Parker David: New Zealand Geographic Board  (Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Bill — Second Reading 
Parker David: New Zealand Geographic Board  (Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:646;Page:15457] 
Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Land Information) 
: 
 I move  
That the New Zealand Geographic Board (Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Bill be now read a second time 
. It is with pleasure that I move the second reading. 
This bill repeals and replaces the New Zealand Geographic Board Act 1946. After 60 years of good service the Act needs to be modernised. This bill being read again in the House today is the result of a comprehensive review that has taken place and of consultation processes that have involved the public iwi central and local government and sectoral groups. I know that the official naming of geographic places and features is taken very seriously by communities. From my role in some of the place names that the New Zealand Geographic Board deals with I know the strength of feeling that names can generate. We identify with the names of mountains rivers settlements and localities because they reflect our culture and heritage as New Zealanders. 
Knowing the correct names for places and their location is also important for businesses in their transactions. It is important to enable emergency services to respond quickly to incidents and it is important for New Zealanders generally in all manner of everyday communications and activities. This bill provides for the continuation of the board and its work in a modern context and it provides for public input. New Zealanders want a say over their place names and place naming. 
Another piece of the modern context is that New Zealand extends beyond the land we see on everyday maps. Our legal continental shelf is 24 times the size of New Zealand’s land area. 
John Hayes 
: So what? What are you going to call it—the continental shelf? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: We hear “So what?” from the former Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade diplomat. Well the “so what” is that the continental shelf which is 24 times the size of New Zealand’s land area is of high strategic importance and it is the subject of increasing research and exploration activity. It is important that New Zealand exercise its sovereign rights in respect of it. That is the “so what”—it is important that New Zealand exercise its sovereign rights in respect of it. 
This bill extends the Geographic Board’s jurisdiction to include the naming of features on the continental shelf because currently the board does not have that power. The member should read the bill and understand what it is about before he spouts off dismissing it as irrelevant. It is important that New Zealand exercise naming rights as part of our sovereign rights in respect of the continental shelf. Place naming plays a part in New Zealand’s effective management of the undersea resources within that area. The exercising of naming rights in these areas is another demonstration of our sovereign rights to them and it further secures our rights to those valuable parts of New Zealand for the future. So I would suggest to members of the National Party that they not make light of the issue but actually understand it and that they support the extension of the legislation to include naming rights in respect of our part of the continental shelf. 
The bill refines public consultation processes for proposed names by enabling any person or organisation to submit a proposal. It has more flexible arrangements for public input which should be welcomed. 
John Hayes 
: What’s wrong with the current legislation? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: The current legislation which is over 60 years old includes only land and not the continental shelf. I have said that three or four times now. If the member has not picked it up I suggest he read the bill or talk to one of his colleagues who can explain that simple principle to him. It has obviously gone over his head the three times I have explained it so far. 
The bill requires Land Information New Zealand to provide public access to a record of official geographic names by publishing and maintaining an online gazetteer of official names. Again this is what happens when we update legislation. There has been a change in technology in that we have the Internet now. We can provide this information via the Internet in a way that is convenient to people. 
Sandra Goudie 
: So? 
John Hayes 
: So what? 
Hon DAVID PARKER 
: The members opposite seem to think that is unnecessary bureaucracy. I happen to think it is a way we can save costs for the New Zealand taxpayer and make information more readily available for the benefit of New Zealanders. This record will contain location and historic information for these names. An easily accessible online gazetteer is needed for both official and public purposes. 
The bill gives the board a concurrent role in determining names for protected areas managed by the Department of Conservation. The bill does this formally by involving the board in the naming processes for Department of Conservation land. 
Under the bill the addition of two new positions on the board ensures it better represents a wide range of constituents and fulfils additional responsibility. One new position is an ex officio position for the official who has primary responsibility for hydrographic standards in New Zealand. That is an important step given the vast area of ocean that New Zealand has jurisdiction over. This new member is required because of the significant extension of the board’s functions to include the naming of undersea features on the continental shelf. The other new board member is from local government and is nominated by Local Government New Zealand. This is because the bill proposes to devolve responsibility for official suburb and locality naming to local authorities. At the same time it is necessary to ensure that that naming is consistent with the need for standardised but not duplicated address information across the country. So rather than our making more centralised bureaucracy this measure is an example of our devolving some of these rights to local government and it agrees that that is a sensible course. 
The bill provides for more transparent board accountability. Accountability provisions relating to the Geographic Board are improved under the bill by a requirement for the board to submit an annual report to the Minister on its performance. The board will also be subject to the Ombudsmen Act 1975. The board is already subject to the Official Information Act 1982 and that will continue. 
I thank the Government Administration Committee for its work in examining the bill and considering the public submissions. It discussed various amendments to the bill but was unable to reach agreement so the bill is being reported back to Parliament unchanged. As a result of this I now wish to introduce a Supplementary Order Paper to make relatively minor changes to the bill. The proposals in the Supplementary Order Paper include an amendment to the bill’s commencement date from 1 July 2008 to a date to be appointed by the Governor-General by Order in Council. The Supplementary Order Paper also includes amendments to various Antarctic-related provisions in clause 8 of the bill to allow the board to assign Antarctic geographic names outside the Ross Dependency in consultation with other relevant place-naming authorities. In addition a new definition and several corrections are proposed to specify the scope of the jurisdiction of the board in terms of the Antarctica Act 1960 and to specify a definition of “Antarctica” in clause 4. Proposals are also included to clarify in clause 25 the scope of the consultation required about features outside of the territorial limits of New Zealand and to clarify that the board must appoint the chair of any committee that is established. 
The proposal to amend the bill’s commencement date is to ensure proper coordination and timing around the implementation of the new function. The proposal to amend various Antarctic-related provisions of the bill will allow the board to assign Antarctic geographic names outside the Ross Dependency—New Zealand’s Antarctic territory. Land Information New Zealand is working on mapping areas outside the Ross Dependency. These areas are of scientific interest to New Zealand. Any naming of features in areas outside New Zealand territory will be undertaken only in consultation with the place-naming authorities of other countries that have an interest in the area. 
I commend the New Zealand Geographic Board (Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa) Bill and the associated Supplementary Order Paper to the House.