Burns Brendon: Christ’s College (Canterbury) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Burns Brendon: Christ’s College (Canterbury) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:661;Page:9574] 
BRENDON BURNS (Labour—Christchurch Central) 
: 
 I am pleased to rise and support the first reading of the Christ’s College (Canterbury) Amendment Bill. As my colleague Trevor Mallard has indicated the Labour Opposition is quite prepared to see this bill go to the Government Administration Committee but we have some questions about the detail. Christ’s College is a venerable institution in Christchurch. It has a proud 160-year history. It has had a number of distinguished pupils—including I think former member of this House Dr Michael Cullen—amongst the alumni of that school. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I think he mentioned it in his maiden speech. 
BRENDON BURNS 
: I think he did. He got a very good education at Christ’s College courtesy of others in the community as I recall. 
Christ’s College sits on the edge of Hagley Park in our city of Christchurch within my electorate of Christchurch Central. The world has moved on since Dr Cullen was a pupil and the school is left with a number of trusts that have purposes no longer fit for current pupils hence this amending legislation. I was very pleased to visit Christ’s College last year with Phil Goff and I noted that the school had in place perhaps the best broadband and information and communication technology infrastructure in the country which is a feat that I am sure every other school in New Zealand would like to emulate—and one day soon maybe. The point is that trusts have been established for purposes that are no longer appropriate. I should imagine that things like Greek and Latin might be supported by some of these trusts and with all due deference to my excellent parliamentary executive assistant I say that Greek is not the highest priority order today in New Zealand. 
This bill has parallels with another bill that I was very pleased to see pass through the House. That bill was for another institution headquartered in my electorate of Christchurch Central the Methodist Church of New Zealand. Last year we passed the Methodist Church of New Zealand Trusts Bill which had a similar issue in that a number of trusts had been left by legacy and bequest that were no longer appropriate—in that instance it was around the issue of orphanages which that church no longer runs. So instead of having to go to the High Court for an amendment on each of those numerous trusts an all-purpose bill was introduced in my name. This bill has the same approach. It will be authorising the governing body of the college to apply for changes to trusts and to use those trusts for more appropriate and fitting purposes while staying in keeping with the original intention of the donor or bequeather of the moneys. 
There are some concerns around exactly how those trusts will be wound up and how those funds will be passed across. Those concerns were at the core of some considerable discussion and debate in the Finance and Expenditure Committee on the Methodist Church of New Zealand Trusts Bill. In that instance we passed amendments; I recall that the member opposite from Selwyn was quite instrumental in insisting that there should be considerable vetting and change in relation to making amendments to trust deeds. Obviously a very very important principle is at stake: when somebody has defined a particular purpose for a trust to amend it is not something that one would traverse lightly. In the case of the Methodist Church firstly all changes needed to be referred to the Attorney-General and secondly where changes were being proposed trustees were to be consulted. That is the sort of change we might be looking at in the select committee process to be absolutely assured that while we are providing for increased flexibility for Christ’s College the original purpose and intent is indeed maintained by the changes being introduced. 
I pick up on the comments that my colleague Trevor Mallard made around national standards. He is correct: Christ’s College is exempt as a non-State school from the introduction of national standards. That is a curiosity. Does it mean that the school does not believe that it needs to meet national standards or does it mean as I think may be the case it believes that it is already well above those standards? Whatever it is the exemption raised a question about why other schools cannot have exemptions; why we do not go down the line of looking at a trial as the New Zealand Educational Institute and other good organisations are suggesting; and why the Government is so adamant that it will introduce these standards across the board except in private schools and in kura kaupapa Maori. It begs the question as to why they should get exemptions. 
Nonetheless with reference to this bill the Labour Opposition is very prepared to support its being referred to select committee for some fine-tuning.