King Colin: Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill — First Reading 
King Colin: Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:658;Page:7405] 
COLIN KING (National—Kaikoura) 
: 
 In addressing the Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill it would be an exaggeration to say it is one small step for man and one giant step for mankind. However in the scheme of things we have to consider the Carter Observatory as having played a significant role in astronomy and astronomy education within New Zealand. I want to talk about why the bill is necessary. I want to talk a little bit about the history of the Carter Observatory and some of the developments that have happened in astronomy within New Zealand and internationally. I also want to talk about what will happen in the future with the Carter Observatory about visitors and tourist attractions and about the connections that the Carter Observatory had with the province of Marlborough with the Black Birch outpost observatory in Seddon. 
It is quite interesting really when one does the research on things and finds out that they were started by being bequeathed by a benevolent New Zealander. They were built up and they became a landmark. The bill is for the purpose of good governance. We have all talked about our experiences with astronomy and the fascination with the universe. In my line of work I had my head down and tail up. I did not have a lot of time to look at the wonders of the stars. But when I stop to think about what I was doing one morning at about 5 o’clock going to a shearing shed I remember I saw Halley’s Comet going through the sky. That was in 1985. I was in a shed in Benneydale called Wharekiri and it was the best view that I had of Halley’s Comet— 
Jo Goodhew 
: Ewe? 
COLIN KING 
: “View” not “ewe”. It had nothing to do with ewes wethers rams or whatever. It was an amazing event. 
We have to think about the impressions on the mind of the young benefactor—as he grew older—and the importance that was attached to an observatory. Wellington was a port. It was very important to be able to make sure its timing its clocks and things were spot on and that the tides and such things were able to be judged. It was quite a natural reaction to build an observatory in Wellington. The fact that it was built where it was was quite appropriate at the time because Wellington was a lot smaller than it is now. It would have been considered to be out in the country. But today all we would need to do is go down Lambton Quay catch the cable car up to the Botanic Gardens and there we are—we would still be in Wellington. What a beautiful setting it is up there! 
This bill will make the Carter Observatory transition from being functional to educational once the refurbishment is complete. When we look at the time lines we see that in 2006 the Carter Observatory board decided that it would refurbish the observatory. It needed quite a bit of money to be spent on it to bring it up to scratch to make it a first-class tourist attraction. It is in that sort of context that we want to think of the Carter Observatory. 
The purpose of the bill is to vest the observatory back in the Wellington City Council and that is quite appropriate. The council contributed to the land for the purpose of an observatory and it will receive it back. So the public policy of this bill is to terminate that statutory responsibility to the Crown. When we look through this bill we see that the Education and Science Committee under the fine chairmanship of Allan Peachey will manage it adequately and appropriately. On that basis I am very very pleased to be able to speak positively on the Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill and commend it to the House. Thank you very much.