Hawkins George: Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill — In Committee 
Hawkins George: Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:661;Page:10009] 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Labour—Manurewa) 
: 
 I will make a few comments about clause 14 to start with and then I will move away from there. Yesterday when the Minister in the chair the Minister for the Environment had us up in the fifth floor meeting room to tell us about the Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill he said that if we knew of anyone who would be useful we could put a name forward. That did not sound like Dr Smith’s usually very honourable pattern but some people come to mind. 
If we look at it we see that those people have to have organisational change. In respect of water management and local authority governance and management two names spring to mind straight away. First of all there is Bob Harvey who will not be Mayor of Waitakere City any more. He has more experience as mayor than anyone. The Minister should have a really good close look at Bob Harvey because he has wide knowledge and would probably most generously help the people of Canterbury. The second person is also a mayor in the Auckland region with vast experience in water matters: Andrew Williams. Only this week we heard about his expertise in water matters—irrigation of just a single tree but it is a start! I think he should be considered. 
The problem is that the Minister of Local Government must support him as well. That would show us who the real boss is whether it is the Hon Dr Nick Smith or the Hon Rodney Hide. You see the people in Auckland who will have their jobs taken from them without any say will have a certain amount of feeling for the people of Canterbury. They will understand what it is like when all of a sudden they are ridden roughshod over. 
It is interesting to look at the sort of people who will put their names forward. I now nominate a National member. My friends who sit around me think I am too close to National at times but I put forward the name of the Rt Hon Jim Bolger. He would be ideal. He was too busy before. 
Jo Goodhew 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Although entertaining this speech is straying somewhat. But I am happy if this is an indication that the debate is drawing to a close. 
The CHAIRPERSON (Lindsay Tisch) 
: I thank the member for her comments. Mr Hawkins is specifically referring to clause 14; he said that at the beginning [ 
Interruption 
]. I am on my feet. Although there was a little bit of light banter and light humour—I have no difficulty with that—the member knows that it is a very limited debate and I am sure he will talk about Environment Canterbury and clause 14 which he has mentioned. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: That point of order shows that National members have not read the bill; otherwise they would know what is in clause 14. That clause is very very important. 
As I was saying I think Jim Bolger—he has the time now because he will not be running KiwiRail—could be running the water management in Canterbury. It may flow even better than his friends seem to. 
I also say that it is very important how much the commissioners will be paid. The ratepayers of Canterbury will be footing the bill but they will have no say. They will be putting up the money so that the commissioners can be paid but there will be no representation from where the money is coming from. I think most people in New Zealand think it is fair that if they pay they have a say. That is fundamental. It is what happens in New Zealand. If we look at clause 18 we see that Joe Bloggs and other people from Canterbury will not have a say over how much the commissioners get paid and who will pay them. People in Canterbury will open their wallets and see that money is being plucked out by Nick Smith and Rodney Hide without their having a say.