Lees-Galloway Iain: National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Bill — In Committee 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Lees-Galloway Iain: National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Bill — In Committee 
[Sitting date: 26 September 2012. Volume:684;Page:5699. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY (Labour—Palmerston North) 
: 
 My contributions to the debate around the National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Bill I suppose have come from the perspective of veterans and what I have heard from the different veterans’ organisations about the necessity of completing the National War Memorial Park by 25 April 2015. It was instructive for me today being again at the war memorial with the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs Nathan Guy the Minister of Defence and the Prime Minister acknowledging the contribution that New Zealanders made as part of Bomber Command and particularly acknowledging those veterans who were not able to travel to the UK to participate in the commemorations over there. Again today it was acknowledged by senior RSA representatives just how important it was to them that there was now certainty that the final addition to the National War Memorial would be completed and it would be completed on time. Again it was passed on to me personally how much it was appreciated that this was being supported by multiple parties—not just by the Government but by many of the Opposition parties as well. That is what we should be focused on. 
 I suppose what I wanted to say is that having come to this debate with that perspective it is important also to acknowledge the perspective of the other people who are involved in this as well and that is of course the community who live around the National War Memorial and the wider Wellington community. In a way I suppose Wellington is a place that all New Zealanders feel we have a stake in. There are many buildings and spaces of national significance here in our capital city and I can imagine that the Wellington community must sometimes feel a little put upon that everybody feels they have a stake and an interest in what goes on in Wellington and want to have a piece of any decision made about Wellington. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: That’s not a problem Palmerston North has. 
IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY 
: Well Mr Mallard makes a disparaging comment about my home town. I actually think there are many matters of national significance that go on in Palmerston North and maybe that is something to address in another debate. 
But it is important to acknowledge the perspective of the Wellington community. I think it is helpful to know that there is widespread support from the Wellington community not only for this bill but also for the way in which it is proposed that the community will be engaged through this legislation. There is a wide range of organisations and people who will participate in the community forum. Massey University Mt Cook School the National War Memorial Advisory Council the New Zealand Historic Places Trust the Wellington City Council the Greater Wellington Regional Council the Tenths Trust and the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust are just some of the organisations that will participate in the community forum and there is an ability for the Minister to ensure that the interests of local residents and local road users are taken into account as well. That is important to ensure that that community engagement is maintained. But what we have already seen through the select committee process is that there is broad support. So it is important to acknowledge that and at this time that is really all I want to contribute. I may want to contribute more at some later point.