Antarctic Season Opening

Saturday 2 October 2004

Greetings. A special welcome to Colonel Tye Beazly and Brigadier General Jim Toscano of the United States Airforce, David Burnett of the US Embassy and Art Brown of the National Science Foundation, to Members of Parliament and guests.

As Mayor of Christchurch it is a privilege to co-host, alongside Antarctica NZ, this reception to officially open the 2004-2005 Antarctic Season. This is our opportunity to show how much we value you and your choice in using Christchurch as the Gateway for your Antarctic programmes.

Christchurch is the Gateway to the Antarctic through its position as the crucial supply and logistics link to that great Continent. We acknowledge that this vital link and your presence in Christchurch has added a great deal of value to the city, scientifically, economically, academically, culturally and socially. I wonder how many marriages between Americans and New Zealanders have taken place because of these links.

The scientific values of the research programmes we are involved with have become more apparent with every passing year. The pristine areas of Antarctica must be closely watched as climate changes are expected to be more significant in the Polar Regions. In an era where weather extremes are fast becoming the norm, where we seem to be getting a weekly dose of climatic disaster somewhere on the Planet, the search for answers has taken on more urgency and importance. New Zealand has not been immune from weather extremes this year, we too have a strong vested interest in the climatic research that involves the Antarctic.

Our Gateway identity has also been beneficial to our tourism industry. Christchurch has a strong Antarctic heritage, from the iconic statue to Captain Robert Falcon Scott, sculpted by his widow, to the Canterbury Museum collection. This heritage has proven vital in forging our distinct identity amongst the many other Australasian cities searching for points of difference to attract tourists.

An increasingly strong string to our Antarctic bow is that of the cultural element. Our choice of venue, the Christchurch Art Gallery, with its Antarctica Gallery, is a fitting location that adds to the menu of Antarctic associations for our city and nation.

That is, the art, the literature, the photography and the music that an encounter with the Antarctic can produce. The Antarctic experience is taking on increasing strength as a source of inspiration for our creative community. Or even amongst the more pragmatic amongst us. Such as myself. It is very hard not to be touched and changed on a very deep level by a first hand encounter with the Antarctic.

I was reminded vividly of this in recent weeks when I noted the launch of the book, "Something About This Place", compiled by students and staff at St Bede's College. They produced the book after their trip to Scott Base through Antarctica New Zealand's secondary schools programme.

I was impressed to note that the process of producing the book had turned into a "labour of love" for the students. As a former Catholic teenager, let me assure you it takes a lot to motivate that species into labours of anything. I was most impressed.

The St Bede's work is just the latest in a steady trickle of imaginative work that is being created after the catalyst of a visit to the Antarctic. We look to be moving into a stage in the history of Antarctic development where there is cultural dividend emerging from our involvement with that mysterious, and profound place. It is a welcome addition to all the benefits to Christchurch of our place as the gateway to the Antarctic.

Finally, on the social and political fronts I have from time to time talked about the valuable benchmark for peaceful development we have before us in the example of the Antarctic. It is a point worth making again in a world where much of the stability of the recent past seems at risk from extremism. I believe that the example of the Antarctic shows that we can achieve peace and consensus amongst different nations and cultures.

One of the greatest achievements of Antarctic exploration and research has been the way in which this final frontier has been gently explored without the historic backdrop of conflict and discord that usually goes with such developments. It may well turn out to be the most profound cultural legacy of all from our ties with the Antarctic, this vivid reminder that things can be done differently.

For those of us lucky enough to be in the small, exclusive club of prosperous democracies the Antarctic model may well turn out to be one of the best examples we can provide to the rest of the world.

I encourage you all to attend the Church Service at the Cathedral in the Square at 10.00 o’clock tomorrow, where the blessing for the Antarctic Season will take place and there will be a hand over of the silver and gilt Chalice to the Chaplain who will officiate at services at the Chapel of the Snows over the summer.

I wish you all another safe and successful summer in the latest season, that I do have to note, seems to have come around very fast this time. Have a great season, and welcome to all those visiting Christchurch for the first time.