Utikere TangiClauses 1 to 6 and the ScheduleTANGI UTIKERE (Labour—Palmerston North): Kia orana Mr Chair. Thank you. It's a pleasure to rise as the sponsor of this local bill the Palmerston North Reserves Empowering Amendment Bill where the Palmerston North City Council is the promoter. I intend to make some comments for the benefit of the committee and to place on record and then obviously very happy to take any questions. I have had an opportunity to look at contributions from members as part of the second reading on this local bill; noting however that the Environment Committee did report to the House with a recommendation that the bill be passed in its current form with no amendments. This is a discrete piece of land in Palmerston North. It's located adjacent to and nearby a number of other recreational reserves within the city. Actually I know that many colleagues who had the benefit of attending Palmerston North for the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) conference in the last couple of weeks became quite familiar with it passing that particular space while they spent some time in the city.I want to just refer back to some of the historical components of the land because there are quite a number of Acts that touch on this piece of land. The Huia Street Reserve land as it is colloquially known is currently subject to three Acts: the Wellington Reserves Act of 1876 and the amendment Act of 1877 which applies to a 138-hectare area set aside in 1876 to be held in trust by the council for use as a public park recreation ground and botanical gardens. The Huia Street Reserve is part of that original parcel of 138 hectares and the original trust requirement still sits and stands with that piece of land. The Palmerston North Reserves Act of 1922 also applies to this land and it is this Act under which the land is currently held.Now the Council does currently have the power to build houses on the land if it chooses to but it does not have the power to sell the land once the houses have been built. So it's a situation where the council might invest some capital proceeds or an injection of capital resource but they don't have an ability to actually sell the land that the houses would be built on. Also the Reserves Act 1977 also applies to this piece as well. What this bill seeks to do is to remove the Huia Street land from under those three Acts and place it under the Palmerston North Reserves Empowering Act of 1966. Of specific relevance is that Act as it will enable the council if it chooses to to potentially do something with the land with some freedom as well subject to a consultation process of course. The select committee—and it's in the Hansard for members around the House—went through quite a detailed process a fulsome process and in their report they specifically note that they were satisfied that due process had been followed and that was confirmed in their contribution.I just want to touch on two members' contributions as part of the second reading because this is the first opportunity to do so. The Hon Eugenie Sage touched on the need for decision-making principles to be considered as part of the next steps and that many of the issues that were raised by submitters would none the less be subject to the normal public notification process where there's a time and place notified 14 days' notice and the like. The Environment Committee didn't delve into whether it was the right thing or the wrong thing to sell or develop the land but rather whether it was appropriate that the council had the ability to go through a consultation process to do so. The other contribution was from Harete Hipango who raised the possibility of whether the land should be gifted instead. Now that still would be a matter for the council to determine because Rangitāne as you know has mana whenua status in relation to this particular land.The Environment Committee did spend some time and went into some detail looking at the specific relationship that Rangitāne has with the land but also with the Palmerston North City Council. The committee received specific advice that effectively confirms Rangitāne o Manawatū settled with the Crown in 2016 and that the Crown was not currently in any active negotiations with any other iwi groups with interests around the city. So there were no current Treaty settlement obligations in relation to this piece of land. However if there were an opportunity for future settlements with any claimants who might assert that their rohe included the Huia Street Reserve that would be a matter for the Crown to deal with in terms of other resources. So the relationship with Rangitāne is very strong. It's a positive one. It's one based on partnership and I know that the member for Rangitīkei has noticed that—and no doubt those who were attending the LGNZ conference in the last couple of weeks in Palmerston North would have seen the strong relationship between Rangitāne and also the Palmerston North City Council.