Mackey Moana: Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill — Second Reading 
Mackey Moana: Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:663;Page:11261] 
MOANA MACKEY (Labour) 
: 
 The junior Government whip might think that the time for talking has well passed and that we just need to get on and do it. The question then has to be asked why it has taken so long for this legislation to come back to the House. This legislation has the support of all Parliament and it is uncontentious so the question has to be asked why it has taken so long for this bill to come through the House particularly when we have been passing far less important legislation and far more damaging legislation. The Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill might have been very important legislation to have promoted earlier on. I put that question to the Minister in the House the Hon Wayne Mapp: why has it taken so long for this legislation to come back to the House and to pass through its stages? 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: Despite Wayne’s machine-like efficiency. 
MOANA MACKEY 
: That is quite right. Despite the Minister’s machine-like efficiency it has taken a while for the bill to get through its second reading. 
Of course Labour supports this legislation. I think we have to give two thankyous at the outset of this debate. The first thankyou goes to Mr Charles Rooking Carter who gifted his estate to the Royal Society of New Zealand for the establishment of an astronomical observatory in New Zealand. It cannot be overestimated or said enough how important that gift was and how much we are indebted to him. The second thankyou needs to go to the Wellington City Council because without its support for the ongoing work of the Carter Observatory it would not have been able to continue. The Wellington City Council needs to be congratulated on its recognition of the importance of this observatory. 
All members of the House have articulated that the Carter Observatory has an exciting future in terms of tourism and education and it is with a hint of sadness that we are giving up our national observatory. It is no longer fit for purpose—that is clear. It no longer carries out the research function that it once carried out and that other national observatories around the world carry out but there is no denying that astronomy is the gateway into science for a number of young New Zealanders. That is why it is so important that the observatory continue in its role in education. For many young New Zealanders the study of astronomy is the first time that they question the world around them and the things that they do not understand. They ask for explanations that may not be readily obvious or available about what they see in the world around them. 
Astronomy is in many ways unique in that aspect. For many young New Zealanders and young people around the world it is the discipline with which they first find themselves fascinated. I never went down the route of watching  
Star Trek 
; it was not my thing. But science fiction  
Star Trek 
 the possibility of intelligent life somewhere else and all those kinds of things fascinate many people. When they look to the other side of the House and do not see intelligent life they figure that it must be somewhere else in the universe. It is all an important part of science and of bringing young people into science. In that regard it is with a hint of sadness that we say goodbye to our national observatory but at the same time we know that the Carter Observatory has an exciting future. It will continue in its role of educating young people and introducing them to science in its new capacity. 
One of the interesting things about the Carter Observatory that not many people know is its role as a private tertiary education provider. It has carried out that very important role. It was not often talked about or trumpeted by the observatory but the observatory was accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. It developed national standards in astronomy and if it had not done that we have to ask who else might have done it. If members look at the Carter Observatory’s website they will see the enormous resource for teachers. It has developed the pedagogy for teachers in this area so that they can pick it up bring it into the classroom and make sure that their students are exposed to the exciting and innovative advances that are going on around the world in this area. Many teachers have said to me how important that teaching resource has been. 
When we consider that last year the Government cut the funding for science advisers we see that the role of the Carter Observatory becomes even more crucial and important. Science advisers were a crucial part of our education system. Last year the National Government said that it did not need them any more because that year science was not its focus. The Government did not realise that those people are in high demand around the world so they have all gone. Those people are all overseas. They have been picked up by other countries which were very keen to take on people who had the dual role of picking up the science curriculum and introducing it into the primary education sector. Those people have gone. When the Minister of Education said that next year the Government might bring back the funding I say that that is fantastic but the people will no longer be here. Members on this side of the House think that science needs to be a priority every year not just in the years when it suits the Government. 
Hon Darren Hughes 
: They’re unscientific. 
MOANA MACKEY 
: Government members are not evidence-based at all in any way shape or form. 
When we consider the issue of national standards as well we can look at the experience in the UK. In fact Cambridge University recently released a study that showed categorically that national standards in the UK had destroyed the UK education system. But even— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Eric Roy) 
: Excuse me— 
MOANA MACKEY 
: Well it is very important Mr Assistant Speaker Roy because the Carter Observatory works on national standards and on helping teachers who are teaching the curriculum. We are losing that experience which is why I am bringing it into this debate. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Eric Roy) 
: The member is drawing a long bow. 
MOANA MACKEY 
: It is a long bow but it is a very important bow—a very important bow. When we look at the national standards in the UK we see that at least they included science. The national standards in the UK were numeracy literacy and science. That is where the Carter Observatory would have an important role in ensuring that our teachers had access to that information and that experience. For that reason we are very pleased that the Carter Observatory will be continuing in its educational role even though science is not part of the national standards in New Zealand. I think that is an absolute abomination and an absolute tragedy because every New Zealand student should be taught science as an absolute priority. It should be placed on the same platform as numeracy and literacy. I think that it is an indictment on the current Government that it has not done that. 
Members have raised the issue of whether we will have another national observatory. Well we may or we may not. I have to point out again that we now have centres of research excellence which pick up some of this role. The centres of research excellence were started under the previous Labour Government. They were a very good initiative and they have picked up some of the role of bringing people together around an issue like astronomy which the Carter Observatory specialised in. They bring together Crown research institutes businesses universities and everyone else who is interested around a core issue and they get them to work together. They have been an enormous success and maybe we will see something like that develop. Maybe the Mount John Observatory down in Canterbury might be one that picks up that role. 
For my own reasons I alert members to the existence of a very very fantastic observatory in Whakatane. It is as the  
New Zealand Herald 
 has said a gem in New Zealand in terms of its capacity and the work that it is doing. The skyline above Whakatane is unpolluted. It is unadulterated by light although there are a few issues with local supermarkets turning on their lights late at night. But the fact is that many observatories around the country are looking to help fill the role that a national observatory once filled. If members are interested they can go and look at the website www.skyofplenty.com. It is not profit making; it is a community facility. If members are ever staying in the Bay of Plenty overnight I stress that they should go up and look at the Whakatane Observatory because it is truly wonderful. It has three telescopes and two observatories. It performs an educational function; it has a teaching room. It has astrophotography which students love. Of course this will be more difficult now that the Carter Observatory is not a national observatory but I am merely pointing out that there are other excellent facilities around the country that carry out this very important function in astronomy. 
David Shearer 
: Get your own bill. 
MOANA MACKEY 
: Ha ha! There is a large audiovisual room for the students. It can cater for the students who come through overnight and spend the night up there looking at the stars. It is incredible that in the middle of provincial New Zealand we have this astonishing facility. Even though we are passing legislation that moves the Carter Observatory one of our national icons from a national observatory to an educational and tourism facility—which does not diminish it in any way—it is important to recognise that a number of other facilities around the country also carry out these very important functions. Members should go and look at the Whakatane Observatory. I highly recommend it to members.