Utikere Tangi; Dean JacquiPALMERSTON NORTH RESERVES EMPOWERING AMENDMENT BILLSecond ReadingTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Tēnā koe Mr Speaker. I move That the Palmerston North Reserves Empowering Amendment Bill be now read a second time.I rise as the sponsor for this local bill which is being promoted by the Palmerston North City Council. It is a local bill that has been returned to the House from the Environment Committee and I intend to talk a little bit more about that in a moment. But specifically this piece of land is colloquially known as the Huia Street Reserve land and it sits in central Palmerston North on the corner of Fitzherbert Avenue and Park Road. Actually Fitzherbert Avenue gained a reference in the House yesterday as Minister Nash confirmed that 600 metres of it had been extended in light of the Provincial Growth Fund. So that's where this particular piece of land does sit. There are a number of Acts of Parliament that historically and currently manage the status of that particular land. I do want to just briefly touch on those and the reason for that will become apparent in a moment. Firstly in terms of its genesis the Wellington Reserves Act of 1876 is the first piece of legislation that officials were able to identify that relates to this land. An amendment Act to that piece of legislation followed in 1877. The third is a piece of legislation called the Palmerston North Reserves Act of 1922 a 100-year-old piece of legislation. In 1966 there was the Palmerston North Reserves Empowering Act and of course the Reserves Act of 1977. All of those pieces of legislation at some point in time have been relevant to the Huia Street Reserve land.The 1922 piece specifically identifies that this piece of land cannot be sold. The effect of the Act is that the council could build on the land it could lease the land but it simply could not sell the land. But it could however be sold under the 1966 Act which is the Palmerston North Reserves Empowering Act 1966 if it is specifically amended to include or add the Huia Street Reserve parcel into that Act by mentioning it or listing it in the schedule to enable potential sale. That's essentially what this piece of proposed legislation does. It moves the management of that land clearly into the 1966 Act sole rather than it being subject to a I guess conglomeration of other Acts in terms of its management.I refer the House to those pieces of legislation because the select committee spent some time being very diligent going through and identifying the specific pieces of legislation that apply at particular points in time. What it means is that sale of the land could be permissible under section 4A of the 1966 Act and the select committee in its report notes that section 8 of that Act does require however that any proceeds of any sale are utilised for or towards public recreational reserves.In my first reading contribution—actually many heard about connections to Palmerston North; a fantastic electorate and fantastic city. I'm sure that those who will follow in contributions this evening may want to add to their recollections perhaps. That was something that was factored into the select committee process. The select committee did receive 29 submissions including that of the city council. I want to thank and acknowledge members of the Environment Committee. I was a member of that committee until last month and I was able to participate in most aspects in terms of the passage and consideration of this bill. Can I also acknowledge the committee staff; the advisers particularly from the Department of Conservation; and also the Parliamentary Counsel Office. There were many issues that they were able to provide advice on and work through. So that is appreciated.I also want to acknowledge the Palmerston North City Council: Mr David Murphy who has been an assistance through this process and also Mr Nicholas Jessen who was the legal adviser who was able to provide specific advice as part of this process which was very very helpful indeed. The committee was keen to undertake a site visit which any local member will fully support. However circumstances changed and the council was able to provide the committee with some detailed drone footage some commentary that I'm sure select committee members may wish to comment on as well. I want to acknowledge that there were some submitters who submitted in opposition to the proposed bill. The majority of their concerns were around the potential future of green space in Palmerston North. I guess when we look at what's on the record and what the select committee had in front of it this piece of land is next to a tennis club which is on a lease arrangement at the moment. If we look at the surrounds we have the Manawaroa Park which is used for cricket and also for the Manawatu Striders. We have Ongley Park which is nearby—cricket and rugby are there. Wallace Park: football; my regular permit pop-up constituency clinic. I know that that happens on a Saturday because of the number of balls that hit the roof as part of that process. I know that it is a green space that is particularly well utilised and is near this area. Fitzherbert Park is nearby as well. Madam Speaker you're familiar with the place yourself. I could go on with the list but the point there is that there are many green spaces that are in extremely close proximity to this Huia Street Reserve. So the select committee notes in its report that there are a number of other options available to the community. This is a local issue and I think if you were to talk to anyone on the streets of Palmerston North if you were to talk about the Palmerston North Reserves Empowering Amendment Bill they may not know what that is but if you talk about the future of the Huia Street Reserve land they will know what it is. Some submitters raised concerns about the suitability of that site being developed. That is actually a matter for the council. In the select committee's report they indicate that—that the council if they wish to pursue this further down the track that there is still a process—or processes actually—that the Palmerston North City Council will need to undertake to ensure that any changes are in accordance with the city's district plan that there are obligations as well. Palmerston North for those who don't know is a tier 2 council. So within the last 12 months where this House has considered Resource Management Act enabling housing supply issues obviously there are options available to the council.So there are a number of concerns that were raised of that particular ilk. However the select committee—in my view rightly so—has indicated that those are not relevant considerations in terms of the determination that the select committee has reached in terms of whether this bill should be passed or whether it should be amended noting that the select committee are suggesting that no amendments take place but also that the bill will be passed in its current form. Many of the submitters that effectively were in favour of what the council is seeking to do talked about the fact that this piece of land has remained vacant for some 16 or 17 years that you know there are surrounding recreational assets nearby and that housing is an issue in any community and certainly in Palmerston North. I will say and I commend the council on taking steps to address that in terms of rezoning parts of the city—Whakarongo for example; Tamakuku Terrace; Papaioea Place—and for the first time in 20 years Kāinga Ora are starting to build houses in Palmerston North. So there is an opportunity there that the council will no doubt need to take on board. One of the things that I did want to touch on as I draw towards the end of my contribution is that this is a bill that came in a similar fashion or form to the Parliament 15 years ago and it was withdrawn by the member the Hon Steve Maharey because the select committee in its report were concerned that there were a number of process matters that gave rise to some suggestion that there was no community support that the council perhaps had not followed a particular process and there had been a lack of engagement with local iwi. The committee in its report has covered off all of those aspects. It has talked about the fact that the council have been engaging with Rangitāne and I see my colleague Mr McKelvie whose electorate falls within some of the Palmerston North City Council boundary as well. I am sure that he would join me in suggesting that Rangitāne are very much aware that this proposal is on the table and that they have not submitted an opposition nor have they expressed any huge opposition in terms of what the council is proposing around that.In my first reading contribution I indicated that my tentative position was that due process had been followed. The select committee has concluded its deliberations. It's concluded its assessment of this local bill and they have also confirmed that that is their view. So I think the appropriate way forward is for the House to give this bill the green light to give the Palmerston North City Council the opportunity to make democratic local decisions which is in their domain. And on that basis I commend the bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jacqui Dean): The question is that the motion be agreed to.