Yates Dianne: Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill — Second Reading Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee Third Reading 
Yates Dianne: Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill — Second Reading Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:611;Page:8361] 
DIANNE YATES (NZ Labour—Hamilton East) 
: 
 It is with pleasure that I speak to the report back of this bill. As Pansy Wong has said this bill was unanimously and enthusiastically supported by the Government Administration Committee and I thank all members involved. When I say “enthusiastic” I mean that it was really good for us to meet at the museum to look at the plans and to be excited about them. I just wish that more members of the House could see those plans. If members want I have the DVD that shows how the whole atrium area—the seven storeys—will be developed which will expand the display areas the education areas the café areas and the theatre areas. Members from Auckland will be absolutely able to boast about this new facility that will be built. 
As someone who comes from south of the Bombay Hills I have looked upon the Auckland War Memorial Museum as an icon of New Zealand not just of Auckland but I have always thought when there that it is a bit shabby around the back. As Pansy Wong has mentioned the yard is a yard which as was explained to us is the size of nine tennis courts. It is that yard that will be turned into the grand atrium which will come up in the middle of the circular part of the museum. An exciting development is planned and as part of the Government I am pleased we are contributing to that new development. 
During the select committee process we had to look at things that perhaps were a little bit boring: is the land appropriate and has the land been measured appropriately? We found that there had been a little miscalculation of some of the figures about that land and we have cleared that issue up. As Pansy Wong has already mentioned an underground car-park is planned and we had to ensure that facilities were there for that. There is the matter of roadway access and that had to be clarified in terms of the description of the land. Then as Pansy Wong has also mentioned we had to make sure that everything was tightly and legally secure in terms of whether the museum was being built on a volcano and whether it fitted in with other legislation in that regard. So I thank the advisers to the committee who were also very careful to make sure that we got it right this time—that we had all the measurements right that the description of the land was right and that the development could go ahead. 
As Pansy Wong has mentioned the committee was quite shocked at some of the standards of the work facilities already there. The people who are doing tremendous restoration work on some of the exhibits and so on have very cramped workshops. The facilities for the library and so on were very very cramped. We were assured that not only will the new design be beautiful but it will also be utilitarian. It will allow for a development that will I am sure not only increase the pride of New Zealanders in that war memorial but also increase the number of tourists who will go through it as well as increase its educational facilities for young people. 
All in all it was a pleasure to work on this bill. I thank the committee and all those involved with the bill—Pansy Wong Judith Collins Steve Chadwick and David Cunliffe—for the work they put in. I also particularly thank the officials and the Auckland Museum Trust Board for hosting us so ably and for conveying to us their enthusiasm for the project. I am sure with such people behind it and with the Minister behind it with such enthusiasm it can only be a success.