A year to the day since we first met as Christchurch's newly elected Council is a good time to report on progress - and what comes next.
 
Since taking office I am told I have attended 345 engagements, given 167 speeches, and been out on official business at some point on 41 of 50 weekends and 186 of 250 week-night evenings.
 
The pace has been, and will continue to be, relentless. And that's exactly what we would expect in a city recovering from a natural disaster of the scale we have experienced.

elected Council is a good time to report on progress - and what comes next. 

Since taking office I am told I have attended 345 engagements, given 167 speeches, and been out on official business at some point on 41 of 50 weekends and 186 of 250 week-night evenings.

My role tonight is to set the scene for our speakers tonight – by talking about what Antarctica means to Christchurch today, drawing on the history of our link with this last to be discovered continent.
 
I ended my comments at the civic reception on Friday night by quoting from a book I have been reading about the history of Antarctic exploration and referencing James Cook's search for Terra Australis Incognita 'The Unknown South Land'.