Dean Jacqui: Bishop Suter Art Gallery Governance Restructuring Bill — Second Reading Third Reading 
Dean Jacqui: Bishop Suter Art Gallery Governance Restructuring Bill — Second Reading Third Reading 
[Volume:648;Page:17144] 
JACQUI DEAN (National—Otago) 
: 
 I rise also in support of the Bishop Suter Art Gallery Governance Restructuring Bill. Tonight’s debate has the air about it that one has to confess whether one has visited the art gallery; alas I have not—yet. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: We might forgive you. 
JACQUI DEAN 
: Yes I am already forgiven. That is good; I can continue. The very excellent member for Nelson Dr Nick Smith has forgiven me. I am sure on the next occasion I am in Nelson it will be the very first thing I do. 
I have experience and a great love of provincial art galleries. The Forrester Gallery in my own town of Oamaru is a council-controlled organisation and is a thriving and nationally recognised and loved gallery. So I am basing my comments—ignorant as they are as I have not actually been to this gallery—on my knowledge of the Forrester Gallery; I suspect the Suter to be a similarly excellent art gallery. This local bill which I assume is enjoying the support of all the members in this House does some good things as my colleague Georgina te Heuheu has said. This restructuring bill reforms the antique legal structure of the Bishop Suter Art Gallery Trust Board. It was interesting in listening to other speeches on this bill in the House this afternoon to hear some of the history of the Suter family and their philanthropy and contribution to the visual arts in early New Zealand. 
To address the provisions in this short bill I will go to Part 2 which addresses the transfer of property rights and obligations from the old Bishop Suter Art Gallery Trust Board to the new board. Clause 5 “transfers the property rights and obligations of the old Board to the new Board and provides for the continuity of legal proceedings.” So the Bishop Suter Art Gallery can in effect carry on its business. Clause 6 “provides that the transfer of the property rights and obligations from the old Board to the new Board does not constitute or trigger certain adverse events for example a breach of contract or trust.” If we go back to the explanatory note of the bill it notes: “It is desirable that the Bishop Suter Trust and the Nelson City Council be free from certain potential claims arising out of the payment of funds to the Bishop Suter Art Gallery Trust Board by the Suter 2000 Appeal Trust in connection with the public appeal for funds for the redevelopment of the Suter Art Gallery.” So the new trust board will be unfettered if you like in its plans for the redevelopment of and reinvestment in the gallery. 
Clause 7 “provides for the transfer of employment agreements from the old Board to the new Board”—that is quite straightforward—“and for the continuity of terms and conditions of employment.” Clause 8 “provides for the dissolution of the old Board and its removal from the register of charitable trust boards.” Moving on clause 9 “provides that after the commencement of the Bill references in certain documents to the old Board are to have effect as if they were references to the new Board.” Clause 10 “provides for recording the change of name to the new Board by the Registrar-General of Land and any other person charged with keeping any records or registers.” Finally clause 11 “repeals the Bishop Suter Art Gallery Trustees Act 1896.” This is a short uncontested and well-supported local bill which will bring the Bishop Suter Art Gallery trustees and governance well into the 21st century. 
I sat on the Local Government and Environment Committee that looked at this bill during its passage through Parliament. The committee received only two submissions both in support. One was from the chair of the Bishop Suter Art Gallery Trust Board Sari Hodgson who noted that this restructuring is long overdue and will be welcomed by the board and the people of the Nelson-Tasman region. That was one of the two submissions. The second submission was on behalf of Sari Hodgson—the same but in her capacity as director of Savage and Savage Ltd chartered accountants—which noted that to the knowledge of the writer the Suter is the only public art gallery museum that is not owned by local councils. I guess the Bishop Suter Art Gallery has been feeling the disadvantages of not being associated very strongly with or owned by a local council and the submission noted that it is appropriate for it to now pass into public hands. 
On that point Dail Jones of New Zealand First asked the very valid question of what the effect would be on rates. Well that is a good question. The amount of rates is an issue that always greatly concerns members of the National Party. Those of us who are electorate MPs and have a very close association with our local communities are always very concerned about the effects of any activity by the local authority on the issue of rates. It was a valid question answered very fully by my colleague Nick Smith. 
The benefit of this measure quite apart from reforming the trust board which is appointed by the local authority and which has the support of the wider community is that it has a higher degree of accountability for any of the funds expended by the trust board. That accountability should give the members of New Zealand First some comfort that the money given to the Bishop Suter Art Gallery by the local authority will be well spent. That accountability of course will be part of the Local Government Act 2002 long-term council community plan and annual plan process. You can bet your bottom dollar that if those people on low fixed incomes whom New Zealand First mentioned feel that their money is not wisely spent and invested in the Bishop Suter Art Gallery then they will certainly take the opportunity to say so. But it is my impression that this gallery is extremely well supported not only by Nelson residents but also by the residents in the wider Tasman area. With the council-controlled organisation being the governance structure of the Bishop Suter Art Gallery it has to be of benefit that the degree of accountability and indeed comfort can be pointed out to people who question whether that money is well spent. 
It was interesting to look at the activities of the Bishop Suter Art Gallery on the Internet. I was very pleased to see that although its governance may be ancient certainly its marketing is not and that is probably to its credit. It was interesting to see on the website that the Bishop Suter Art Gallery has a number of current exhibitions—the artists have been mentioned by some of my colleagues—but I am also very interested to see that there is an ongoing programme not only of current exhibitions but also of events. I will not read them out but those events involve floor talks which I know from visiting my own gallery are fascinating. When a member of the gallery goes through and says “I particularly like this work because it does this to me and I particularly like this artist” those become very inclusive community events. 
The Bishop Suter Art Gallery also has the Friends of the Suter and although this is not my personal experience of this gallery in Nelson I am a supporter of the Forrester Gallery in Oamaru. The friends of the gallery are those community people who love the gallery who love the artworks and who keep the gallery going. Together with those people together with the new trust board appointed by the local authority and together with the support of the Nelson district council—it is not a city council; I think it is a district council— 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: City. 
JACQUI DEAN 
: —Nelson City Council; I thank the member—this wonderful part of New Zealand’s history has a bright and assured future. Thank you.