Rt Hon Mike Moore Investiture Ceremony Speech and Statement

Rt Hon Mike Moore Investiture Ceremony Speech and Statement

A delightful ceremony was held for Ambassador Mike Moore, where he was awarded the Order of Australia by Australian Ambassador Kim Beazley. The ceremony took place in the majestic home of the Australian Ambassador in Washington. It was attended by several Ambassadors, and some of the senior staff members and Military officials of the New Zealand and Australian embassies.

It was obvious the two men like and respect each other. Ambassador Beazley called Mike Moore brilliant and a man with little ego. Ambassador Moore talked about "two nations and one economy." He said Australia should become a state of New Zealand!

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New Zealand Ambassador Mike Moore receives the Honour of Australia from Australian Ambassador Kim Beazley.

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Ambassador Mike Moore and Mrs. Yvonne Moore at the Investiture Service at the Australian Residence.

Photos by Charles Sneiderman
Article submitted by Connie Lawn

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Here are more details of the speech by Ambassador Moore, and a list of some of the other honours he has received. This was provided by the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, DC:

Mike Moore, New Zealand Ambassador to the United States, has been honoured by the Australian government. Ambassador Kim Beazley presented Mike Moore with the Order of Australia at the ceremony in Washington, D.C. At the ceremony Mike Moore spoke about the long-standing New Zealand and Australian relationship.

INVESTITURE CEREMONY
SPEECH by Rt Hon Mike Moore

“I cannot think of any two countries that have more in common than Australia and NZ.

It’s more than our mutual brutal experience in the fire and blood of Gallipoli.

It began, when our nations were colonised. We were governed from NSW for some time.

Here is something you don’t know. The first Labour PM of Australia was a bloke called Watson, from Oamaru and the first Labour PM of New Zealand was an Aussie, Michael Joseph Savage.

The New Zealand/Australia relationship is not always understood by outsiders.

We use abuse as a sign of friendship. You don’t abuse someone you don’t feel close to. I couldn’t call a European a good bastard.

When I was Director General of the World Trade Organisation and in Geneva the call finally came through from an Aussie Minister who had just won an election, (the kids over board election).

I took the call and told the Minister he should be in jail not in cabinet and it was criminal the way he stole the election but I guessed I would have to put up with him.

He made some sheep jokes and I hung up. European staff in the office were ashen. “I thought you like him,” they said. “I do, he is my mate”, I replied.

At the time of CER, our closer economic deal with Australia, Labour Leader Gough Whitlam famously groaned, “Oh, my God not two more Tasmania’s.”

I was the only Kiwi at Prime Minister Howard’s constitutional convention. I went because I was interested. At every earlier Constitutional Convention NZ Ministers sat at the table.

I saw Whitlam and told him he could take that part of the Australian constitution out that allowed NZ to become a state.

“Oh, Mike,” he implored, “Can’t we at least have the South Island?”

Every now and again I think we should just get it over with and make Australia a state of NZ.

I want to thank Ambassador Kim Beazley for his hospitality, he is Kim Beazley Australian Cross.

Now he is in Washington, I guess that makes him Kim Beazley AC… DC.

NZ can only do well, be safe and fair, if Australia does well.

Our national anthem sums it up well: “Advance Australia Fair and God Defend New Zealand.”

Mike Moore has been honoured by eight other countries:
• The Order of New Zealand – New Zealand’s highest honour
• Commemoration Medal 1990 – New Zealand
• Commander of the Order of the Equatorial Star - Government of Gabon
• National Order of Cote d’Ivoire – Ivory Coast
• Order of the Golden Heart - Kenya
• Order of Duke Branimir with Ribbon – Republic of Croatia
• National Honour of Georgia – Government of Georgia
• The Medal of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay – Government of Uruguay
• Pope John Paul II Annual Medal – The Holy See

ENDS

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