TUESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2020
The Speaker took the Chair at 2 p.m. 
Karakia. 
OBITUARIES 
Rt Hon Michael Kenneth (Mike) Moore ONZ, AO
SPEAKER: I regret to inform the House of the death on 2 February 2020 of former Prime Minister the Rt Hon Michael Kenneth (Mike) Moore ONZ, AO, who was an MP from 1972 to 1975 and 1978 to 1999. 





Hon CHRIS HIPKINS (Leader of the House): Following agreement this morning at the Business Committee, I seek leave for the Prime Minister's statement to be provided and presented and for the debate on it to commence on Wednesday, 12 February, and, following the speeches of the leaders of each party, for oral questions to be held, despite Standing Orders 66, 354, and 355. 
SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being followed? There is none. 





Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN (Prime Minister): I seek leave to move a motion without notice on the death of former Prime Minister Mike Moore. 
SPEAKER: Is there any objection to that course of action being taken? There is none. 
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: I move, That this House place on record its appreciation and thanks for the devoted and distinguished service to New Zealand by the late Rt Hon Michael Kenneth Moore, Member of the Order of New Zealand, a Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia, a Member of this House of Representatives representing Eden from 1972-75, Papanui from 1978-81, Christchurch North from 1984-87, and Waimakariri from 1996-99, who held ministerial portfolios including Deputy Minister of Finance, Minister of External Relations and Trade, Minister responsible for the America's Cup, Minister of Tourism, Minister of Sport and Recreation, Minister Responsible for Publicity, Minister of Overseas Trade and Marketing, served as the 34th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 4 September to 2 November 1990 and as the third Director-General of the World Trade Organization from 1 September 1999 to 1 September 2002, that the House express our sense of loss and our sympathy with his wife, Yvonne, and other relatives, and that the House do now adjourn. 
I want to say to all of Mike's loved ones, especially Yvonne, that our thoughts and prayers are with you and that we grieve with you. In his valedictory speech, Mike Moore said, "It is nice to see so many people here at my farewell and funeral. If only people had said such supportive things when I was alive!" I'm sorry, Mike—you're going to have to watch this Chamber once again set aside time to commend your many achievements. 
I've read the commentary about Mike since he passed. The word "battler" is often used. Mike fought for people. He fought for what he believed in. He fought for New Zealand's interests around the world, and, as any politician does, he had his share of battles here in Parliament. Despite those battles, Mike loved Parliament and politics—the debate, the policy, the theatre—but, ultimately, he loved all of these things because he loved those he was here to serve. Mike was undeniably a unique man and a unique politician, or, as Sir Geoffrey Palmer put it, a force of nature. He was a kind, caring, and humble man. Where he saw wrong, he tried to right it. He deeply believed politics was ultimately about improving people's lives. 
A true working-class Prime Minister, Mike Moore showed all New Zealanders that hard work, initiative, guts, and determination can lead to very big things. He taught everyone to aim for the stars, because that's what he did, via books. Mike left school at the age of 15 for a job in the freezing works, but he was an avid reader. That he made his way to Parliament just eight years later is a testament to his work ethic, his dedication, and his intellect. Through his love of learning and reading, he educated himself, and he was eventually awarded honorary doctorates from Lincoln University, the Auckland University of Technology, and the University of Canterbury, as well as an honorary doctorate from the People's University of China and an honorary doctorate from La Trobe University in Australia. 
Mike didn't stop at reading, though. Throughout his life, he was a prolific author and wrote books on economics, New Zealand history, politics, and much, much more. But in all of that, this place remained central to him. He once said, "The Labour Party has been my training college; Parliament, my university." He loved the Parliamentary Library, and I'm told credibly that he would encourage others to use the library in the way that he did. This place mattered to Mike because of the power and potential that exists here, in the same way that he saw the power and potential of the people that he served in all walks of life. 
In the Hansard and his many interviews, we will always be able to remember Mike and hear his totally unique voice, and it's a voice that was consistent. Mike's affinity for the Labour Party developed at a young age. He joined Labour when he was 15 years old and was the first youth representative on the Labour Party executive. He was the vice-president of the International Union of Socialist Youth—
Hon Grant Robertson: A fine organisation. 
Rt Hon JACINDA ARDERN: —a very fine organisation—for two consecutive terms. This dedication to the Labour Party and its cause never diminished, over many decades. As a member of Parliament and as Prime Minister, Mike was passionate about many things, including constitutional change and creating a united New Zealand. I've spoken to some of his former colleagues, who noted how emotive Mike could be when discussing the history of our nation and his vision for the future of Aotearoa, a New Zealand, in his words, "more at peace with itself". It was only fitting when Mike tried to, of course, in his final speech in this place, cheekily table a bill to this House on constitutional change. At the time, Mike said, "A nation is the sum total of its history, its memories, and … experiences. A nation without history is like a man without a memory. It is good that we are confronting our historic ghosts and demons at last." 
Mike would've been proud to see the debate and the discussion last week at Waitangi, where we came together to reflect on the past, to challenge our present, and to be hopeful about our future. We must continue to work together to create a nation we can continue to be proud of, building on the call that Mike left to all of us. On the paepae at Waitangi, many people spoke of Mike's passion for New Zealand and the work that he did to bring Kiwis together and promote our country to the world. In fact, some commented that this is where we saw Mike's true potential. 
It was unsurprising that Mike took a global leadership role in trade after he left politics. As Minister of Overseas Trade and Marketing, he was involved with the GATT trade round negotiations in their trade missions to Australia, China, Japan, the Middle East, Latin America, and across Europe. There aren't many people who can say they led both New Zealand and the world, but Mike is one of them. When he left Parliament to become the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Mike took the same mentality he had as a politician in New Zealand. He approached trade as a way to help those in need, except this time he broadened his constituency and had the aim of helping entire nations in need. He saw trade as an opportunity to lift people out of poverty and to help developing countries grow economically. It was a way to help the little guy. Always keeping New Zealand close to his heart, he also saw trade as an opportunity for us to grow international relations and build a stronger economic base. We owe much to his hard work and dedication. 
Mike was also a staunch union man. Much like politics, he joined the union movement at a young age and became a member of the Auckland Trades Council when he was 17. Mike always had time for workers because he was one himself. He once said it was rubbish that you did not make real friends in Parliament, before listing his real friends—that included the drivers, messengers, the library staff, the staff at Bellamy's, the security guards, and researchers. It shows us who Mike was. It didn't matter what your role was; Mike was always keen to talk, to listen. He was a man of the people. 
I was fortunate enough to see Mike a few days before he passed, and he encouraged me to keep thinking about the vision we hold for the future—not one for small talk. So, Mike, I want to say we will keep aiming high. You led by example and showed what hard work, passion, and care for others can achieve. 
I'd like to end with a mihi recently penned by a member in this House. Translated, the mihi reads: "The tōtara of the political world has fallen. Sir, you travelled the distance, scaled the heights, traversed the seas, now your time is over and you must return. Your Waka awaits [you] on the tides of Matauri, the prow faces the current of farewell, go those who preceded you in the great beyond, sleep in peace chief of deed, of word, of people." Moe mai rā, Mike, moe mai rā. 





Hon SIMON BRIDGES (Leader of the Opposition): The National Opposition joins with the Government in paying tribute to Mike Moore, New Zealand's 34th Prime Minister and the 11th leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. On 2 February 2020, New Zealand lost not only one of its staunchest advocates for free trade and open markets across the world but someone who spent his entire life courageously fighting for what he believed in. The tenure of our 34th Prime Minister may have been one of the shortest, but his legacy as a PM and, more than that, as a great parliamentarian and New Zealander is secure. He was in every sense of the term a great New Zealander. 
One of the things Mike said in one of his interviews—on, I think, The 9th Floor interview on RNZ—that stuck with me was "The greatest betrayal we can make of our people is to not care." No one could say Mike didn't care, and courageously so, about the people that he served. It was caring for people, dedicating his life to public service, and sticking to his values which served him so well for his 24 years of parliamentary service. Mike embodied some of the best traditions of New Zealand: looking out for Kiwi battlers, backing each other to succeed, recognising that not everyone is born into wealth and that sometimes they need a hand up. 
Much of Mike's legacy is around trade, free trade, and promoting New Zealand to the world, and I'll come to his tenure at the World Trade Organization in a moment. But his early thinking on the benefits of free trade certainly paved the way for New Zealand's entry into the world of free trade. When the fourth National Government signed up to Closer Economic Relations with Australia, it was Mike who first saw, on the Labour side, how free trade and being open to the world could benefit the working class, or, as he put it, how the workers could get their hands on the loot. 
He knew that the benefits of selling our products to the world without enormous tariffs meant New Zealand would be a richer country for it and that everyone could share in the benefits of a growing economy. He led new thinking in the Labour Party that saw free trade as an opportunity for advancing the New Zealand brand and cause, and there are many people who got opportunities and financial certainty that are grateful for it. 
Mike's time as a Prime Minister was only 60 days long, but he is credited by many for stopping a wipe-out of the Labour Party in the 1990 general election. He led the Labour Party for another three years and almost returned them to Government in the 1993 general election. I'm sure Jim Bolger was delighted not to have to face him again. 
His leadership at the World Trade Organization (WTO) was short but significant. He worked to spread free trade to the far-flung reaches of our world because he saw the potential in new markets and new opportunities for many different people, like it had done for us. His tenure in the United States as our ambassador ended when he suffered ill health and he returned to New Zealand to enjoy the remaining years of his life. 
No doubt everyone would agree with me that it was a life well lived or, as Chris Trotter said, "not bad for a former printer and freezing-worker!" To his wife, Yvonne, to his family, and to his friends, there is no doubt Mike will have left a hole in your family as well as New Zealand. Jane Clifton noted Mike Moore was like the opposite of L & P: "world-famous, just not in New Zealand." 
As I've said, Mike never lacked courage and was a great parliamentarian, but sometimes he could become so voluble that it was hard to work out what precisely he was arguing. Some of his former colleagues have told me of the lengthy and not always intelligible memos he would send to them when he was about to depart overseas as Minister for overseas trade, and many a reporter was left scratching his or her head after a Moore speech, trying to divine the meaning. The robustness of parliamentary debate certainly diminished when one of the House's more colourful figures—dare I say it, likeable rogues—departed to the WTO in 1999. 
He will be remembered for his belief in free trade when others in his party did not. He will be remembered for serving our country in the highest of international roles and putting our country on the map. He will be remembered for his belief in the potential of every New Zealander. He will be remembered as a great New Zealander who loved his country, who dedicated his life to public service, and who spent his 71 years working to make New Zealand a better place. 





Rt Hon WINSTON PETERS (Deputy Prime Minister): Colleagues, it's not uncommon on these occasions of eulogy to sometimes be wondering exactly who the speaker's talking about. The difference on this special occasion is that any words of praise and respect have a particular significance because they happen to be true. Michael Kenneth Moore's life's work was not to champion those with wealth or power or special connections. Mike's life work every day was to make things better for New Zealand and ordinary New Zealanders, to add rungs to the ladder of chance and opportunity, and to enhance New Zealand's place in the world. He truly is one of the great New Zealanders. 
From the time he was elected to Parliament at the age of 23 to his final year, he was constantly thinking about how to advance New Zealand's interests. Mike was that rare politician whose outlook was improved by his life in Parliament and he seriously grew in the job. As many of you will know, as a young man, Mike beat cancer. I can recall him walking into this room after his long sojourn away, and Rob Muldoon, the Prime Minister, went to shake his hand, and the look on Mike's face was one of horror because he'd wished he hadn't. As I say, Mike grew better with age. 
He took to heart the idea that it was his job to learn more about the issues. You know, he was given the gift of time, and he used that gift to its fullest. He was curious and he was open to changing his mind when presented with new information. These are traits which are far too rare these days. 
Many New Zealanders will have fond memories of his political career, whether it was his championing of lamburgers, his witty turn of phrase, his restless energy, or his passion for helping New Zealanders of all walks of life. I remember his cynical doubt about expert advice. Mike would say, "Well, we know it works in practice; now let's see if it works in theory." 
Everywhere he went, people saw the passion Mike had for New Zealand and connecting it to the world, and by the time he left Parliament, Mike was a champion of the role that free and fair trade can play in lifting people out of poverty and improving living standards. 
It's important to acknowledge his role on the international stage as the only New Zealander to lead the World Trade Organization, and then as New Zealand's Ambassador to the United States. His time at the World Trade Organization coincided with momentous changes for New Zealand and the global economy. He oversaw the successful accession of countries like China to the World Trade Organization, bringing the majority of the world's population within the rules-based trading system, and he gave particular attention to helping poor countries participate effectively in the multinational and multilateral trading system. 
Truth be told, Mike attained the highest international position of any New Zealander abroad. This is a truly remarkable achievement. But through it all, Mike's historic body of achievements, what we will remember is the warm, passionate, funny, mischievous man that we will miss. Let us also pay special tribute to Mike's wife, Yvonne, and his family, and send our thoughts and prayers to them. 
When thinking of a literary parallel for our sentiments today, there's one tribute that stands out. It could've been written about Mike, but it's advice that Rudyard Kipling gave to his son: 
If you can keep your head when all about you 
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, 
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, 
But make allowance for their doubting too; 
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, 
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, 
Or being hated, don't give way to hating, 
And yet don't look too good or talk too wise; 
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master, 
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; 
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster 
And treat those two impostors just the same; 
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken 
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, 
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken 
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools. 
And, to close, further on: 
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, 
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, 
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, 
If all men count with you, but none too much; 
If you can fill the unforgiving minute 
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, 
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, 
And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son! 
That was Mike Moore, the boy from Kawakawa and Moerewa, who went as an orphan to secondary school and turned his life dramatically around. In the words from Hamlet, 
Goodnight, sweet Prince, 
And flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest. 





MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green): Tēnā koe e Te Māngai o Te Whare. Tēnā tātou katoa ōku hoa kaimahi o Te Whare Pāremata. It is with the utmost respect that I rise on behalf of the Green Party to pay our contribution and tribute to Mike Moore, previous Prime Minister and previous leader of the Labour Party. We acknowledge his time and service, particularly in this House and as a politician. As we've heard across the House tonight, alongside the many community and working-people roles that he held throughout his entire life, I of course want to pay particular attention to his whānau; his wife, Yvonne; and his many friends and people who loved and cared for him throughout his entire life journey. 
I read and saw with interest that he was also a young MP—23, I believe—when he entered this House. That is an incredible achievement, something that the Greens know intimately what it is like with our young Chlöe Swarbrick. Whatever people are in their public lives, there are always whole other dimensions to those people that often the rest of the public rarely get to see or experience or understand. In the eyes of the whānau, I was interested and reading through many of the stories that always come through when people pass, no matter who they are. Those are the connections and the dimensions that I always gravitate to when we lose anybody and stand up and pay tribute to them in this House. 
I acknowledge and saw with pride that he was also a man of the North—a person of my North. I fondly remembered his Kawakawa—my memories of coming over the three bumpy bridges on our way over from Hokianga, coming over to Whangārei—and Moerewa also being a home place of many of my whakapapa, uncles and aunties, who were long-time decades and generations of freezing workers, alongside Mike as well. 
I think all people deserve authentic contributions, especially at their time of passing. So I do note on behalf of the Green Party that we did not always agree with his political positions. We all believed together that Government has a role in ensuring the wellbeing of all peoples in our country, but we had very different ideas of how to get there. I say that, being able to stand and acknowledge the full person at anyone's time of passing. 
The experiences of people's intimate interactions and personal interactions with Mike Moore mattered. They made a big difference to those people. I've been seeing stories on social media and in the news about the many generous, authentic, and accessible engagements that he had with people from the public, with journalists, and with staff here. Those experiences matter. We are always more than a one-dimensional public face. I want to acknowledge those many authentic experiences that many people have had with Mike Moore. 
I close with the words of his wife, Yvonne. I, particularly, find something in common—strongly—when Yvonne mentioned that he was elated when Jacinda Ardern became Prime Minister and felt that she would be able to achieve more for New Zealand and on the international stage than any other Labour leader, and in that I attribute his words and thank Yvonne for bringing those thoughts to us at this time. Lastly, in her words, Mike Moore was stubborn, optimistic, generous, and kind. It is with those values and feelings in my mind that I leave our contribution from the Green Party on the floor of this House. Kia ora tātou katoa. 





DAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT): Thank you, Mr Speaker. I wish to join with other leaders in supporting this motion by our current Prime Minister to honour the passing of a past Prime Minister. Mike Moore's photo in the gallery outside your office is as large as the longest-serving Prime Ministers of this country, and so it should be. It is fitting that this House pays tribute to a man who may have been short in stature but was a giant bestriding the world stage on behalf of our country. 
If you'll allow me a very small personal indulgence—I never met Mike Moore; I entered this Parliament 15 years after he left it. About two years ago, a close friend of his, Clayton Cosgrove—also known as "mini-Mike"—gave me Mike Moore's phone number so that I could call him and meet him. In the rush of life, I never did it, and that's a bitter regret. I guess there's a lesson in that in life for everybody. 
But the reasons why I wanted to meet him were mainly two. First, as I said, he was a giant on the world stage who can be, I think, solely responsible, as much as any one person can, for the belief and the mantra that New Zealand is a trading nation. Some of his fellow travellers from his early career have also been fellow travellers of ACT, and they tell me—as was acknowledged by Simon Bridges—that he was responsible for seeing that the Labour Party became supporters of Closer Economic Relations in 1983. Without that sort of consensus in this House, we couldn't have made that relationship with our nearest neighbours a model for the world in trade relationships, and this theme of cross-partisanship would actually come to punctuate his career. 
He was nominated by a National Government both to be the chair of the World Trade Organization—rising to a higher office than any other New Zealander had—and also to be the Ambassador to the United States, and I, like a lot of younger New Zealanders, got to know Mike through his brilliant New Zealand Herald columns that he used to write before his ambassadorial post prevented him from having such a vocal megaphone in the nation's press. What I saw in those columns—and this is why I wanted to meet the guy—was that he had a certain amount of political pragmatism. It made him able to pierce the identity politics, the categorisation, and the boxes into which so many politicians are put or feel unable to escape, and achieve the kinds of results that our Prime Minister mentioned for ordinary people across the world. That's why I'm sad not to have met him, and why he is one of the very few politicians who can come through this place, grow in the role, and leave a mark that is indelible and that is defining of our nation and our identity—in particular, as a trading nation—and a mark that is also positive. 
I also note that his first constituents were those from Mount Eden. So there will be people there with long memories who will remember his representation and the way that even while being swept to the side by the Muldoon landslide of 1975, he campaigned valiantly to be their representative. There will be many others from Dilworth School, in the area I represent, who can attest to the way that he was able to take at least some of the lessons that he got to from that school and the contribution that it made to his life. 
Finally, for Yvonne and his relatives who survive him, I wish to offer sincere condolences, and to Mike Moore himself, a tremendous tribute. We may not see his like again. Thank you, Mr Speaker. 





Hon KELVIN DAVIS (Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti): Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. E tika ana mō Te Ao Māori kia poroporoakingia tēnei rangatira kua huri tuara ki a matou, nā reira, e te rangatira, e Mike, haere te ara tiketike. 
Ko te ara tēnā o Mahuru e eke ai koe ki runga i a Huarau. Tīhaoa te kau kōpuni, ka pahure atu i reira te kāhui kura. Te kura i nunumi ki runga ki o Rehua, te kura i riro atu ki Tāpokopoko te Rangi, te kura i riro atu Te Ana Mātao ki te whare taua, Ngā Kurakura i Hine-nui-te pō. Whakauru atu ki roto i tō koutou whare, te whare o Rangiāio, takoto mai ki roto o Wharepapa o Ruakipōuri, ko tēnā te whare i tītari ai ō koutou tinana. 
Nāu nei te kāwhaki au, kume au, romi au, hīrere. Hīrere ki te pō, hīrere ki te mate, hīrere ki te pō tangotango, hīrere ki te moana o te mate. Ehara koutou nō raro nei, nō ngā kūrae o runga haumātao korā puku ake te aroha, i haere te hau mihiata. I tau ai te rangimārie, te kakara o taua anō mahi aroha, i whiti ai ki te whei ao, ki te ao marama. 
Nā reira, e te rangatira, e moe, hoea tō waka wairua ki runga tērā o ngā awa o Tāmaki kia puta atu koe ki Te Moana Tīkapa o Hauraki. Ana, kua huri ki te raki kia tae atu koe ki tērā o ngā maunga, tētahi o ngā pou o te whare tapu o Ngā Puhi, arā ko Manaia i tū ki te ākau. Nā, hoea tonu tō waka ki Rākaumangamanga, tētahi atu pou o te whare tapu o Ngā Puhi. 
Anga tō huri ki roto tērā o ngā moana, te moana pukupuku i whiti kia pahore atu koe i te pā o tōku tupuna a Pōmare. Hoea tonu tō waka i tērā o ngā awa o ngā rangatira Taumārere-herehere-i-te-riri. 
Hoea tonu atu koe kia tae atu koe ki tērā kāinga nōu i a koe e tamariki ana, arā ko Te Kawakawa. Tae atu ki tērā kāinga mō tētahi wā poto kia tukuna a Ngāti Hine, a Ngāti Manu kia tangihia mōu. Hoea tonu tō waka, whai atu i te au o tērā o ngā awaawa kia puta atu koe ki Pēwhairangi, kia tae atu koe ki tērā wāhi tapu o Ngāti Rāhiri, Ngāti Kawa, arā ko Waitangi tērā, arā ko Tau Rangatira, te wāhi i noho ai ō tātou tūpuna, ō mātou tūpuna, ki te wānangahia i Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 
Hoea tonu tō waka kia puta atu koe ki Te Tai Tama Wahine, haere tika tonu ki te whakateraki kia tae atu koe ki a Motukawanui, ki Motukawaiti, arā ko Matauri tērā tō kāinga i a koe e ora ana, i waenganui o Ngāti Kura. Hoea tonu tō waka kia tae atu koe ki a Rangaunu, te ara takingia koe i Te Iti Pioke. 
Nā anga tō huri ka kite atu koe Maunga Tohoraha i mua i a koe, whai atu kia tae atu koe ki a Hikurua, ki ērā atu o ngā tōpito o Te Ika, o Te Hiku o Te Ika, kia tae atu koe ki Te Rerenga Wairua, atu i reira ki Manawatāwhi, atu i reira ki ngā Hawaiki i kōrerohia e ō tātou mātua tūpuna, arā ko Hawaiki nui, Hawaiki roa, Hawaiki pāmaomao. Nā reira, e te rangatira, haere atu rā ki a rātou e tatari ana mōu. E moe, e moe, e moe. Kua ea ō mahi ki runga i te mata o te whenua. 
I whakapau i ngā kaikōrero i mua i ahau te whakamāramatanga o te teiteitanga, te hōhonutanga o ō mahi i a koe i runga, e hīkoi ana i runga i te mata o te whenua. Nā reira, e te rangatira, haere, haere, haere atu rā. Nā reira, rātou ki a rātou, te hunga wairua, kua hoki mai ki a tātou ngā kanohi ora kei roto i tēnei Whare, puta noa, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa. 
[Greetings, Mr Speaker. It is appropriate to the Māori world that this leader who has turned away from us is farewelled; therefore, oh chief, Mike, travel the lofty pathway. 
That is the path by which you alight on Huarau. The multitudes are assembled, and that is where the esteemed company passes on. The dearly departed which went out of sight over Rehua, the beloved taken by Tāpokopoko to Rangi, the adored taken by Te Ana Mātao at the house of grieving of Ngā Kurakura i Hine-nui-te pō. Enter into your house, the house of Rangiāio, lie in state in Wharepapa o Ruakipōuri, that is the house within which your bodies lay spread out. 
It was you who seized, who dragged the current, pressing the current to become a torrent. A torrent to the night, a torrent to death, a torrent to the intense dark, a torrent to the ocean of death. You are not from below, from the headlands of cold winds where love wells up and the dawn breezes blow. Peace has descended, the scent of that work of love, crossing to the living world, the world of light. 
Therefore, oh leader, rest, paddle your spiritual canoe on that river of Auckland to emerge at the Hauraki Gulf. Indeed, you have turned to the north to arrive at that mountain, one of the stalwarts of the sacred house of Ngā Puhi—namely, Manaia, which stands on the coast. So continue paddling your canoe to Rākaumangamanga, another stalwart of the sacred House of Ngā Puhi. 
Turn your direction to that ocean, the lumpy ocean which was crossed to reach the fortified village of my ancestor Pōmare. Continue to paddle your canoe on that river of Taumārere-herehere-i-te-riri. 
Continue paddling until you arrive at yonder village which was yours when you were a child—namely, Te Kawakawa. Arrive at that village for a short time so that Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Manu can mourn for you. Continue to paddle your canoe, follow the current of the gorges to emerge at Pēwhairangi, to arrive at that sacred place of Ngāti Rāhiri and Ngāti Kawa, that is at Waitangi—namely, Tau Rangatira, the place at which our ancestors stayed, our ancestors, to discuss the Treaty of Waitangi. 
Continue to paddle your canoe to emerge at Te Tai Tama Wahine, continue directly to the north to arrive at Motukawanui and Motukawaiti, that is at Matauri, which was your home when you were alive, amongst Ngāti Kura. Continue to paddle your canoe to arrive at Rangaunu, the route which leads you to Te Iti Pioke. 
So if you turn you will see Mount Tohoraha before you, follow it to arrive at Hikurua, to the other extremities of the Fish, of the Tail of the Fish, until you arrive at Te Rerenga Wairua, and from there to Manawatāwhi, from there to the Hawaiki that were spoken about by our ancestors, namely Hawaiki nui, Hawaiki roa, and Hawaiki pāmaomao. Therefore, oh chief, travel to those who are waiting for you. Rest, rest, rest in peace. Your tasks on earth are complete. 
The speakers before me have comprehensively explained the greatness and depth of your work while you were on and walking the face of the earth. Therefore, oh leader, farewell, farewell, farewell. Therefore, let the spiritual beings remain unto themselves; we return to the living faces in this House, throughout, greetings, greetings, greetings to us all.]
When I heard that Mike Moore had passed away, I was in Kaikohe, standing in the middle of a field, waiting and listening to the Rt Hon Winston Peters, the Hon Shane Jones, and the Hon Nanaia Mahuta making some announcements. It struck me that I was really only half an hour away from the place where Mike Moore grew up. That place was Kawakawa—funnily enough, the same town that I grew up in. 
The high school that he initially went to was the same high school that I went to. In fact, he was the first of four members of Parliament to go through Bay of Islands College: himself, the late Pita Paraone, myself, and Willow-Jean Prime. Funnily enough, he left from there to go to Dilworth, which is also the school that my father attended. 
One of the houses that he grew up in—funnily enough, I also spent a bit of time in that very house. It was on the main street of Kawakawa. By the time I was loose on the streets of Kawakawa in the 1980s, his house had actually become our local spacies parlour. I remember—it must have been in the 1980s—when he arrived in Kawakawa and visited that house, and that was the first time I had set eyes on Mike Moore. 
Sadly, I haven't seen him for the last 12 months, but I visited him last Christmas at his home in Matauri Bay and spent a bit of time with him there. Despite the fact that he had been afflicted with a number of health issues, his mind was still sharp with clarity of thought, and he had a number of instructions for us to follow. I was pleased to be able to see him then, and sad that since that time I haven't had an opportunity to catch up with him. 
But, of course, our thoughts go out to his widow, Yvonne. Everybody who has spoken before me has laid out the heights of his achievements and the depth of his thinking, and New Zealand has lost a great man. 
So, from this Kawakawa boy, I just am very honoured to be able to pay tribute to a former Kawakawa boy and wish him best on his journey to ki tērā taha o te arai, as we say in Māori—to the other side of the veil. 
Nā reira, tātou mā, huri rauna i tō tātou Whare, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora mai anō tātou. 
[Therefore, to all of us, right around our House, greetings, greetings, greetings again to all.]





Hon RON MARK (Minister of Defence): Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity. It's with great sadness, actually, that I stand to rise to speak about a friend—a friend of mine personally, a man I came to love and respect, and a man whom my children came to know as Uncle Mike. I guess, looking around the House, there are quite so many new MPs around here, or MPs who haven't been here as long as some of us have, who probably may not recall that, actually, I stood for Labour in 1993. In 1990, I got to know Mike because I'd been roped in by my then mother-in-law, my late mother-in-law, Marie Therese Berry—and I just note I'm going from the shoulder. I started writing notes, but it just seemed irrelevant to write notes right now, so I'm just going to talk. 
I got to know Mike during that 1990 campaign, when I was helping the Labour candidate for Selwyn, one Val Elley—a lovely lady. Actually, I'd been the candidate, but I pulled out because I'd only just come back into the country. I said to Mike—you know, back in those days—"You can't have me standing for Parliament when I've been out of the country for five years, come back and try and tell people how to live their lives, particularly after a Labour Government's done what it's just done." It was a terrible campaign. We had dogs set on us at Kaiapoi—I don't think that's ever been repeated since then. We got to know Mike and Yvonne very, very well over that time. 
Come 1993, I was talked into standing for Labour, not because I didn't like Mike and I didn't agree with where the policy was going; it was because, as an army officer, I just couldn't see myself standing for Parliament, one, and, two, standing for a left-wing party. But we did. Part of the reason I took it up was because my mother-in-law forced me—no, I wouldn't say that! But it was because of Mike. 
Mike was a centrist. Mike was a pragmatist. Mike was straight up and down and honest, and if he didn't like what you were saying, he would argue with you and tell you bluntly, and if you still argued, he would argue with you more. 
Mike was a damned hard worker. I think the only thing he did harder than work was smoke, back in those days. It would be cellphone in one hand, cigarette in the other, and going from cigarette to cigarette, butt-lighting off one to the other, and he just carried on. He would roll from interview to interview, and I'd be sitting in his lounge thinking "Holy hell! Is this what Parliament's going to be like? Is this what politics is?" This was Mike living, breathing the dream, and fighting as a true battler did. 
In those days, the campaign was based on some pretty sound policy. Actually, when my boss, the Rt Hon Winston Peters, said to me "Ron, you should speak.", I went back to my office and I pulled out some boxes. Prime Minister, I found a few things, like my organisational chart for my campaign, like all the names of the people that I met through Mike Moore—people like Ivan Hibberd. 
Here's my organisational chart. You might want to copy it sometime for the battle for Selwyn, the seat we almost won—which actually cost us the election, because some fifth-columnists within the Labour Party didn't like Mike and fought to undermine his campaign. 
But we had a great campaign, and I found this little gem, a pamphlet that was released. [Holds up pamphlet] This is in my office right now—there's more if you want copies, Prime Minister—it's Mike head to head on the main issues against Jim Bolger. Tucked on the back side here was a policy which New Zealand First was glad to read and study and implement many years later. Mike announced this policy and launched it at my business, Daytona Park on Moorhouse Avenue. It was called the youth employment scheme and it, amongst many things, sought to "ensure no young person under 20 is left on the dole with nothing to do.", and I remember those speeches of Mike Moore saying things like "I don't know of a town that doesn't have a church that doesn't need painting. I don't know of a town that doesn't have a tree that doesn't need planting. I don't know of"—and it went on and on, and he believed it with an absolute passion. 
I can still remember those speeches, and they have stayed with me. It's interesting that we sit here and we talk—my whanaunga behind me—about efforts, and we talk about young peoples' lives and opportunities being wasted, and we are still talking and trying to fight those battles in 2020 when Mike was fighting them in 1990 and 1993. I'd like to think, Mike, that we're winning. 
I look, as no doubt many of you do, at certain politicians who pass through the political landscape of this country. To me, there are some that stand out and will for ever be kauri trees: Keith Holyoake, Richard Seddon. When I spoke in this House in my maiden speech as a New Zealand First MP in my first term here in 1996 as part of a coalition Government with National, I spoke of Norm Kirk: "People don't want for much. They only want somewhere to live, somewhere to work, someone to love, and something to hope for." That was a speech that was repeated by Mike Moore time and time again on the hustings. 
There are many, many policies—and it's funny as heck, because I sat in my office assisted by one of my staff, pulling out one of the boxes, and we pulled out "Rebuilding the Kiwi Dream". [Holds up pamphlet] How many have used that slogan on hustings? That was Mike Moore. "Join Labour: Jobs, Growth, Health". [Holds up pamphlet] How many of you have used that campaign? There he is. [Holds up photograph] Zoom in. That's Mike—"A recovery without jobs is not what New Zealanders need. A recovery that sacrifices a proud public health system is not what New Zealanders want. An unshared recovery where the benefits are the property of a few is not what New Zealanders deserve." That was Mike Moore. I think my kids delivered hundreds and hundreds of these pamphlets during 1999. 
"Labour's Plan for the Environment"—that was Mike Moore. "Let's get New Zealand working again". [Holds up pamphlets] This is all my stuff. These are my mementos—I even found one of the Speaker, which I put on my Facebook post over Christmas. "Labour's Plan for Jobs" under Mike Moore, "Labour's Plan for Women" under Mike Moore, "Education: Our Children, Our Future" under Mike Moore, "Security, Certainty, and Retirement" under Mike Moore, "Making Our Neighbourhoods Safe Again" under Mike Moore, "Adding Value to Jobs" under Mike Moore, and, of course, the key, the hinge pin, upon which all of those policies depended was Mike's plan for economic growth and jobs, which included trade and prosperity. 
If I think back to when I went to the Middle East and I deployed, and I went into Oman, we went into a supermarket—well, it wasn't a supermarket. They didn't have supermarkets in those days. We were lucky to have tarseal roads. But in this little supermarket that I went into, the only meat you could buy was New Zealand lamb and New Zealand beef, and New Zealand butter. There were little round punnets of butter, and if you lifted the top off, the inside had a picture of Tony Garea. Anyone know who he is? World-famous New Zealand wrestler, big time in the United States—Mike Moore's work. Mike Moore driving the trade: the lamburger. When I left in 1990, we had a small little corner, and the Dutch, the French, and every other European country had moved in on us. That was a reflection of how things had changed, you know, and Mike tried desperately to recover those losses. 
I remember that and I remember him talking to me. He helped me put up a hoarding. Clayton Cosgrove was one of the "Beagle Boys". He used to come down to check on my campaign, to see how we were going. Clayton was sent down to keep an eye on the unions—whether they were going turn up and veto my candidacy at my selection. Jesse Simpson, I remember you and the rest of those boys. Mike sent Clayton down just to see how Ron did. Clayton came back and reported, and Mike said to him "How'd he go?", and he said, "Don't worry about him. It's all done—he's the candidate." 
But then Mike sent Clayton back down to see me on another, more sensitive mission. When I had my hoardings produced for Selwyn, we only had so much money, and so we took the photograph in black and white and put it up—Gerry Brownlee might remember this—and it was quite dark. Then the National Party team started talking about me not being a New Zealander and not being a Māori, but being a Pakistani, and that word got out around the electorate—"Don't vote for him, he's a Pakistani." Mike Moore called Clayton Cosgrove into his office and he said "Mate, you need to go down and talk to our mate.", and Clayton said, "What for?" He said, "Got to change his hoardings." "Why?" "Because he's too black." Clayton said "Stop—you want me to go down and tell this ex-army officer he's got to pull all his hoardings down because he's too black?", and Mike said, "Yeah." 
So Clayton turned up and, very tentatively and gingerly, said "Ah, mate, I need to talk to you about your hoardings.", and I said, "Yeah, what?" He said, "Well, Mike's asked me—don't take offence. Please don't be offended, and understand it's about image, it's about perceptions, but Mike says that we need to change your photo—it's a little bit dark." I said, "Oh, it's too black?" He said "Yeah.", and I said, "Well, what are we going to do?" He said "We'll change it.", and I said, "OK". So he rushed back, and Mike said "Well, how did it go?", and he said, "Done. He said 'Oh, what are we going to do?', and I said, 'We've got to change it.' The only problem is he hasn't got any money." So that was sorted. 
Then Mike came down and helped me put up some of my new hoardings with a colour photo, because we could afford to do it and I didn't look so black, and people could no longer say I was a Pakistani and not a New Zealander any more. 
My memories of Mike—and I could go on for quite some time—are about a man who would just speak from the shoulder. You know, it's interesting that comment, because we were at a public meeting and the question was put to me, just like that. But those were those times, and we got on—thank you. 
I want to finish on one note—if I might take the liberty, Mr Speaker. I can do no better than to quote from the state of the nation speech in 1993, which I still have a copy of: "The Rt Hon Mike Moore, Leader of the Opposition, MP for Christchurch North". At the end of the speech, and I think this pretty much sums up Mike—oh, excuse me, Yvonne—"I believe leadership is more than finding an angry crowd and agreeing with it. I want to offer New Zealand again a chance to be a fairer, safer, and more progressive society. I know that Government alone can't do this. This voyage needs all the crew rowing. We can't afford passengers. I am gripped by a sense of urgency, because I know that we don't have a moment to lose. We don't have a person to waste." 
That was Mike Moore in 1993, a man my family loves. Kia ora. 





Hon GERRY BROWNLEE (National—Ilam): I hadn't intended to speak today, but I felt, given that I was on the other side of a lot of what Ron Mark was talking about, I should make a few comments. 
Mike Moore was the MP for Christchurch North for 18 years, and I want to put on record that he was so highly respected by the Christchurch community in the role that he took. I was for six of those years the National Party's electorate chairman in Christchurch North. We were constantly aware that we were opposing a man who was deeply revered and respected by the citizens of that particular electorate. I didn't come to know him particularly well, but when I came into Parliament in 1996, he was more than generous in giving advice about how one should conduct oneself in the parliamentary environment, and he was, of course—as we have heard said so often today—a great parliamentarian. 
I do recall though that for some reason, and I'm not quite sure why, the Hon Dr Wayne Mapp and I were at a luncheon held in Christchurch—probably not unusual that I was at a luncheon, I suppose—by a well-known American businessman in the city. He was entertaining a group of senators who'd come out in late 1998, or it might have been early 1999, on their way through to Australia and on to Thailand, who were, essentially, trying to get a bit of a steer on the World Trade Organization job and who might be there, given that the two, Supachai and Mike, were the preferred candidates. 
We were invited, after these senators had a discussion on the tennis court of Mr Hagaman, to come and speak to them, so we wandered out there. They were doing this because they considered that was the most secure place for them to have a discussion, which is a bit odd these days. They asked us what we knew of Mike Moore and what we thought of him. We were both, I have to say, quite effusive about his commitment to world trade, to the liberalisation of trade, and, as he understood, the benefits of it. So they told us they were going to report back to—I think it was Charlene Barshefsky—the United States trade representative at the time. Wayne Mapp, in his own inimitable way, said, "Why don't you guys just cut it short and split the job?" Now, I don't know whether that's why they did it. I don't want to attribute that to Wayne—it's a very significant achievement—but when, in fact, they did do that, I do think it's a bit of shame that Mike didn't end up taking the second part of that job. I think he'd have been there a lot longer and I think a lot of the momentum that he created in those three years would have made a huge difference to where the world sits today on these matters. 
I also, as Minister of Defence, was hosted by Mike in Washington. I've got to say, his access to their system was quite extraordinary. So all the facets of his personality—the genial approach that he took to people, the love that he always exhibited of being in the company of people who wanted to discuss ideas—was on display on those couple of days. We actually also got to see the Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel. Now, I'm not sure whether it was anything Mike said, but that afternoon Chuck was dismissed from his job by President Obama. But none the less, the access was quite extraordinary. 
We also enjoyed, that evening, quite an extraordinary dinner that Mike put on. One of the guests was the Hon Kim Beazley from Australia. It will be one occasion that I'll remember for the rest of my life because of the breadth of the conversation, the forward-thinking of that conversation, and the ability that Mike Moore seemed to have to see a couple of steps ahead of where everything else was. It took some deciphering, but you knew it was there. I am somewhat sorry, though, that it was a few weeks later that he became quite ill. 
At the end of the dinner, at around 9 o'clock, he sort of rounded everyone up and said, "Well, Minister, you've got a big day tomorrow, you need to move on.", and I took a slight risk and said to him, "Oh, hang on a minute, Ambassador. Whatever happened to fine old MFAT tradition of port and cigars after the dinner?" He leapt out of his chair—remember, this was a man who was not overly well then, and he had trouble with his feet—and procured the most rubbishy bunch of cigars I've ever seen, but some of the finest port you could ever get. We sat outside in December until after 2 in the morning with the discussion continuing—quite an extraordinary occasion. 
But I also want to say, particularly to Yvonne Moore, who was also highly regarded by the people in Christchurch, that their enduring partnership no doubt allowed Mike to have the career that he was able to follow. To her, our deepest sympathies and condolences as she goes about the rest of her life without her life partner, Mike Moore. 





Hon DAMIEN O'CONNOR (Minister of Agriculture): Kia ora, Mr Speaker, and, look, it's a great honour to say a few words to someone who I considered a friend and who I owe so much to. This won't be the last word on Mike Moore, but he had a saying that it was always hard to be too right too early. Mike, unfortunately, you've run out of time to prove so many things to us, but we now have the responsibility to prove that many of those things that Ron raised were, indeed, correct. 
I'd like to take the opportunity to thank Yvonne Moore. It was always Mike and Yvonne, Yvonne and Mike. For as long as I know, she has been a long-serving supporter of everything that Mike did. She shared her husband with the Labour Party, she shared her husband with New Zealand, and she shared her husband with the world, and so thank you for that. 
I first met Mike in 1990. It was Mike's, I guess you might say, manic tour. He was the Prime Minister trying to hold together a party that was blowing apart. He was running around the country as fast as he could, literally at warp speed, talking to people, trying to keep our vote up. He was due to visit a little tourism business in the mouth of the Buller Gorge, where I was located. I didn't find out until later on, but, indeed, they came down out of the gorge at God knows what speed, right into a mob of sheep that my father was driving on the road. There were no lamburgers created in that incident, but he came into our business, asked how things were, in a genuine and engaging way, spoke with all 10 of us at that place, and then moved on in a shower of gravel and dust as he moved on. 
He held the Labour Party together at a really challenging time. He went through that election and ended up with 29 MPs that kept the National Government honest for three years. That was an incredible achievement, and we have to thank him for that. 
In 1992, I was selected as a candidate—never been in a campaign before—and, looking back now, the organisation and the discipline and the focus of that campaign has probably not been matched. Remember, that was at a time when cellphones were bricks—I'd like to thank Ron Mark for outlining some of the amazing organisational material that we had—and he oversaw, I guess, a discipline around that campaign that brought us to a point that almost saw the Labour Party win in 1993. 
It was an interesting campaign. "Mike's mafia", the "Beagle Boys"—call them what you like, they were a passionate, loyal bunch of people that did things like rush into Hokitika a couple of hours before the plane would land and literally plaster the town with hoardings. These are people in pinstripe suits putting up hoardings all around Hokitika, organising a crowd at the airport to meet Mike, organising a crowd at the local tourism business, and organising a crowd at the bar to which he went. There was an astute journalist that recognised that they were all the same crowd. 
But I can particularly remember Mike rushing out of a tourism business—you know, he'd been in there, talking genuinely with all the people, and he rushed out on to the street, saw the first person there and said "Right, drive me to the next gallery.", and I remember this West Coaster turned around and said, "I'm not your bloody driver." But, of course, Mike didn't flinch; he just carried on. He treated everyone with dignity, with respect, and with kindness. 
In 1993, he almost brought the Labour Party from, I guess, the depths of despair in 1990 to 1993, when we almost won, and I have to say that it was something that brought me into politics. For that, I thank you, Mike. He saw the West Coast seat as a taonga, and he did so much to help me turn around what was a significant majority. Thank you, Mike, for that. 
He, of course, ended up losing the leadership, and not long after that—or, as he liked to say, he mislaid it. It was pretty tough on him and a number of people, and it was tough on the party. He did say, of course, that he did sleep like a baby after that—you know, he dozed for a few hours, then he'd wake up and cry, and then he'd doze for a few more hours and he'd wake up and cry, and on it went. 
He was distraught because it was the job that he'd always worked so hard for. But he wasn't one to sulk or to sit around and do nothing, and then his focus on trade, I have to say, has helped us all as a country. There was some, I guess, cynicism about his approach, because of, maybe, his position in a Labour Government. Some thought it should be fair trade, and they didn't trust his free-trade agenda. But what he did see, and what has been shown to be so true, is that trade—trade of not just goods; trade of culture, of ideas, the movement of people—has been so beneficial to hundreds of millions of people around the world. His determination, through the World Trade Organization and through his commitment to, I guess, a better planet, that has indeed cost him his health over time, is an enduring legacy to someone who is and always will be a great New Zealander. 
Thank you, Yvonne. Thank you, Mike, for what you have done. I personally thank you, and the Labour Party will always be grateful for a wonderful, wonderful leader. Kia ora. 





Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance): All the speakers who have gone before me have given a rich tribute to Mike, and so I just want to take a few minutes to offer some personal reflections on Mike Moore but also to pick up a couple of the themes. The first of those was his love of this institution of Parliament, and all parts of it. He came to prominence relatively quickly in that first term that he was here—between 1972 and 1975—but I think, like all MPs who go through the experience of losing their seat after being in here for a period of time, when he did make it back in here, he was determined that he would make his mark even more so. 
He once told me a story, when he came back in after 1978, about the fact that he really worked hard to keep in contact with his constituents. In those days, the phone bills for MPs went via the Prime Minister's office before they were released. One year, the then Prime Minister Robert Muldoon recognised that Mr Moore had a very, very large phone bill and he decided that he would make use of this in the media, and so leaked out the details of Mike's extremely large phone bill. Mike came under a lot of pressure from the media to respond to this enormous phone bill, and so his response was to say, "You can call me anything you like, but don't call me collect."—that's a joke for the over-45s in the room. 
My own first experience of meeting with Mike was actually as a student president. I'm not sure, Paula Bennett, if you were with us that day or not, but he was the leader of the Labour Party at the time, and a group of student presidents had come in to lobby him very hard about reversing the introduction of fees and the hardship that students were going through. He listened patiently to us for some time, and I'd noticed earlier in the meeting that there was a very energised young man sitting in the corner of the room with a clipboard on which he was writing down absolutely everything. As we got towards the end of our presentation, Mike actually physically stood up from the table, pointed at this young man and said, "Clayton, hovercrafts—think about it.", and Clayton Cosgrove wrote down "hovercrafts". I later learnt it was a reference to some industry training needs and things that Mike had seen, but I began to see what Mr Bridges meant about sometimes finding it difficult to interpret everything that Mike had to say. 
A lot of people have talked about Mike's connection to trade, and, again, I won't dwell on that either. I had the privilege of being a New Zealand diplomat just after Mike took on the role of being World Trade Organization director-general. He came to New York, where I was posted, and he was involved in a number of interesting meetings with people, but he ended up on a panel discussion in front of the whole General Assembly to discuss the importance of trade. He was eloquent and he was incredible, and he made the case in a way that few people could. He, of course, did that with his own unique style, and at one point, in the middle of it, he paused and said, "Back up the truck." There was silence, so I thought, "I wonder how this has been translated." I went across to my Chinese colleague and said, "How did the translator deal with that?", and the translator said, "The speaker is referring to heavy vehicles." Mike would've liked that, I suspect, as part of what he did. But his advocacy for trade was enormous, and his contribution to that cannot be overstated. 
He had a great relationship with Ministers of trade who followed on from him, and one of his favourites, as our colleagues across the House will know, was Tim Groser. I think I'm right in saying that Tim actually worked in Mike's office when he was the Minister of overseas trade, so they had a long-lasting relationship. 
I recall one story from Washington when Tim came up as the Minister. Mike, as Mr Brownlee has already mentioned, had the most extraordinary set of contacts in Washington, and he brought together this amazing array of people for Tim to speak to. The moment came in the evening for Mike to begin the formalities. He got up and he said "Ladies and gentlemen, we have one of the foremost leaders in world trade in the room tonight, a man to whose legacy we will all look back on in future years as being a person who fundamentally changed the direction of trade talks"—you can imagine the introduction went on for some time—and Mike then said, "But enough about me." I'm led to believe Tim Groser's face was quite a picture at that particular moment. He also—I won't carry on too much longer, Mr Speaker—came up with a line that I've used in this House a few times, which is that the problem with Tim Groser was that he just didn't get enough credit for splitting the atom, and there are so many more stories. 
I just want to finish on two points. The first of those is that Mike Moore had every reason not to trust me or support me. I represented a couple of things about the Labour Party that Mike wasn't always that fond of, but he showed me throughout my political career the most extraordinary kindness and support. I made a couple of trips to Washington while he was there and benefited from those contacts and networks. I watched the 2012 election night result with him, which is a memory I'll share for ever and my lungs will never forget. It was an extraordinary experience to spend time with Mike in those moments, because you felt his passion for politics, but, far more than that, you felt his passion for ideas and for discussion and for debate, and I am thankful to him for showing me that kindness. 
I have a feeling he was trying to deal with a few regrets and the odd little demon about what happened to the Labour Party, particularly in the 1980s and early 1990s, and he built those bridges with a number of colleagues on this side of the House who are here today. I think he really wanted to hold together the party that meant so much to him for his whole life, and for that kindness and that support, I thank him wholeheartedly. 
My final words are for Yvonne. Yvonne Moore and Mike Moore were a team. They were a partnership beyond a loving relationship and marriage. They were part of the same journey in politics and in life. What they did for people, their friends, and their colleagues was huge, but Yvonne went at every step in every way with Mike, and today I really feel for Yvonne. I send all my love to her because this will be such a difficult time, but I want this House to record and to know that Yvonne Moore's contribution to New Zealand has to be recognised alongside her husband, Mike. She is a remarkable woman, and, Yvonne, we feel for you today. 
E te rangatira, haere, haere, haere atu rā. 





Hon SHANE JONES (Minister of Forestry): Kia ora anō tātou. E Maika, tōku mārohirohi. E Maika, tōku tautōhito. E Maika, tōku taitoa. Kua pau te wā i whakaritea ai mōu hāereere ai i waenga tonu, i runga tonu i te motu. E hoki koe ki te iwi, kua oti noa atu i a rātou te takahi atu i te ara whakamutunga. Nā reira, e kara, e moe, moe, oti atu e. 
[Greetings again to all. Mike, my strong one. Mike, my wise one. Mike, my courageous one. Expired is the time that was allowed for you to travel amongst us, and on this land. Return to the people, those who have completed their traverse of the final path. Therefore, my friend, rest, rest, rest in eternity.]
It was 1988 when, for a mercifully short period of time, I was employed by Geoffrey Palmer. I was sent to represent Geoffrey Palmer because of blistering attacks coming from the National Party against the Lange Labour Government's Treaty policy. In that meeting was Koro Wētere, Roger Douglas, Mr Prebble, and Mike Moore, and there was fear that attacks from the Opposition Māori affairs spokesman were starting to lacerate the ranks of the front bench of the Labour Party. Mike Moore said, "This guy Peters is making traction." Richard Prebble said, "He must be stopped. How do we slow these things down?" Douglas said, "How much will it cost?" Koro Wētere said, "It's time to eat." That was an introduction for a 28-year-old working at the highest levels—along with Hekia Parata—of what passes for the Cabinet-style Government dealing with, in the 1980s, Treaty of Waitangi issues. 
Mike also wrote a book. He was a great believer in encouraging people to self-educate, to persevere with expanding the frontiers of knowledge. He got this book published and brought it to Matauri Bay. It was about a thousand pages long. The name of the book was A World Without Walls. It was his gospel of free trade, freedom, development, and global governance. He gave me a copy. He did something quite staggering, given his belief in education—a thousand pages long, dense UN speak. He gave a copy for self-edification and education to Dover Samuels. I can assure you, if there's ever a book that was never opened in the hands of a senior Māori, it is that particular missive or tome. 
There's a famous saying, and if I'm not mistaken, it's from Julius Caesar, that "A coward dies many times before their death". This man was no political coward. He has died only once. Sure, he suffered setbacks, but he stood up and kept going, whether it's as a cancer survivor as a very young man, whether it's as a failed, unfulfilled young political candidate, or whether it's as a short but enjoyable period of time that he enjoyed as the leader. So we salute him today, a fine New Zealander, very popular amongst the earthy side of our electorate and very capable—as Mr Brownlee has pointed out—of enjoying the company of his great friend Neville Wran or Mr Beazley or a host of other luminaries that he introduced us to when we made various trips as MPs to America when he was the ambassador. He truly was a people's champion. 
To his wife, Yvonne: ngā mihi nui ki a koe. Without a doubt, on Friday, it will be a difficult day. But for those of us who will be present to support you in that particular, searching period, we offer you our prayers, we offer you our support, and we know that friends and others will gather around you after the crowds have disappeared and returned to their own families and their lives. 
The final saying is that good men must die—me mate te tangata—but death cannot kill their names—e kore ō rātou ingoa e mūreia. A good man has died, but his name will live on in this House and amongst those of us who practise the arts of democracy and politics. Kia ora tātou. 





SPEAKER: Members, I'm going to take a little indulgence and make a few comments myself. I first met Mike in these buildings when Norman Kirk was the Prime Minister and he was an Auckland member. 
In 1983, when I was first a candidate for the Labour Party in Hamilton West, Mike, as part of his lamburger tour, came to Hamilton West and opened my campaign. The comments that Grant Robertson made about "Call me collect" were nearly accurate. Actually, Sir Robert Muldoon, who was at the time the Minister in charge of the Legislative Department—which was the Office of the Clerk and the Parliamentary Service—actually waved Mike's $3,000 monthly phone bill around in the House, and I think that's a bit of a sign of how times have changed. 
But I can remember Mike was both happy and unhappy at that stage, during the lamburger tour, because the Minister in charge of the Legislative Department had ruled that notwithstanding a campervan, which he was using for his tour, being cheaper than a rental car and the hotel bills, Sir Robert would not approve the payment for the campervan. Mike, like a number of his successors, had some contacts in the end who, while they weren't normally Labour Party supporters, understood the importance of the message and supported that trip. 
During that meeting, kicking off the campaign and kicking off the canvassing, Mike used the name of my then opponent, Mike Minogue, somewhat in vain. He described not a lamburger, but a "Minogue burger". He described it as "half tongue and half chicken". That was reported in the first edition of that day's Waikato Times, but in the home edition of the Waikato Times, it looked something like a wartime censorship exercise. I'm reliably informed that the printers were sent out by the management to chip off the block and take that phrase out of the Waikato Times. So there was a blank space on the front left-hand side of the paper on that day. 
Others have referred to Mike's role in international trade. He saw it as not that complicated as far as economics was concerned. It was about people doing what they were good at and sharing it with other countries. Mike was very firmly of the view that poorer people could eat more if it was cheaper, and the way to make it cheaper was to trade it and not to have the tariff and other barriers stopping that happening. Frankly, with a few exceptions here and one more notable exception internationally, that is now the received wisdom around the world, and it certainly wasn't the case 25 or 30 years ago. 
There are going to be lots of stories told, I'm sure, over time, and we've heard the story of the shared job. I know a little bit about how that actually ended up occurring, because Mike had picked up that idea. He tried with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make contact with the Thais and, you know, the phone was not being picked up. There was no reception there. Mike was at dinner with a prominent Wellington business person at his home. The business person's wife at the time was Thai and she overheard this conversation. She got on the phone and worked her way through the staff in Thailand and got to Supachai on to the phone, and that's how that discussion about the job-sharing actually occurred. I think it just shows what a small world we actually have and the way that some of these things work. 
I worked for Mike for three years, between 1990 and 1993. I think it's fair to say that it wasn't always easy. Mike used to himself say that he wanted to have more yes-men in his office, and he didn't always appreciate contrary advice. But in that time, I got to know him. I got to really appreciate Yvonne and Mike as people. My son, who was then a teenager and is now 46, idolised Mike and his friend and successor Clayton Cosgrove. I want to thank Clayton for his role in supporting Mike so much in recent years. Mike was Clayton's friend and his mentor, and I think most of us regard Mike as Clayton's father figure. 
Mike was incredibly generous, even to those with whom relationships at the time weren't always positive. He helped me when I had a relatively significant legal battle—still unresolved, I might say to some people on my right—both with obtaining good legal advice and financial support for that advice. That gave us a chance to talk during his last term here in a way which I found very positive. I had another very good opportunity to do that in 2013 during the America's Cup, when he was ambassador and he was there, and I spent quite a lot of time talking. I was actually AWOL at the time. There'd been a leadership change here, and I didn't feel any need to hurry home, so we had quite a discussion about leadership changes, both then and 20 years earlier, within the Labour Party. 
I do want to underline the fact that Mike was the first Minister responsible for the America's Cup. You know, most people at the time thought that the idea was mad, it was ridiculous, and we could never win it, but Mike was the person who saw how technology and innovation and renewal could make a difference to New Zealand. It was a small area for Mike, but it was, I think, an indicator of the way—as Damien O'Connor said—Mike was often right too soon. One of the things that I really regret is that after Grant Dalton has arranged a special leg of the next America's Cup to be run right outside Mike's home, he won't be there to watch it. 
Jane and I visited Mike last year. It was when he wasn't great physically, but, as others have said, he was still absolutely sharp mentally, notwithstanding the obvious pain that he was in. It was only meant to be for a few minutes, but Jane and I were there for about three hours. 
Yvonne—as she always was—was exceptionally supportive, as Mike was of Yvonne. I mean, one of my memories was of Mike in I think 1993, when he had missed an important meeting with a foreign visitor to his office. We sort of said, "Well, why didn't you catch the plane, Mike?" It was the fact that their cat had died and Yvonne was upset, and Mike knew that his family and Yvonne were more important at that time than any international visitor. 
She was always the most important thing in Mike's life, and I'm sure that all of our thoughts will be with her. 
Motion agreed to. 
Honourable members stood as a mark of respect.
Waiata
SPEAKER: Thanks, Mike. 
The House adjourned at 3.28 p.m.