Clayton Mitchell New Zealand First MP

The Rugby World Cup final this past Sunday was a beautiful reflection of sport and culture promoting diversity across the nations.

Among many other cultures; New Zealanders, South Americans and Asians came together at the Mount, in Tauranga and across all New Zealand that morning to watch and celebrate the match. There was footage of Kiwis and Americans watching the final at an Irish pub on the East Coast of the USA. And we all saw the thousands of Kiwis and Europeans watching and celebrating the match in the UK and beyond.

It was an epic moment shared somewhere on every continent of this magnificent world. A brilliant example of sport bringing different nationalities together, informing cultural identity and enabling us to forget differences that at other times seem insurmountable.

The great impact of sport on culture is among the many reasons I have consistently championed free live coverage for all significant sporting events. Sharing those moments of triumph and, at times, disappointment help shape us as a nation. Experiencing the sporting event together becomes as significant as the event itself.

Australia and the UK are legally bound to provide free, live broadcasts of selected sports events but, despite taxpayer funded state television, this is not yet legislated for in New Zealand. I will certainly continue to champion this worthy cause.

In the meantime, the opportunity many of us took to watch the Rugby together at our local pubs gives us an additional reason to celebrate – in case doubling Australia's final score was not enough. The debate around whether pubs would be allowed to broadcast live coverage of the Rugby World Cup was intense. I'm glad I was among those who spoke up in favour of the proposal. It proved yet another great way of bringing people together.

Go the All Blacks!