Speech: Kia Tutahi standing together relationship accord - Hon Tariana Turia

Tena koutou katoa. I wish I could have joined you today at the Netball Centre here in Christchurch as you come together around this important kaupapa – the Kia Tutahi Standing Together Relationship Accord.

There’s a word that sums up the spirit of the people better than any other and that is the word, resilient. Resilience means facing life’s difficulties with courage and patience – refusing to give up. It is the quality of character that allows people to rebound from misfortune, hardships and traumas.

But what I think stands out more than anything else, is the knowledge that our resilience comes from community—from the relationships that allow us to lean on each other for support. How do we hold fast to our dreams while it feels like the world is literally crumbling around us?

What has happened across your communities seems to be the absolute expression of kia tutahi – standing together. What we have seen in Christchurch over the past year is communities and Government standing together, working together for the purpose of all – for our whenua, our whānau, and our tamariki. I have heard some amazing examples around the expression of kia tutahi from Otautahi.

For example, since February a network has come together in Addington called the Addington Wellbeing Network. This network of local community groups supported by local and central government to support its vision of working together to build resilience in the Addington community; to engage with families. This is a collaborative network working together with a shared vision and shared project.

And then in June when the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority announced that 5,000 homes were on land that was to be re-zoned red, central government, faith-based organisations, volunteers, and social service agencies worked together door knocking over the subsequent two days. This collaboration ensured that all of the affected homes had face-to-face contact and support. What a tremendous effort! The feedback from homeowners was that the support at such a crucial time was important because it placed people's needs as the first priority.

This journey of building stronger community–Government relationships has been building momentum over the last decade or so. This is the first time that we have had some principles to which both communities and Government can commit.

The Kia Tutahi Relationship Accord, signed by the Prime Minister, myself, the Associate Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector and a number of community organisations in Parliament last month, is the product of extensive consultation undertaken by the community-government Kia Tutahi Steering Group.

With so many diverse voices across our communities, the Steering Group’s task was not an easy one. It is not always possible to completely satisfy everyone, but I hope that you all see value in committing to this journey to continue breaking down barriers to how we can work together.

The signing of Kia Tutahi in Parliament was just the start – it is important that the Accord is owned locally, by each of you. This is what today is about – how do you want to breath life into it Kia Tutahi here in Christchurch? I invite you to take this opportunity to champion the Accord and use it for the benefit of all. The Associate Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Hon Hekia Parata, will take over the lead on the implementation from the Government side. You will hear more about this from officials today.

Finally, I want to end with a comment I heard the other day when I was visiting Whanau Ora providers here. One of the providers commented that despite the scale of the crisis there was a wonderful spirit that permeated throughout this city as people came out of their homes, and clung to each other - bound together in the strength of kotahitanga. Yet their greatest fear was that as the rebuilding and restoration effort kicks in, the community might once again recede into the privacy of their own homes, leaving any sense of connection across communities all the more difficult.

The greatest opportunity for you all is to treasure the strengths and the diversity of our communities. I hope that Kia Tutahi can advance this.

Tena tatou katoa