Dunne Peter: Obituaries — Sir Wilson James Whineray KNZM OBE 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Dunne Peter: Obituaries — Sir Wilson James Whineray KNZM OBE 
[Sitting date: 23 October 2012. Volume:685;Page:6029. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) 
: 
 I want to join with others in paying tribute to the late Sir Wilson Whineray acknowledging his tremendous contribution to sport to commerce and to public life in New Zealand generally over the last generation or so. For many of us who grew up in the 1960s he was an inspirational figure. He was the All Blacks captain at a time when the All Blacks had an even higher standing in the public consciousness than they do today. After the 1963-64 tour of the British Isles he was noted by the British rugby writers—hardly uncritical commentators on New Zealand sporting prowess—as the greatest gentleman in sport. When he retired after the final test in 1965 I can vividly recall even though the television images were grainy seeing him carried aloft by his team-mates from the field of play to the grandstand for the after-match event. 
But it was not the end of his career at that point. He went on as has been noted to have a considerable career in commerce and a range of public activities. I want to recall an incident from the mid-1990s in which I was involved where all of the skills that made him such a great player such a great businessman and such a great captain came to bear. We in this city were having one of these great stoushes that from time to time divide us—this time the battle between the Porirua Hutt and Wellington factions over where our new multi-purpose sports stadium should be sited. There were those like the Wellington City Council arguing for the site down on the waterfront which eventually triumphed. Others wanted it to be out at Aotea. To try to bridge the gap between the different sporting codes the local authorities and the various interests an external review panel was commissioned chaired by the then Mr—now of course remembered as Sir—Wilson Whineray. I remember going to a couple of the meetings where tensions were high and passions were being expressed with considerable vigour. This wise figure sat at the end of the table very quietly nodding at every point that was made and in an almost quietly inaudible way summing up and reaching a decision that everyone felt comfortable with. The consequence was that the stadium was built in what turned out to be the right place. I could imagine from that the team talk the words of encouragement on the field and the words of encouragement around the board table from this wise man whose very demeanour and style of presentation gave you a sense of confidence that he knew what he was doing and that he was probably right. 
He said—just in tributes that have been referred to in recent times—that he wanted to leave New Zealand a better place than he found it. His presence here alone ensured that that change occurred. We look to our heroes and we look to people like Sir Wilson Whineray who with quiet dignity determination and passion achieved not only on the sports field but in the business community. The fact that we are now paying tribute to his memory in this Parliament acknowledges I think the regard in which the vast majority of New Zealanders would hold him. Our sympathy is with Sir Wilson’s family. Our best wishes and thoughts go with them at this particularly sad time. But we all celebrate the memory of one of our finest New Zealanders. 
Motion agreed to.