The thing that struck me most from the Speaker's trip to Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Turkey is how well-intentioned Governments over time get tired and arrogant. Regular changes of Government are essential for a healthy democracy. Nor should we ever take for granted the importance of free speech and a politically neutral Public Service. I thank the press gallery—you can be a pain, but our democracy would be limp without you. I pay a final thankyou to the hundreds of dedicated public servants who have helped me in my work. My favourite are those hardy DOC field staff, out in the wet and cold in the most rugged corners of New Zealand, repairing tracks, killing pests, and protecting nests.