Wilkinson Kate: Christchurch City Council (Lancaster Park) Land Vesting Bill — Second Reading Third Reading 
Wilkinson Kate: Christchurch City Council (Lancaster Park) Land Vesting Bill — Second Reading Third Reading 
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KATE WILKINSON (National) 
: 
 It is with absolute pleasure and pride that I as a fierce Cantabrian rise to take a short call in support of the Christchurch City Council (Lancaster Park) Land Vesting Bill at its second and third readings. The aim of this bill as has been stated is to facilitate the redevelopment of Lancaster Park as a modern sports stadium for the future—and for the Rugby World Cup in 2011—which is something that all Cantabrians deserve. 
As the Minister said in his first reading speech this bill will bring ageing and redundant legal structures into the 21st century and will free us from significant impediments to the future development of the stadium. We do that by giving effect to an agreement between the Victory Park Board which was established by the Victory Park Act 1919 and the Christchurch City Council. 
The Victory Park Board has controlled and managed the land and facilities at Lancaster Park well for the last 89 years or so and I feel it is appropriate to extend our appreciation to the board today. However the redevelopment required for the park has grown beyond the board’s financial resources. Therefore in return for the Christchurch City Council’s agreeing to fund the redevelopment the board has agreed to vest and hand over Lancaster Park—and in the minds of some of us it will always be Lancaster Park—along with the land and the assets owned by the board to the council in trust for sport recreation entertainment public assembly and ancillary purposes. With the passing of this bill into law the Victory Park Board will be duly wound up. 
I acknowledge the hard work of all those involved in developing this bill and in bringing it to this House including the member for Christchurch Central Tim Barnett. I take this opportunity to wish him all the best for his post-parliamentary future. I also thank the Victory Park Board the Christchurch City Council members of the public and in particular Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu which in the interests of the Christchurch community have generously deferred their rights under the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act so that the redevelopment can take place. 
Cantabrians love this stadium especially when Canterbury wins. I note that the honourable member from Otago will be following me with a speech no doubt with a similar bias but perhaps a more southerly bias. Lancaster Park is a true sporting and cultural icon in the heart of Christchurch City. It has a fantastic history and we have certainly seen some magical sporting moments. Back in 1962 the world record was set by Peter Snell in the 800 metres at Lancaster Park. There was theRanfurly Shield match in 1954 when the Ranfurly Shield was successfully retained by Canterbury after a last-minute try. That try was never converted as spectators—no doubt Cantabrians—rushed on to the field. That is something that could never happen at today’s games but it is certainly in the spirit of the great sporting tradition of Canterbury. 
Lancaster Park is the home of our mighty Crusaders. I have certainly spent many a cold night there supporting my team—I am very responsible I am sure for my team—while listening to the Crusaders’ Vangelis music and watching the horses race round the stadium and stir the crowd into a frenzy and they no doubt often spur on the Crusaders to a worthy win. In my time I have also been there to cheer on the All Blacks I have enjoyed a few one-day cricket matches in the sun and I have also seen some concerts. 
It is amusing that although we have had two name changes since the ground was formerly recognised as Lancaster Park—Jade Stadium in 1998 after naming rights were sold to Jade Software Corporation Ltd and now the AMI Stadium—it is still known in the hearts and minds of many people around the country and in Christchurch as Lancaster Park. Indeed that must also be true for many of us in this House given the naming of this bill. Despite the redevelopment and the name changes for some—and for me—the ground will always be Lancaster Park. 
It would be remiss of me to speak on this bill and not mention the Deans family known in Canterbury as the first family of rugby. Bruce and Robbie Deans were stalwarts of the Canterbury rugby team. They held the Ranfurly Shield for 25 challenges and represented the All Blacks. As well there is Robbie’s fantastic record as a coach and manager. Bob Deans was one of the most famous All Blacks. He was a member of the team from 1905 to 1908 and it is certainly fitting that the east stand at this stadium is known as the Deans Stand—not the “Dingo Stand”—which is appropriate acknowledgment of this family’s contribution to rugby and to the region over a great many years. Of course many of us not only in Canterbury rue the day that Robbie “Dingo” Deans did not quite make it as the All Black coach. I would have to say that All Black versus Wallaby games have taken on a new dynamic and new interest as a consequence of that. 
It is interesting to note the history of this park and I did Google it even though I have lived in for Canterbury all of my days. The Wikipedia history states that Lancaster Park has hosted various sports including rugby union rugby league cricket soccer athletics and trotting—and I have to say that the Crusaders’ horses are not trotters—until 1899 when the trotting club moved to the Addington racecourse. Lancaster Park has also held non-sporting events such as concerts by U2 in 1989 and 1993 and Billy Joel in 1987. In fact I went to the Dire Straits concert there as well but that does not seem to be mentioned on the Wikipedia website. However Lancaster Park is known primarily as a rugby and cricket ground and it is certainly the home of the Crusaders rugby union team one of the great great teams in rugby history which competes in the Super 14 competition. Lancaster Park currently has a capacity of 36000 spectators. It is a wonderful ground. 
In 1880 Canterbury Cricket and Athletics Sports Co. Ltd was established and at that stage the company purchased 10 acres three rods and 30 perches of the Lancaster estate for the princely sum of £2841 which equates to £260 per acre. In 1904 the Canterbury Cricket Association became the sole owner of the ground and then in 1911 the Canterbury Rugby Football Union became co-owners of the ground with the Canterbury Cricket Association. An Act of Parliament back in November 1919 vested the title to Lancaster Park in the Crown and established the Victory Park Board to take responsibility for its management. Jade Stadium Ltd was established in 1998 to manage the existing facilities on behalf of the Victory Park Board and the Christchurch City Council. 
This park and these grounds have a rich rich history. In 1881 the first cricket match to be played on the ground was scheduled for the park’s opening on 8 October but it was cancelled due to rain. If an inaugural game had been due to be played there last week then a similar thing would have happened. An athletics meeting became the first event held there in that year and it was held later in that month of October. 
The embankment was expanded in 1957 which increased the capacity to 33000 people. Two new stands were opened in 1965 further increasing the capacity to 38500 and in 1995 the Hadlee Stand—another wonderful Canterbury name—was opened as a tribute to that successful cricketing family. The Ranfurly Shield has had some wonderful matches at Lancaster Park and I have already mentioned Canterbury’s successful retention of the shield against Waikato in 1954 which is somewhat before my time. 
But it is not only in relation to sporting events that this ground has had its fame. In 1954 Lancaster Park held a Roman Catholic prayer rally which drew a large attendance and in 1986 Pope John Paul II held a public mass on the oval attracting 28000 people. So it is not just for sport that this ground is recognised. 
One of the most famous events of my recollection was the 2006 Super 14 final which was played in thick fog at Jade Stadium. People at the stadium could not see the game I could not see the game and television viewers could not see the game but the important thing was that the Crusaders were valiant and won in the end. 
Finally I say that—and I know that Mr Barnett will concur with this—Christchurch and all Cantabrians deserve a truly modern sports stadium that can move with the times. We will have that after a decade of facility improvements after further redevelopment yet to come and with the passing of this bill. We will have a stadium that is ready for the future and with a bit of luck ready for a Rugby World Cup semi-final game in 2011. May the Ranfurly Shield return to its home at Lancaster Park now to be vested in the Christchurch City Council in trust for sport and recreation. Christchurch needs this bill Canterbury needs this bill and National certainly supports this bill.