Gallagher Martin: Walking Access Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Gallagher Martin: Walking Access Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 23 September 2008. Volume:650;Page:19093. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) 
: 
 I rise to speak on the Walking Access Bill. [ 
Interruption 
] I actually compliment members opposite on their contributions so a little bit of graciousness from Dr Nick Smith would not go amiss at this time of night. As this is a fairly wide-ranging debate in terms of the Committee stage I will talk a wee bit about the New Zealand Walking Access Commission in the context of this bill and its intention.  
Sandra Goudie talked a wee bit about bureaucracy but I do not think her fears will be realised. The Walking Access Commission potentially has a very important role for a bit of strategic thinking. Speakers have spoken previously on their parts of New Zealand—for example Coromandel. One of the things that I hope that the commission could do in the Waikato with the Department of Conservation and other agencies is to start developing a bit of a strategic framework of where future walkways may go. There may be long-term planning objectives.  
For example there could be great potential for a walkway from say the Pacific Ocean at the Bay of Plenty and right across to the Tasman Sea. I know that Metiria Turei would certainly agree with that as would Barbara Stewart. If we look at the links we already have with walkways in the Te Aroha mountain area we see there are a series of rail trails such as the Hauraki rail trail. There is a whole range of things. It may take 30 years but I am saying that one of the great things that the Walking Access Commission could do is to start scoping some of those long-term visions—for example Te Araroa the North Cape to Bluff walkway. Hopefully the commission will be looking at these other ideas.  
I say that because in 20 to 30 years our population may be 5 million to 6 million and the bulk of the population will live north of Lake Taupo for example. There will be increasing population pressures in that area and there has to be some strategic thinking now about the ability of people to get out of urban areas to enjoy the countryside—particularly with the development of peri-urban walkways—and to enjoy walking access. The key thing about this bill which I think is a really good thing is that it will be done by a process of negotiation. It is not just drawing a line across a map; it is actually negotiating that line across a map. It may be if we are being really lateral in our thinking—and I know that the member Sandra Goudie from Coromandel was extremely lateral in her thinking—that we would be looking at a negotiation process.  
I take the point from members opposite and from other members in this Chamber who talked about the protection of the rights and interests of property owners. It may be that one negotiates an access strip across the back part of a property. One may not pick it up immediately but one may do so further down the track subject to budgets and financial incentives. But having a caveat against the title initially means that it can be used in years to come.  
One of the issues that I have noticed in my area is that on the route from Ngaruawahia on the Turangawaewae side to Hamilton through to the eastern suburbs of Hamilton previously one could drive right down River Road from Ngaruawahia to Hamilton City and one could see the beautiful Waikato River. Over the years the views of the Waikato River from the road have being gradually obliterated by some very expensive housing. That has not been matched with adequate walking access from Ngaruawahia township through to Hamilton. Hence again strategically we could have the Walking Access Commission working with the Waikato District Council Hamilton City Council and other agencies on this issue. Frankly we are losing views bit by bit on some of the road along New Zealand’s premier river and that is a noticeable aspect. Those are the kinds of strategic things that the Walking Access Commission could also be looking at and this bill gives scope by a process of negotiation to ensure that.  
The prediction I have concerning some of those property owners as is the case in Hamilton is that technically there can be provision for a walkway but people build right up to the boundary of a river. Then when one tries to retrofit a walkway there is opposition to it.  
Part 1 agreed to.