Faafoi Kris: Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeFaafoi Kris: Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 01 July 2015. Volume:706;Page:5012. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]KRIS FAAFOI (Labour—Mana): Thank you very much Mr Chair for a chance to speak to Part 2 of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Bill. In this week of all weeks it is very strange for a Wellington-based MP to come to the defence of the Southland and Otago regions. But I did want to point to clauses 56 and 57 which pertain to the Winton Racecourse which is I believe about 50 kilometres north of Invercargill. Clauses 56 and 57 do change the ability of the Minister of Conservation to appoint trustees to the Winton Racecourse trust. At the moment it is possible for only three trustees to be appointed to the trust and the change in clause 57 says that the Minister of Conservation cannot appoint fewer than three or more than five persons to theWinton Racecourse trust.As racing spokesperson for this side of the House I understand that there are moves afoot to try to consolidate racecourses around the country. Winton Racecourse being the fine harness racing venue that it is may be one of those that could be earmarked for I guess what you could call “consolidation”. If the Minister in the chair Nicky Wagner could possibly enlighten the Committee as to why the move has been made to change the structure of appointing trustees to the Winton Racecourse trust that would be useful because I think that the locals who have waited for a considerable amount of time I understand for this piece of legislation to get to this stage would want some certainty about the future.I do not know specifically because I was not on the Primary Production Committee which considered this bill and I am not sure whether the select committee considered in any great depth the Winton Racecourse parts of the legislation but I think that that local community—a regional community that has been neglected by this Government—would prefer to know what is afoot at Winton. As I say I do not know. I grew up closer to Addington racecourse in Christchurch—another very good harness racing venue—but I think it would be useful if the Minister in the chair could enlighten us in terms of clauses 56 and 57 pertaining to Winton Racecourse as to why that appointment process in particular has changed and whether the parcel of land that we are talking about around the Winton Racecourse will remain as it is. I understand that it is the venue for a rather large race meeting in the summer—one that contributes economically to that local community. If that is one of the courses affected I guess there will be a question mark or a cloud over it.One question that may be asked is why this piece of legislation is changing the trust or the board of that racecourse? It may make it easier for the rationalisation of racecoursesto be done and that racecoursein particular. Maybe the Minister in the chair could enlighten us about that because I think racing communities around the country not just that racing community would be very keen to hear whether or not the Government is going to support a programme to change the way in which the network of racecourses is made up. I think there are a certain number of challenges that racecourses racing boards and thoroughbred racing boards around the country face in order to make sure that their sport is strong. I think there will be some question marks around this as to whether or not it means that racecourses like the one at Winton could be sold off and what their future is. Just to finish up it would be useful if the Minister in the chair could enlighten us and take a few calls on clauses 56 and 57.