I have been in Waitangi as part of the 175th anniversary commemorations.

On Wednesday several colleagues and I joined Hon Maggie Barry and accompanied the Governor General to the Mission House at Mangungu – the first stop for the Treaty after Waitangi and a place where an estimated 3,000 people came together on 12 Feb 1840 to discuss whether or not to sign.

At Waitangi a large contingent of National MPs joined the Prime Minister at Te Tii marae yesterday. The PM gave a stunning speech in reply to the assembled leaders. I felt honoured to be present and enormously proud to be a New Zealander.

The Royal New Zealand Navy were superb with the ‘beat the retreat’ ceremony yesterday evening.

This morning’s dawn service in Waitangi heralded a day we should celebrate all that is good about New Zealand.

If we can come together there are no challenges we cannot overcome.

This is truly a beautiful part of the country. In this respect there is no doubt that the people of Northland are very fortunate indeed.