Pupils at Western Heights Primary School got a big tick of approval when Prime Minister Bill English visited today.
Mr English had just officially opened a new timber processing plant at Red Stag's Waipa Mill and got a chance to sit down with pupils, visit some of the school's classrooms and mix with teachers at the school while in the city.
He complimented them on their excellent behaviour and singing, and could not believe how quiet they were while he told them about his small rural school in his home town of Dipton where red was also part of their school uniform.
"Each of you matters to New Zealand and we want you to have the best opportunities you can have in this country," he said.
"When you grow up you can go anywhere in the world and get a job ... But we hope you will want to stay here in Aotearoa and work for your community."
School principal Brent Griffin said it was a fantastic day for the school and its pupils, of which he was "incredibly proud" and thanked the prime minister for visiting.
Mr English was grilled by pupils who got a chance to ask him questions such as what he would do if he was not prime minister and what was the hardest part of the job.
He said apart from being deputy prime minister he would like to have been a sheep shearer, something he loved doing when he was growing up in Southland.
He said the hardest part of the job was to send troops overseas to dangerous places.
After his visit to the school he met some older students at the Rotorua Youth Centre and found out about the work being done there during a tour by centre manager Steve Holmes.
Image 1 of 12: Bill English talks with Derek Nukunuku at Red Stag Waipa Mill's timber processing plant. Photo/Ben Fraser
Earlier in the day Mr English met a kiwi chick at Rainbow Springs Nature Park while on a visit to learn more about the park's kiwi conservation work.
The chick, named Empy, hatched 24 days ago, and arrived at Rainbow Springs from the Maungataniwha Native Forest in the northern Hawke's Bay.
Earlier this month, Rainbow Springs was awarded $630,325 from the Government's Tourism Growth Partnership fund to build a state-of-the-art kiwi facility.