Ardern Jacinda; Mallard TrevorOBITUARIESDame Catherine TizardRt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): I move That the House express its sympathy and condolences to the family of Dame Catherine Tizard and pay tribute to the outstanding contribution she made to this country.The Hon Dame Catherine Tizard known to all as Dame Cath died in Auckland on 31 October at the age of 90. It was with great sadness that I heard of Dame Cath's death. She was a wonderful role model of leadership and determination combined with a down-to-earth approach and an irrepressible sense of humour. In 1971 Dame Cath was working as a senior tutor in zoology at Auckland University while raising four children. At a time when it was still far from common for women to combine a career with running a family let alone enter political life as well Dame Cath took her first step into public life by standing in the Auckland City Council election. She was duly elected and remained a city councillor for 12 years while continuing to work for the university. Many will also remember her as a regular panel member on the hugely popular TV show Beauty and the Beast from 1976 to 1985. Dame Cath was elected Mayor of Auckland in 1983 the first woman to hold that position. The following year she received the first of her four damehoods. Dame Cath remained mayor until 1990 during which she led two challenging and significant projects for Auckland: the development of Aotea Centre and securing the hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 1990. Dame Cath had only just been re-elected for her third term as Mayor of Auckland when she was offered the role of Governor-General. She was only the third woman in the Commonwealth to be appointed Governor-General of course the first in New Zealand. It was particularly significant that she was in the role when New Zealand commemorated the centenary of women's suffrage in 1993.Dame Cath was a popular Governor-General and strived to make both the role of Governor-General and Government House more accessible to New Zealanders. She instituted the first open day allowing public access to the house and grounds. She gently dismantled some of the pomp that surrounded her role such as discouraging curtseying and bowing to the Governor-General. She carried out her formal and ceremonial duties with serious and considered attention and her community duties with a sense of fun and a genuine wish to engage with a diverse range of New Zealanders.For those of us privileged enough to have known Dame Cath or to at least have had encounters with her they were memorable. She was wise witty and generous. She was a role model when the world and women needed one. She's one of the people that normalised women in leadership in Aotearoa and we owe her much for that.The thoughts of the Government are with Dame Cath's family. They sacrificed much on behalf of all of us and we thank them. It is usual of course in New Zealand for the service of a former Governor-General to be honoured with a State funeral. At Dame Cath's request she will have a private funeral and we will publicly celebrate her life with a different event that will reflect her personal wishes and those of her family.We of course will announce details of that at the appropriate time. Until then I know this House's thoughts are with Dame Cath's family. Rest in peace.SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to.