Tremain Chris: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Tremain Chris: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:648;Page:17468] 
CHRIS TREMAIN (National—Napier) 
: 
 I rise to take a call on the estimates debate and to discuss two particular issues very relevant to the Minister of Finance’s own home town of Napier—two issues that deal specifically with Vote Finance. The first is on page 131 where we see $8 million appropriated to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Airport. Something that is missing here which I also want to talk about is the $12.3 million appropriated in the 2006-07 year to the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board for the sale of the Napier Hill site. I am keen to ask the Minister a couple of questions about both of those financial issues as they relate to that electorate. 
I will start with the Hawke’s Bay Regional Airport which is an issue that has been on the agenda for many years now since this Labour Government has been in office. Dr Cullen and other MPs in that region have campaigned for years on the basis that they would deliver corporatisation of that airport to the region. They have talked that one up on a local level on and on. They have just had major discussions with the local mayors about this issue; to this point they have not delivered on it. I want to ask the Minister about the $8 million that has been appropriated. Does he seriously think that it will come through and be appropriated in this financial year or will we see it being reversed at the end of the financial year? In that regard I also ask the Minister whether he is genuinely consulting with local iwi in the area. Is he consulting with Minister Parekura Horomia’s electorate? 
Hon Parekura Horomia 
: Yes he is. 
CHRIS TREMAIN 
: I say to the Minister that I am hearing from the local iwi that they are not being consulted on this issue. They believe the land underlying that particular airport is still available for settlement while it is owned by the two councils. I will be interested to hear from the Minister whether he is in consultation and helping to move that issue forward because I believe that is an unresolved key issue. That is the first thing. 
The second thing I want to discuss with the Minister is the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board and the sale of the Napier Hill hospital site. In the 2006-07 year $12.3 million accrued into the accounts of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board for the sale of the hill site. Now the question here is that 2 years ago the sale price was $24 million and 7 or 8 years ago $3 million was transferred back to the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board when it was transferred to the Crown Health Financing Agency because that was the amount that was recognised on the books. Since that point in time the Crown Health Financing Agency has incurred significant costs in selling the hospital site but it has now allowed the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board to accrue $12.3 million through to its profit and loss account over the last financial year. Now—and I would be interested to hear from the Minister on this—it looks as though the current proposed purchaser of the property is not going to settle and has deposited only $1.5 million. 
Hon Dr Michael Cullen 
: A bad real estate agent! 
CHRIS TREMAIN 
: Well it certainly was not this real estate agent; in fact we stayed totally clear of it. But I want to know from the Minister what the prospect for that settlement is. Will it go through? Will Hawke’s Bay be in the gun not just for the $12.3 million for the sale of the Napier Hill site but also for the $8 million for the Hawke’s Bay Regional Airport? Is that another thing that will go through or are these just more hollow promises from this Labour Government to that electorate? I would be interested to know whether the Minister has been consulting the local iwi up there to see whether both these issues will be sorted out.