Dalziel Lianne: Christchurch City Council (Robert McDougall Gallery) Land Vesting Bill — First Reading 
Dalziel Lianne: Christchurch City Council (Robert McDougall Gallery) Land Vesting Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:606;Page:3588] 
Hn LIANNE DALZIEL (Minister of Commerce) 
: 
 I will take a brief call in this debate first of all to support my colleague Tim Barnett who has brought this bill to the House. I congratulate him on the work that he has done in ensuring that this important piece of legislation is able to be implemented in time for the opening of the new art gallery. Perhaps I am being a bit premature; I guess that the bill will not be passed by the time that the new art gallery opens. [ 
Interruption 
] But the museum redevelopment is what it is for. 
I remind the House that the local purpose reserve under which the council will hold the land is “for the display of art and decorative arts and crafts and ancillary purposes” and therefore I do not think there is anything that people need to get upset about in terms of the proposals. But I did hear David Carter speaking earlier on and I thought his contribution was—well pathetic was the word that sprang to mind. He commented on whether notice had been given in respect of the proposed changes. The Standing Orders of course require that such notice be given to constituency members of Parliament in respect of a local bill. Without pointing out the obvious fact that David Carter has now been beaten twice by Ruth Dyson and therefore is not a constituency member of Parliament I note that the city council despite that still gave him notice. It gave everybody notice. It sent notices to the Hon Jim Anderton Tim Barnett Gerry Brownlee Rod Donald Clayton Cosgrove Ruth Dyson myself David Carter Ron Mark Marc Alexander and Mahara Okeroa. That is a full list of all the MPs who either base themselves in or represent different parts of the Christchurch electorate. In fact David Carter does not live within the Christchurch City Council boundaries. 
Rod Donald 
: He told us that he did today. 
Hon LIANNE DALZIEL 
: Well the last time I looked he lived within the Banks Peninsula District Council boundaries so unless he has moved in the last week I do not think he can even claim to be a member living in the area affected by this particular decision. 
I congratulate the city council on taking a very broad-brush approach. It not only has complied with Appendix C of the Standing Orders—the requirement that constituency members of Parliament be informed of a local bill—but has in fact gone a step further and given that information to other MPs from that area and surrounding areas. I have a copy of the letter that I received and that I know other members received as well. Perhaps Mr Carter does not read his correspondence. We were told that the city council had resolved to promote a local bill it was made clear what the objects of the bill were and a copy of the bill was attached for our information—details of what the bill was going to contain were attached for our information. Then there was this little bit at the end: “If you require any further information on this matter please contact the council’s legal services manager Mr Peter Mitchell phone 941-8549. Yours faithfully Peter Mitchell Legal Services Manager.” How much more notice and information do members require before they feel they have been given an opportunity to consider this matter before it even comes to the House? One of the protections around the local bill mechanism is that this kind of very direct notice is given to members of Parliament so that those concerns can be raised early in the piece. 
So it is a bit rich for Mr Carter to stand in the House and indicate that somehow members of Parliament had been left out—thinking of course that the Christchurch City Council might have something against them. That would be absolutely surprising because David Carter’s own brother was a member of that council until relatively recently and therefore David Carter has I would have thought a very good working relationship with council officers. I know that they not only went out of their way to make sure that the rules of the Standing Orders were complied with but went beyond the strict requirements and observed what lay behind the Standing Orders—and that is providing the ability for people to have a good look at this information before it comes to the House. 
That being said I would again like to congratulate my colleague Tim Barnett. I know he is looking forward to shepherding this bill through the House and I look forward to support on all sides of the House for what is a very sensible adjustment to the law.