Salesa Jenny; Utikere TangiWEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST 2022(continued on Thursday 1 September 2022)ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): Members the House is resumed for extended sitting.PALMERSTON NORTH RESERVES EMPOWERING AMENDMENT BILLThird ReadingTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): I move That the Palmerston North Reserves Empowering Amendment Bill be now read a third time. It's a pleasure to rise for the start of the third reading of this local bill. It is a small and discrete bill as members have commented previously but it relates to a discrete piece of land that is currently situated—there's no suggestion that it will move in the near future—on the corner of Park Road and Fitzherbert Avenue in Palmerston North colloquially known as the Huia Street Reserve. This bill is a local bill and those who are joining us at 9 a.m. this morning are probably thinking What is happening? Parliament is spending its time talking about Palmerston North." and what better way could the Parliament be spending its time than to regale about people's experiences and opportunities in Palmerston North? This bill is a local bill and it's one that is a rarity. It's one that is promoted by the local council and as the MP for Palmerston North it's my first local bill to go through Parliament. It is promoted by the Palmerston North City Council and as the local member I am its sponsor. In terms of the passage of this bill it was introduced in November of last year. It has gone through all stages and has landed at the third reading this morning. It's interesting to note that colleagues have taken the opportunity all around the House to talk about their experiences and their connection to the mighty Manawatū and for some even the mighty Rangitīkei as well. Some members are not quite clear whether Palmerston North sits within the Manawatū District or the Rangitīkei District but I'm sure Mr McKelvie will clear that up if he makes a contribution.Even though this bill was introduced in November last year it has been in train for quite some time—well over two years—and I recall as the former Deputy Mayor of Palmerston North prior to coming to this place that it was always on the agenda. It was always something that was discussed out in the community and so this bill will come as no surprise to the people of Palmerston North. What I would say is that this particular piece of land is not unfamiliar to the Parliament. If we look back at Hansard we see there have been parts of this land that have already been subject to the parliamentary process. Parts of the land have effectively been carved off and given to Palmerston North Girls' High School for development. But also previously one of my predecessors—the Hon Steve Maharey—had bought this bill to the Parliament but it was withdrawn because the level of support was not guaranteed by the community and by the council. I'm delighted that what the Parliament has in front of it at the bill's third reading is evidence from the community but also from the council that informed the decision-making process of the select committee that those concerns that were expressed some 15 years ago or thereabouts are no longer concerns that the select committee has. Therefore the Parliament can have some confidence I would suggest in passing this piece of legislation.I would note though that even though some of these contributions have been identified as part of the parliamentary process up to this point none the less it is important to place this on the record for the benefit of those who at some stage in the future might look back at what Parliament was doing this particular morning so they can reflect on some of the contributions that have been made. The meat in terms of this bill lies in clause 5 which is the amending of section 3 of the Palmerston North Reserves Empowering Act 1966. Clause 5 does the changeover from what was three Acts—this piece of land was subject to three Acts. It will now basically smooth the process and while the Act itself won't compel the council to sell the land it certainly gives them the option to do so if they wish to do that.I want to acknowledge the Palmerston North City Council for their diligence. There is a process that those who have shepherded a local bill through the Parliament will be familiar with. It's one that I was not familiar with prior to coming to this place. But there is an appendix to the Standing Orders that outlines a fairly prescriptive process that local authorities must go through before a local bill is introduced and that is a process that is certified by the Clerk of the House to ensure that there is compliance. So I also want to acknowledge the diligence of the Palmerston North City Council for the work they've done in preparing that.I also want to reflect on the contributions some colleagues have made about the extra effort the Palmerston North City Council had gone to. Even though the select committee was not able to undertake a site visit as such the approach of the council was second to none in the sense of providing drone footage providing an opportunity to hear commentary on what was happening around the place and I do know that some members have visited Palmerston North and passed the site since then. I want to acknowledge our mayor Grant Smith in Palmerston North and also David Murphy Desiree Harvey and Nicholas Jessen for the work they've done in preparing that.I also acknowledge my other local parliamentarians—Ian McKelvie who is the MP for Rangitīkei—and Palmerston North City Council. Part of that land—not the Huia Street Reserve—falls within his electorate as is the case for the Rt Hon Adrian Rurawhe the Speaker whose Palmerston North constituency falls within as well. I do want to briefly comment on the land itself and more specifically around the nature of the land that is adjacent or nearby. Some of the submitters have expressed a view that if the council was to develop this land for medium or high density housing as it may choose to do in the future or not then it puts at risk the opportunity to have access to green space. When we step back and have a look at the existing green portfolio near that land I can rattle off quite a list. It is adjacent to Victoria Esplanade which itself is a gem in our city and our region. There are botanical gardens the Dugald MacKenzie Rose Garden He Ara Kotahi the shared pathway that connects the Rangitīkei electorate to the Palmerston North electorate Mr McKelvie but there are other opportunities around Ongley Park Wallace Park Fitzherbert Park Manawaroa Park our riverside walkway and of course the Square and Te Marae o Hine the Courtyard of the Daughter of Peace is in very close proximity as members will be aware to this particular site.Marja Lubeck: I am now.TANGI UTIKERE: Well thank you Ms Lubeck. There have been a number of suggestions throughout this process that if the land is going to be sold why do we need an Act of Parliament to allow that. Why is the House spending time talking about this legislation? The answer to that is very clear. The legislative provision exists for us to do this but also there is no other way in which the council if it chooses to develop and sell the land can do so. There is a legislative prohibition based on the current standing of the law and so this bill will allow the council to do that. I will point out however that this still will be subject to a full council consultative process. The Parliament in passing this legislation this morning—which I'm hopeful it will do—will not necessarily guarantee that the council will go on and develop the land. When I think about the fact that we have elections in our local communities in October for Palmerston North City Council we already have two new members Debi Marshall-Lobb and Roly Fitzgerald who have been elected to the Māori ward but we also have three other councillors who are standing down including the deputy mayor Aleisha Rutherford and the chair of finance and audit Susan Baty and one other. So already in a council of 16 nearly one-third will be new. So this not predetermining a particular course of action but it is giving the empowerment or enabling the council to embark upon a process of community consultation if at some stage in the future it desires to do that. The decision-making principles that will inform that process are no different to the ones that councils are expected to abide by and fall into line with I guess with any other form of consultation and that would certainly be an expectation that I would have.In my concluding comments this morning can I just acknowledge that the work of the select committee has been fantastic. I know that they've got up close and personal with this particular bill.Angie Warren-Clark: Palmy!TANGI UTIKERE: Go Palmy. And also the fact that they have returned a report as part of this process that effectively recommends that the bill be passed with no amendments and at all stages that has been a unanimous view of members. I'm hopeful that that will continue through its passage this morning. The timing effect is that once this bill receives Royal assent it will become law the day after that so the council has some certainty around that. It has been a fulsome process and one that I have been very pleased to be a part of and I commend this bill to the House.ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Hon Jenny Salesa): The question is that the motion be agreed to."