50th Reunion of the Sir Denis Blundell Police Cadet Wing

Nau mai, haere mai ra ki Te Whare Kawana o Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

I would like to begin by specifically acknowledging: Mike Pannett, Deputy Commissioner; Greg O'Connor, MP and Member of Wing; Bruce Donald, Member of Wing.

Fifty years ago, 68 fresh faced eighteen and nineteen year olds stood at Government House, ready and eager to embark on their new adventure. It was the first time a cadet wing had received vice regal patronage and the first police graduation to take place here. As Governor-General, it is a pleasure to host you where your careers began all those years ago.

I hope your being back here evokes the fond memories of that day in 1976 - the sense of achievement and the excitement of a career about to commence. On this occasion, you may feel compelled to reflect upon your careers and how those formative twelve months shaped each of your lives. I know for some of you, the path from policing diverged into careers of other kinds, all built upon the foundation of that cadet course - and your ingrained desire to help others and make a difference to your communities.

It was my predecessor, Sir Denis Blundell, who took an interest in your group by establishing the first vice regal patronage of a police cadet wing. In the programme from your graduation in 1976, Sir Denis has astutely noted: 'for the proper discharge of your duties, there is required of each of you such qualities as compassion, understanding and a sense of fair-play to go hand in hand with the need for firmness and fearlessness when these are required'.

Though this is certainly advice that pertains to the policing careers you were about to begin, it remains sound guidance in all regards. The stronger our sense of compassion and understanding, the better placed we are to lead.

I understand this was the first cadet course to operate on the shortened 12-month schedule. Reading through the diary of events from your course as recorded by the Police Museum, I was glad to hear that despite the reduced timeframe, you had the capacity to fit in activities such as the 'tug-o-war competition', and the 'hard word on drinking'.

The condensed format still allowed for those other crucial areas to be covered, namely 'protest training'. For many of you, this proved deeply relevant as you found yourselves on the front lines of the Bastion Point occupation and the Springbok Tour not long after you'd entered the force. Your experience in New Zealand eventually led to some of you serving internationally in places such as Afghanistan, Timor Leste and Samoa.

Significant events such as these - both at home and abroad - have played a role in defining your careers with the New Zealand Police. You have also experienced policing within an era of significant change for our country - seeing firsthand the impacts of a growing and changing population, the development of the internet and cyber-crime, and the rise in organised crime.

As Governor-General, I sincerely thank you for your service as members of the New Zealand Police. I hope today is a chance for you to reconnect, reminisce and share memories of that graduation day half a century ago.

Kia ora huihui tātou katoa.