Antarctic Season Official Opening

Saturday 1 October 2005

Good evening and welcome to the official Antarctic Season opening. I’m delighted to greet:

His Excellency Mr Pedro Herrera, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic.
Mr David Burnett, Chief d’Affaires of the Embassy of the United States of America.
Mr Art Brown, National Science Foundation representative to Christchurch.
Paul Hargreaves, Chair of Antarctic New Zealand.
Local MPs and other guests.

Greetings to you all.

All of you in the broader Antarctic community will be aware of the special ties and history between Christchurch and the Antarctic. It is a treasured connection that grows in value as the years go by.

One of our many identities as a city is as the "Gateway to Antarctica". This year we have adorned that gateway with a number of events and celebrations.

We have done this in the hope that decorating the gateway will in turn tempt more young people into Antarctic discovery, research, interest and exploration. Even more impressively, we have taken an active role and invested in the future of Antarctica.

Tonight I can announce we have set up a Christchurch City Council Antarctic Scholarship. This will provide a $10,000 one year scholarship for a University of Canterbury student to do post-graduate study in Antarctic research.

The scholarship will be supported by Gateway Antarctica, with Antarctica New Zealand providing logistical support for that student to go to Antarctica to carry out research.

It will be advertised through Gateway Antarctica and Antarctica New Zealand and the successful student will be selected early next year for research across the 2006/2007 season.

This scholarship will be another recognition of the solid connection between Christchurch and the Antarctic. Some of these conncections are emotional and historic, others eminently practical and scientific.

I’m advised that our own Air New Zealand Engineering Services people are now in the final stages of talks with the National Science Foundation about doing some of the heavy maintenance work on the LC130 Hercules that fly to the Ice.

It's a timely reminder that one of our significant economic activities, aviation support services, also has its roots in the ties with Antarctica.

I said this morning, at the wreath laying at the Scott Statue, that what we ultimately celebrate here is that heady mix of curiosity and courage that makes up Antarctic exploration and history.

It's a great mix that we’re thrilled to celebrate tonight and throughout the season.

Thanks for being here.