Council. More than any other place it is where New Zealand can contribute to peace and security in the world and we are living in very turbulent times.The emphatic victory of 145 votes out of 193 against pretty formidable competition in the form of Turkey and Spain and without spending that sort of money is a testament to a number of things. First of all it is a testament to our standing in the world. We are perceived as fair-minded a country with a principled foreign policy and an independent country one that is a firm supporter of the UN principles.The quality of our campaign was very important. As the Prime Minister said it started 10 years ago under a Labour Government. I acknowledge too the team that existed within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade those various envoys who travelled the world and the formidable team in New York headed by Jim McLay. Having seen Jim’s work on the ground I believe he has the respect the standing and the moral compass to be an excellent representative on the council in the years ahead. I want also to acknowledge the work of this Government and the Prime Minister but particularly the Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully for spearheading that effort as well. As the Prime Minister said it very much is and was a bipartisan effort.Lastly our message to those countries that we met—it resonated—was we would on the council stand up for small States and give them a voice that they often did not have to listen and to judge each issue on its merits when it comes to us making a decision and that we would be persuaded by the case in front of us not just by other pressures. We have an obligation now to make sure we see that through. That might mean taking a stance against some of our bigger trading partners or perhaps our traditional allies as well. That is the duty we are given and that is the undertaking we now have to see through.The Prime Minister talked about Rwanda. I remember our last stint on the United National Security Council. I was a much younger and more “haired” aid worker in Rwanda back in those days and I remember Colin Keating giving one of his speeches in the Security Council where he talked about people around the Security Council having blood on their hands. I was living and working amongst many of those Rwandans and as a person doing that I felt very proud to be a Kiwi who was recognised by those people around me as standing up for them.That is the legacy we have for which we are remembered and on which our reputation is also based and it flows through to so many other aspects of how New Zealand is perceived. The challenge before us in the next 2 years is to make a real contribution to making this world a more peaceful and safer place and in doing so further enhance our standing as a country.