SpeechANGELA ROBERTS (Labour): Thank you Madam Speaker. It is good to be rising and taking a call and sharing in solidarity some of the good things about New Zealand society. But before I start I like my colleagues around the House acknowledge the tragedy four years ago in Christchurch. We remember and we mourn those who lost their lives and those who lost their loved ones and acknowledge all of those who have supported the victims and their families in the moment and in the years since and in the years to come.But back to this bill the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society Empowering Bill. It's a lovely opportunity for all of us to think about Hawke's Bay and have a smile on our faces and be reminded of what a wonderful part of the country and of the world it is and to think about this institution this fine tradition these events that we see all around the country that have been encapsulated in the conversations we've had about this bill. We know that there are dozens of agricultural and pastoral (A & P) shows and we've heard about them in the House that connect us to our history that connect us to each other and connect us to our future. I think some of us in the Primary Production Committee were a little bit jealous that it didn't come to us. I mean there were obvious reasons why not but many of us in the select committee have shared stories not just in the House but in select committee that are generated by talking about this bill. We've heard about the history of it in New Zealand and I'm not sure how far back people have gone but of course this started in Scotland—the visionary and ambitious people of Scotland in the Highlands that wanted to showcase agricultural improvements. Then this was infectious and ended up in England with the Royal Agricultural Society which wanted to foster the use of science in farming.I read about the first Hawke's Bay show that was on Alfred Dawes' paddock in Havelock North in October 1863 and apparently there were 22 horses and 23 cattle 18 sheep six pigs a pen of poultry and three dogs. We had 400 people in attendance rocked up in their gigs and buggies—a very different experience from you know the biggest traffic jam we have in Stratford these days is when we're all trying to navigate and negotiate with the local Rotary Club in their white jackets as they're trying to park us in the worst bit of the paddock that we know we won't be able to get out of at the end of the day.We know that this wonderful institution and its different iterations around the country give us the finest in innovation—animals produce technology as well of course as the competitions and attractions. We've heard about some of those and I'll get on to those in a minute. But the best of these A & P Shows were located on really special pieces of land if they were smart and the best were close to town. The Hawke's Bay grounds innovative from the outset had a rail connection that meant that you did not have to drive your stock through town. How progressive are they? Some of these events though unfortunately are only to be remembered. The Inglewood gala the closest gala to my little patch was apparently the greatest show on earth because it included human cannonballs and in its heyday attracted almost 35000 visitors. I don't quite know how we all jammed in there but it certainly attracted more than Americarna. But apparently killed off in 1972 by this amazing thing called television.We know we've heard about the dozens of shows around the country that remain and this bill is about enabling the Hawke's Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society to continue to be nimble and innovative and remain one of the best shows in the country. So these shows connect us to each other. We've heard so much; we've shared our collective memory—town and country north and south young and old. We've heard a lot of quite competitive horse stories around the place—never rode a horse. Funnily enough—some of you may not be surprised—I only ever rocked up to the talent show. I don't know if I ever walked away with a ribbon but anyway I was happy to participate.We've heard so much about what a big deal this is in rural communities and originally like I said rocking up in a buggy or on a horse and now of course where they're kicking tyres on some amazing tractors and other incredible innovations. Of course we will continue to have debates about whether it's a Massey Ferguson or something else.But this isn't just about bringing the rural communities together; it is about bringing our townies to build those connections. It's wonderful to see that one of the ambitions of the society is to use the funds that will be freed up by this legislation to promote the primary sector to a wider audience. I think that's wonderfully ambitious for us as a country. I do want to reflect—you know we've heard about all the attractions and the competitions that we've participated in but I think it's really interesting how over the generations we move from being a small child on the—Dr Emily Henderson: Merry-go-round.ANGELA ROBERTS: Merry-go-round—thank you. And then you get to go on the Ferris wheel and then you get to go on the Hurricane and then you have children and you're back to the merry-go-round. Although apparently my colleague Anna Lorck skipped a little bit and made it to the Hurricane at age five with her mate Stuart Train much to her parents' horror so proving to be adventurous from the start. So it is about creating memories and building relationships and having a great deal of fun.The intergenerational aspect of it isn't just about the rides though. We've heard about the knowledge and everything that is shared intergenerationally and we've heard about the volunteers. I just want to do a shout-out. I think last time I shouted out to our world champion wood choppers that come from Stratford the Jordan boys but actually this time I want to refer to another former student Kylee Perrett who is one of the best Ayrshire breeders and judges in the country—amazing young woman but not just involved in breeding and judging but has now stepped up and taken over as her father is retired and is involved in running and organising the Egmont and the Stratford A & P Shows. It is wonderful to see this institution and this way of life and this wonderful knowledge and really rich culture coming through in our next generation. It leads not just into us being some of the finest food and fibre producers on the planet but is also about making sure our rural communities continue to be places that our young people want to live in and to work in and create wonderful futures for their own children.So like I said the A & P Shows in the Hawke's Bay in particular are about connecting us also to our future. They've been visionary from the outset since they started in Scotland and currently the frustration that they had that that very narrow requirement for them to invest in land if they divested in their land it's brought something to us in addition as a challenge. They have challenged us to do something wonderful that will enable us to connect to and build a fabulous future for this country because they're making us stretch our understanding of what investment means because it isn't just about simply investing in land but it is about investing in people. It's great to see their ambitions that what they want to do is develop educational programs award scholarships and it allows them flexibility for longer term planning. When I look at how we're going to go and rebuild and support the wonderful Hawke's Bay to rebuild the fact that they will have opportunities to be really innovative and invest in people I think is another great opportunity that we can see that they will have simply by us supporting them in the desire to pass this bill.So despite the tragedy that has beset them in the last few weeks it's a reminder that they are going to get through this. Not everybody has been affected in the same way but we are going to be able to help them and this little bill is going to hopefully help them to do something mighty. And for that I'm incredibly humble and proud to be able to recommend this bill to the House.