Wagner Nicky: Christchurch City Council (Lancaster Park) Land Vesting Bill — First Reading 
Wagner Nicky: Christchurch City Council (Lancaster Park) Land Vesting Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:646;Page:15768] 
NICKY WAGNER (National) 
: 
 It is with great pleasure that I also rise to support the Christchurch City Council (Lancaster Park) Land Vesting Bill. Lancaster Park is near to my home in Christchurch Central and near to my heart. It has a distinguished history as Tim Barnett has been telling us. Like all one-eyed Cantabrians I say that stints at Lancaster Park have played an important part in my life over the years and that is not just because it is the home of Canterbury’s favourite sons the Crusaders. 
Firstly I congratulate everyone who has been involved in developing this bill and bringing it to Parliament: the Victory Park Board the Christchurch City Council Ngai Tahu sports and entertainment user groups and the public. I particularly thank Ian Thomson solicitor for the city council and Bryan Pearson of Vbase who have been instrumental in developing and explaining the need for the legislation. I too pay tribute to Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu who for the benefit of the people of Christchurch and Canterbury have agreed to the promotion of this bill and have generously deferred their rights under the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 so that Lancaster Park can be redeveloped now—and it needs it. 
Lancaster Park has had many different types of ownership over the years. It was in private ownership from 1881 until World War I and then to celebrate the end of the war the Victory Park Act 1919 vested the title to the land in the Crown so that it could be held in trust. That trust has worked well for the last 89 years but now those assets are to be handed over to the Christchurch City Council and with them the responsibility to fund the necessary updating and redevelopment of the site so that it will become a modern sports stadium that we can all enjoy. 
The plans for Lancaster Park in the bill have been discussed and worked on for years so everyone has had a chance to have a say and the issues have been well and truly ironed out. It has pretty much unanimous support. The process has been intelligently and sensibly handled and the decisions have gone smoothly. This is in sharp contrast to other cities that cannot make up their minds about stadiums and that squabble loudly and publicly over where when and how. Christchurch and Canterbury just quietly get on with the job and our stadium rebuilt and beautiful will be finished and looking great well before the Rugby World Cup starts. 
Like with most Cantabrians events at Lancaster Park have shaped my life. My family would not be as it is if Pop had not learnt his lessons well in boot camp at Lancaster Park. Before he went off to the Pacific in World War II he spent 6 weeks there doing his basic training. He says that he will never forget it. Trainees did not have any tents. They slept on the wooden seats in the stands. Conditions were primitive. They had a cold tap under the stands for washing and shaving. They drilled in the grounds and they marched off to Sydenham Park for further training. Pop is 90 now and he had a tough war but he did come home. I have often wondered whether it was the quality of the training at Lancaster Park that kept him alive. 
I also remember very well the day that my first son was due to be born. It was a gorgeous summer day and a one-day cricket match was on at Lancaster Park. As my son did not seem to want to arrive we decided to go to the cricket. I do not much remember the score or even the match but I do remember the looks—the very understanding looks—when I with my huge stomach out in the front sailed through the men’s urinal on the way to the toilet. I had to do that because the queue for the women’s conveniences stretched right around the whole stadium. It needed redevelopment even then. 
With two small sons and a rugby-mad husband I have watched dozens of Crusaders games. I really enjoy going to the matches but I have to confess that it is the horses the Crusaders music and the colour that get me excited about a match rather than the game itself and I think that that is true of a lot of other Cantabrians. 
I have been to dozens of concerts too. I have been to all types from the sweaty excesses of Meatloaf to the cool tunes of B B King—and yes Dire Straits—but I do not remember doing anything that might make a seagull choke! 
Yes Lancaster Park is central to the Christchurch way of life. It has been well used in the past and it has served many purposes and this bill will make sure that it is redeveloped to meet our needs now and into the future. 
I also take this opportunity to pay tribute to Tim Barnett who as the local constituent MP has sponsored this bill. He has worked hard on this bill as he always does for Christchurch Central and we will miss him when he stands down at election time. But I can assure him that he will not have to worry about the people of Christchurch Central in the future. After a lifetime of living in Christchurch and over 6 years as a politician in the city I understand the problems of our community and I will work hard with energy and enthusiasm to get some long-term improvements for the central city. So I say to Tim to enjoy the next phase of his life and not worry about the electorate. I will look after it for him. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Marian Hobbs) 
: Before I call the next speakers I just remind members that there are now 5-minute calls with a bell at 4 minutes.