Heather Roy's Dairy - The Last Political Chapter

I wrote my first Heather Roy’s Dairy on 9 August 2002 and have sent one out most Fridays since then. Looking back, they are a great record of what was happening at the time and the issues I was involved with. Hon Hugh Templeton advised me that I should always keep a diary – so that I could write a book when I felt the time was right. It was great advice, but this is the closest I got.

Parliament adjourns this week for the election period. I am very proud to have participated in New Zealand’s 47th, 48th and 49th parliaments and I am very pleased that this final diary finishes my Parliamentary time on a high note.

Last week was a big week. My Voluntary Student Membership Bill passed its third reading last Wednesday. It is the culmination of a debate that has raged on campuses for the best part of two decades and as of 1 January 2012 students will no longer be compelled to join a Student Union in order to study. After prolonged delaying tactics by Parliament’s opponents of the Bill I was delighted that it finally passed on the last members day of this Parliament, and with an hour and a quarter to spare!

My third reading speech can be found here, the Parliamentary video of my speech can be found here. A Bill doesn’t become law until it receives the Royal assent and The Education (Freedom of Association) Amendment Bill received this last Friday.

My valedictory statement was last Thursday and can be found here, the video here. I was pleased to have many of my family members present, as well as those who have had a profound effect on my Parliamentary career.

My final thanks go to the readers of my diary. When I made mistakes you told me about them and I’ve been very grateful for the feedback (especially the positive!) and comments many have sent back to me. As I said in my valedictory speech, politics is the contest of ideas and no-one has a monopoly on these. If we are to grow as a nation we must always be receptive to a wide range of opinions and new ideas should be encouraged, examined, researched and pursued according to their merit. Most of all, thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts.

Lest We Forget

My final Lest We Forget is a personal one from my valedictory speech:

As I look around the four walls of this chamber for the last time I’ll take particular note of the battlements: the 12 carved circular wreaths around the balcony and the 18 carved plaques on the wall panels, representative of battles and places where New Zealand troops have fought and served. They remind me of the reason I came to this place – to continue the fight for our freedoms that our forebears began, for a prosperous nation, one where we all have the same opportunities. Our freedoms are hard won with many New Zealanders having paid the price with their lives. Freedoms hard won, but so easily eroded. I have been honoured to serve my country in this House and I hope those in the 50th Parliament and beyond will also be reminded of their responsibility to uphold our freedoms.

I wonder, Mr Speaker, if I could make a request before I leave this chamber. There are some battlements missing from our walls: the first Gulf War, Afghanistan and our recent peace keeping missions are not represented despite the fact that our Defence Force personnel have participated with the same courage, commitment and distinction as those who served before them. They too have suffered injury and, in some tragic cases, loss of life in their quest for freedom around the world on our behalf. I know my fellow soldiers would be touched by such a gesture and it would seem entirely fitting.