Simpson ScottSCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel): It is a pleasure to take a call in the third reading of the Canterbury Property Boundaries and Related Matters Bill. The Local Government and Environment Committee I think did good work and I am pleased that both Minister Woodhouse and Dr Megan Woods on behalf of the Labour Party have acknowledged that good work because this bill was part of a suite of legislation that the Local Government and Environment Committee has considered in relation to Christchurch and Canterbury earthquake - related matters over a long period of time now since the earthquakes of 5 years ago. This is a relatively small but really important piece of legislation because it brings certainty in an area of our land law that has been very uncertain for the folk of Canterbury and Christchurch. I just want to quote from the president of the Institute of Surveyors Mark Allan who said in his submission that this bill: promotes the option that causes the least disruption and the least concern for land owners." That is I think a very important aspect—it sort of sends the tenor and the flavour of what this bill is about.After the earthquakes 5 years ago not only did the land move laterally and horizontally but also it moved vertically and when the select committee had an opportunity to visit Canterbury and Christchurch as part of its consideration of this bill we were given an opportunity to tour parts of the red zone and see for ourselves exactly what it meant in terms of property movement. It has been a very long time since I studied land law but my recollection of the basic principles of New Zealand land law is that as a general rule boundaries do not move with the land. This bill seeks to turn that around and actually make a common-sense practical prudent decision—that as a result of the earthquakes in this case boundaries have moved. So we are turning that basic principle of land law around to be of particular relevance and interest to Canterbury and Christchurch. I think it is a very pragmatic piece of legislation. What this bill does is provide certainty for landowners and people who have had so much disruption and concern in their lives in the years days weeks and months since the earthquakes. This is a very simple piece of legislation that provides certainty not only for the landowners but also for the surveyors who have to do the professional work. There has been quite a lot of confusion amongst surveyors some of whom have been reluctant to actually carry out the work because of concerns about professional rules around the general principle that boundaries do not move. But it has meant that up until now there has been quite a lot of cost involved for landowners who have had to go about having new surveys done. So this common-sense approach—this common-sense small piece of legislation—actually helps people to get on with their lives. It helps them finish up and resolve insurance claims and it helps the rebuild and regeneration of Christchurch and Canterbury to continue at pace and what it means is that those delays have been removed. There is one particular area that I want to focus on and that is a matter that Dr Megan Woods also commented on. The select committee suggested that in order to futureproof this legislation—and touch wood we hope that it is not required or needed—this legislation should be relevant and go from 14 February 2016 through until 14 February 2022. Let us hope that we do not have to face or suffer any further dramatic land movements in Canterbury and Christchurch through until 2022 and that things settle. But I think it was prudent and practical for us as parliamentarians to actually futureproof the legislation to extend it out to that period of time and to give certainty should there be any further land movement in the years immediately ahead of us. This is a very good bill. It is a practical bill. It is in legislative terms quite a small piece of legislation but it has an impact on a lot of people and it will bring certainty and clarity to them. It is a good bill and I commend it to the House."