Royal Astronomical Society Conference Welcome

Friday 4 July 2003

Welcome Royal Astronomical Society members to Christchurch for conference

No guarantee at all of good observing conditions for this weekend. It would have been a great one for the meteorological society if the weather people are to be believed.

Understand you will have some more earthly events on the menu, including the launch of Vicki Hyde's new book, "Night Skies Above New Zealand".

Also timely, as the race for Mars appears to be on again, for Professor John Hearnshaw to present from the paper provided by William Sheehan on Mars.

Must note, after a long week in politics, if any of you doubt that alien life is out there I suggest you meet some of my colleagues in local body politics. Suffice to say I have no doubts.

Hope this event helps raise science in general a little higher in public awareness here in Canterbury. It's a crucial part of any real plans of making major moves into the knowledge economy in future.

In the last year have identified key factors and constraints on our growth as a city and society. Education, science and knowledge growth are high on those lists of the factors we need to do better with.

(Speak on some of the prosperous Christchurch ideas and how crucial good science and research are to our future).

Hope you have great conference.