Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa

First of all, before I begin my speech to you, I want to refer to the sad loss of two special people from our PPTA fraternity in the last year.

Bernadette Childerhouse was a long-time PPTA activist and a member of our executive for a number of years, and Sammi Saili was our financial services manager in National Office.  Both were held in high regard.

As a mark of respect, I ask everyone to stand for a minute’s silence in memory of these two people.  Thank you.

Welcome

Welcome to our delegates from far and near!  I trust you have had a happy experience getting here and that you will continue to have a positive experience now that you have arrived, renewing old friendships and meeting new people.

And I am especially pleased to see so many of our younger teachers here today.  We all know that our profession is undergoing generational change, so it is critical in a democratic organisation that the voice of young teachers is strongly represented in decision-making.

You will note that I offered hope of a positive experience rather than a happy one.  That is because the issues that we have to grapple with here today, tomorrow and the next day will be anything but easy.

It is my fervent hope however that when we all leave here on Thursday afternoon it will be with a particular conviction – the conviction that we have utilised the potential of this pre-eminent decision-making body of PPTA to good effect.

I would like us to be clear about what we want to do about the difficult issues that beset secondary education today.  Having said that, I am sure we will not neglect to enjoy each other’s company in the process!

As usual at annual conference we will be taking the opportunity to deliberate as members of a somewhat exclusive group – practising secondary teachers.  Many have tried it and found it too hard.  Many claim expertise in it though they have long left the classroom.  Others have never done it but consider themselves qualified to pass judgement.

We who are gathered in this room today are charged with representing the interests of our 18,000 members.  We are the people who can speak with credibility and authority on behalf of secondary teachers.