Hobbs Marian: Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill — Second Reading Procedure Third Reading 
Hobbs Marian: Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill — Second Reading Procedure Third Reading 
[Volume:615;Page:11108] 
Hon MARIAN HOBBS (Labour—Wellington Central) 
: 
 I move  
That the Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill be now read a second time 
. It has been reported back from the Local Government and Environment Committee with the recommendation that it be passed. I offer my thanks to the members of the committee for their very careful consideration of this bill. It may be short and brief in its outline but it contained some local issues that had the potential to be divisive. This bill repeals a statutory restriction applying to land the Wellington City Council owns at 45 to 53 Willis Street in the city. The land is currently occupied by a number of retail shops with The Malthouse—well known to some—occupying the upper floor. In broad terms the restriction prevents the council from selling this land; it can only lease it. It remains a mystery why this restriction was applied to this particular piece of land. It provides a statutory barrier to the council considering this land on the same basis as it does for other land it owns. 
Adjacent to the Willis Street land is property the council owns in Victoria Street. It makes commercial sense for the council to consider these properties as a package in any sale and marketing strategy. I support the council being able to make local decisions about its property portfolio free from the arbitrary restrictions of old and outdated laws. Before everyone leaps up and tells me that I am a socialist supporting business I say that I always recognise when a council is doing things that may benefit in other terms the distribution of its rates and the money it makes to other good social practices here in this city that I love. The council might even give some more money to the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary as a result. 
I note that in accordance with the Local Government Act 2002 the council has consulted on and adopted an amendment to its 2003-04 long-term community plan which includes the sale of the property at 45 to 53 Willis Street. In addition I understand that the council’s draft plan for 2004-05 includes its intention to sell the property so there can be more consultation on this proposal if necessary. At this stage I feel it is incumbent on me to draw attention to the people who live in Central Terrace who are very worried about the possible height of the buildings that might be built on this particular property. That is another issue on which they may wish to negotiate with the council. 
An equally concerning problem for me was the future of the community groups that tenanted the Victoria Street buildings. These were the community law centre Women’s Refuge and the volunteer centre. The sale of their premises is a potential threat to the way they operate. There is value in them being able to work closely together—community law Women’s Refuge and the volunteers—and also for them to be close to such services as the police across the road; the Central Library particularly where the elderly community meets; and the Central City Citizens Advice Bureau. 
The council has confirmed its commitment to the community tenants to me and to the select committee that it will do its utmost to assist them in finding alternative premises following any decision to sell the land. I know that it has committed a sum of money as a one-off subsidy to assist five of those groups to meet their relocation costs. The council is still working with them—I will not actually name the particular building in town where they are trying to find accommodation but it will still be in the central business district. 
There are some remaining groups that have some difficulties. It is probably not as important for these organisations to be situated in the centre of Wellington as it is for the community law centre Women’s Refuge Vincent’s Art Workshop the volunteer centre and Courtenays mental health drop-in centre. The council has committed a sum of money as a one-off subsidy to assist these groups in the first year of rent. I understand that the five groups are close to securing alternative accommodation and the council is continuing to work with the remaining groups. I am pleased to note that the committee has commended the council for its proactive approach in assisting these community groups. It is a lovely way of working between central and local government. Here was I as the local MP not wanting to impede local government in going about its business but also speaking out for those groups inside the community who do a great job. The select committee heard that and really helped put the pressure on the council to listen very carefully and be proactive. 
The committee recognised the importance of having these groups centrally located in Wellington City and urged the council to continue working with the current tenants until satisfactory alternative accommodation was found. These organisations carry out the council’s social goals and it would be a tragedy for Wellington if they were suddenly lost from the central city. My joy is that central government the select committee and also the city council recognise that and are working proactively to do something about it. I give my thanks to the Wellington City Council to the community groups and to the select committee. This is about working together to solve a problem and I made this comment the other day in the House. This is what I believe Government and leadership is about. It is not about working on divide and rule; it is about working together to reach a conclusion that is satisfactory to all. Once again I thank the committee for its consideration of this bill which I commend to the House.