Today I’ll spend a few hours collecting donations on Lambton Quay for Wellington’s Karori Sanctuary.  

Its selfless founders must have been delighted early this year by the controversy when a Karori resident complained about early morning birdsong noise pollution from the rejuvenated tui population in Wellington. It means there are so many more tuis around.  We’re now happily woken most summer mornings by a tui singing in our pohutukawa. I can understand though why curmudgeons pick on tuis. Ours ends each verse with a vomit suppressing sound. So it’s a natural target in a land where most councils have banned roosters (including in peri-urban areas at the request of rural ‘lifestylers’).

I joined the Trust as a member in 1995 or 96, partly as support for Chairman Michael Morris. As a longstanding member of Forest and Bird (since 1974) I’d seen founder Jim Lynch’s arguments for it. It was a wonderful vision but I was one of those who doubted it ever getting enough money to succeed. For me Michael Morris’ support and invitation were the decider. I am very pleased I was wrong.  It has been such a success.

As an MP, I asked organisations that wanted to pay me speaking fees to send them to the Sanctuary. I wish I’d checked to see what they got.