Robertson pays tribute to husband, mother and Ardern in final speech

Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson has given his final speech in Parliament, defending the previous Government's record and paying tender tributes to his husband, and his mother, and former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Robertson, who has been an MP since 2008 and was the Wellington Central MP for the entire time, is due to become the next Vice-Chancellor of Otago University. He had previously served as the student president at the university's students' association.

Introducing Robertson's speech, Speaker Gerry Brownlee — himself the longest serving member of the House and a National Party MP — said he wished Robertson all the best for the future, adding: "You, sir, have been a great parliamentarian."

Robertson paid early tribute to his predecessor in the Wellington Central seat, Marian Hobbs, who he had also worked for in Parliament prior to becoming an MP. He said she was "tower of strength for the Labour movement".

He also name-dropped Helen Clark and one of her closest advisors, Heather Simpson, saying the latter had high standards and was "the best political operator I have ever seen in this building".

He said Clark was "extraordinary" who had managed to make progressive change while holding the confidence of voters from across the political spectrum.

"She is ultimately the reason I joined the Labour Party and for your leadership, courage and insatiable love of gossip, Helen, I thank you."

He said the late former Finance Minister Sir Michael Cullen was a "visionary" and a "terrific mentor".

Robertson also spoke with pride about the former Government's establishment of a Royal Commission into the Abuse in State Care.

"I would ask every New Zealander to pay attention to the report of the Commission when it is shortly released. The abuse, bullying and cruelty experienced by young people who were supposed to be cared for by the state and churches is horrific, beyond any measure. It casts a dark shadow over our history."

Robertson said he was most proud of the speech he gave in the final debate for the Marriage Equality Bill — a bill passed under the former National government — and pointed out Labour's efforts in the area, to expunge convictions of prior to Homosexual Law Reform, and ban conversion therapy.

"We still have some way to go to ensure people can grow up to be who they are, and are supported to live fulfilling lives. I am particularly concerned at the way our trans community have been the subject of increasing hatred, bigotry and lies as part of the ongoing culture wars.

"I saw this especially in the sports portfolio. People with absolutely no care for women's sport suddenly became warriors for safety in pursuit of an imagined enemy.

"The othering of trans people is despicable. We have to support people to live the lives that they want to live and to show them some respect."

He said when former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern asked him to become Minister of Finance he said he would do it on one condition: that he could also be the Sport and Recreation Minister. When she said others were interested in the portfolio he asked, jokingly, how many had offered to be the Finance Minister.

"I have loved sport for as long as I can remember. I was never very good at it. My own personal sporting peak was being the ball boy for the All Blacks versus British lions test at Carisbrook in Dunedin in 1983.

"It rained, sleeted and huge pools of water appeared on the field. We were given giant oilskin parkers to wear.

"I looked like a rotund, bespectacled, drenched ewok."

He joked the Finance Minister role gave him the "unparalleled opportunity to spend time with my colleagues when they were at their most stressed and anxious", singling out Willie Jackson.

"I genuinely felt his aroha when he said to me, 'Why do you hate the Māoris?' when I'd just given him a billion dollars worth of funding."

The line evoked a roar of laughter from the parliament, particularly the Labour caucus.

"I also want to thank Chippy [former Education Minister Chris Hipkins] for not following through on his annual threat to resign during the education budget process."

Robertson said he was proud of the last Government's "Wellbeing" Budgets which gave "value for money but in all senses of that word ... people, for our environment, for our communities, and for our finances".

He said working with Ardern — who was not present — as prime minister was the "greatest joy and privilege".

"I'm not sure New Zealanders appreciate just how fortunate we were to have someone of Jacinda's intellect, compassion and practicality leading us through some of our most difficult times as a nation.

"Jacinda got the balance between head and heart."

He spoke of feeling the gravity of the pandemic, including closing the borders and the impact of the wage subsidy.

He said any good financial statistics for the country that came out of the pandemic paled in comparison to the "one statistic that matters — the number of lives saved".

"Those statistics are real people. We know exactly who they were if we look around the rest of the world.

"Saving those lives trumps any statistics or any hate on social media."

Robertson teared up first speaking of being happy for the Parliament cleaners being paid a living wage, then again speaking of a former staffer who passed away.

His voice cracked when he looked up to his husband in the public gallery, Alf Kaiwai, who he married in 2009.

"To my darling Alf, you have always kept it real and kept me grounded. Having a partner who actively dislikes politics has something to be said for it, but you have always supported me."

He said he loved the family Kaiwai had given him, including the opportunity to be a "GG" — Grandad Grant.

"You've made my life a joy."

He acknowledged his late father, before turning to his mother, in the public gallery.

"And to my mum. Weaved through this speech has been my admiration for strong women. The strongest of them all is my mum.

"It's your values, your love and your spirit that I have spent a lifetime trying to match. I'm not sure what we're going to talk about each week without me being here — but at least we can both complain about the Government now."

The latter line evoked laughter from the packed public gallery and MPs.

"Thank you for everything, I love you with all my heart."

He closed his speech referencing a Harvey Milk quote he had given in his Marriage Equality Third Reading speech, about politics being about giving people hope, calling on other politicians: "you and you and you — you've got to give them hope."

Those in the gallery included Labour Party president Jill Day, former Labour chief press secretary Andrew Campbell, former chiefs of staff Andrew Kirton and Raj Nahna, former Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer and Council of Trade Unions director of policy Craig Renney.

Also in attendance was former Labour MPs Maryan Street, Clare Curran and Kris Faafoi, as well as former NZ First MP Tracey Martin.