Nash Stuart: Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Nash Stuart: Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:663;Page:11352] 
STUART NASH (Labour) 
: 
 This bill is the end of an era. I ask whether members know that the Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill repeals an Act the Carter Observatory Act that was put together in 1938. Can members imagine what life was like in 1938? We did not have people like those characters whinging and complaining because the people of New Zealand had just voted in a Labour Government. Mickey Joseph Savage was standing here advocating for the people of New Zealand. We had Peter Fraser and Walter Nash. They were building a new society. They were building a better New Zealand. 
I ask whether members can imagine those great men of New Zealand those great men of the Labour movement who would have wandered up that hill and cut that ribbon. It would have been a proud moment. They would have looked over Wellington and they would never have imagined a day when a National Government would sit on that side of the House and give tax breaks to the wealthiest and nothing to the underprivileged—the underprivileged whom the 1938 Labour Government devoted its life to uplifting. Boy did they do that! 
Jo Goodhew 
: I raise a point of order Mr Chairperson. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy) 
: I think I can anticipate what it might be—relevance is it? 
Jo Goodhew 
: Yes. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy) 
: Well—[ 
Interruption 
] I am on my feet. I say to the member that this debate is about the Part 1 clauses: “Purposes” “Interpretation” and “Act binds the Crown”. The member should draw back the debate to those matters. 
STUART NASH 
: Talking of drawing back here we are in 2010. It is nearly 80 years since the Act that we are now repealing was established—nearly 80 years. A lot has happened up at that observatory in 80 years. I ask whether members can imagine the first day man walked on the moon in 1969. People would have gathered at that observatory and celebrated that milestone. The milestones that have occurred in Wellington since that observatory has been around have been numerous—they have been numerous. I can imagine the vision that these men and women of the Labour movement had in mind when they opened the observatory. It would have been world leading and now here we are repealing the Act. 
But I am not against this bill because this is one of those unusual bills where everyone is in agreement and everyone is going to win. The people of Wellington will win because now the young men and women of Wellington—and probably from all around New Zealand—can go to this icon on the hill look at it and understand science. They can see where science developed and started and they too can develop a passion for science. Maybe they can come into this Chamber and with that passion for science they have developed ratchet up the research and development spend and move this country forward. That is what I am hoping and that is what I am sure will happen. 
Tourism is another one of our great earners and this will be great for tourism in Wellington. I heard on the news tonight that Wellington was voted by people as the best place to go in winter. Obviously they had not been to Napier because at the moment in Napier it is very fine. People are outside in T-shirts drinking wine; it is pouring down with rain here. How can they vote Wellington as the best place to go in winter if they have never been to Napier? It is beyond me. 
With regard to the observatory one of the other things I like about this legislation is that we are not destroying our heritage. That is what we have done too much of in the past. Those National guys are dismantling our heritage brick by brick. This legislation allows our heritage to remain. An icon sits upon that hill. Generations of people have walked past it to Parliament they have dreamt they have developed a passion for science and for politics they have come to Wellington and they have known the observatory. I am pleased that it will still be there. It is a wonderful asset to the people of Wellington; it is a great asset to New Zealand. 
The important thing is we are not losing. As my colleague Moana Mackey said last night there is now a national observatory in Whakatane believe it or not. Of all places there is a national observatory in Whakatane so we can still study the stars. We are in a unique position here because there is very little pollution in our night skies—or at least there was not until those members did whatever they wanted to do. 
This is one of those great pieces of legislation. My colleague Grant Robertson is rapt with this bill. Grant Robertson is the member of Parliament for Wellington Central and he is rapt with this bill because it adds to the cultural heritage of this city. Grant is the associate spokesperson—or he might even be the spokesperson—on arts culture and heritage. This just adds another jewel to his portfolio crown. It is fantastic legislation because of that as it allows this tourism venture to remain. 
Kelvin Davis another colleague is the spokesperson on tourism. Who is the spokesperson on tourism on the Government side of the Chamber? I cannot remember; it must be Aaron Gilmore. Kelvin Davis knows the value of this legislation because again from a tourism perspective it just adds one more jewel to the crown of New Zealand tourism. When people come to Wellington they can go to Te Papa they can come to Parliament and have a tour and they can see the photos of the great people of New Zealand politics like Fraser Savage Nash and Clark.