Bennett David: National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Bennett David: National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 28 August 2012. Volume:683;Page:4812. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
DAVID BENNETT (National—Hamilton East) 
: 
 It gives me great pleasure to speak in regard to the National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Bill. First of all I would like to thank the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage for his introduction to this bill. I would like to make special mention of the Labour Party and thank its members for the way they have spoken on this bill and for the work that they have done in the past and also for the agreement from them to help in the select committee stage as we go through this somewhat truncated process. I would like to draw special attention to the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee members from the Labour Party who are very helpful and can work well with all parties to achieve the right things for this country. I think it is important for us to note that this is a bipartisan approach. 
It is very disappointing however to hear from the Green Party which has now left the Chamber that it does not support this bill. 
Holly Walker 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I believe it is inappropriate for the member to refer to the absence of another member from the Chamber. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Actually the member is right. If he did do that then he should not. But I never heard him say that. The member is saying he did not do it? 
DAVID BENNETT 
: I said the Green Party not the member. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think the member did breach the convention but just for Holly Walker it is a convention rather than a Standing Order I think. The problem is that when one draws attention to it all a member does is actually emphasise the fact of what has happened and that is generally not a good thing. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: Can I just say that members should look at Speaker’s ruling 24/4. It is inappropriate to refer to the absence of members from the Chamber because each and every one of us at one stage or another needs to leave the Chamber. 
DAVID BENNETT 
: But I think it is sad that the Green Party will not support this bill. When it talks about the Resource Management Act and a road being 5 years old and that in times of austerity you do not want to take the road up and do anything that is just rubbish to be honest. This is something that many Parliaments have worked on over many years. It is something that is in the best interests of us as a country to think of the culture and heritage of our country. It is about paying tribute to those people who have made sacrifices for the freedoms we enjoy here in this room today. It is about having some pride in our history and doing the right thing. Maybe this will be a lesson for the Green Party should it ever be close to getting into Government that it may need to do the right thing when it is in Government and not what it thinks necessarily is in its best interests. 
Hon Christopher Finlayson 
: If David. 
DAVID BENNETT 
: That is a big if as the Minister says. It is very sad that in this House those members have not agreed to this bill today. But they did ask one question and that is why you want to do it. There is a reason and that is to get it finished by 2015 and that is what this bill is enabling the Government to do. It is to make sure that the effort that has gone in in past years is completed so that we have it ready in time for April 2015. That is a very important date on our political calendar and also on our country’s calendar. 
Hon Christopher Finlayson 
: Annette could be mayor when it’s opened. 
DAVID BENNETT 
: Yes we may have Annette as mayor when it opens we are hearing. This bill grants the necessary authorisations and property rights and works with the different departments to achieve this purpose. We look forward to Annette being there as the mayor. That should be an interesting process if that comes to fruition as well. 
This bill represents an important part of our culture and our history. The symbolism of memorial parks is very valid and important. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. It is a place where you have large art and cultural meaning for this country. It is a place where Parliament is based. It is also fitting that we have a memorial of this stature and calibre to represent the immense sacrifices and the pride that we take in our country’s past and also in our ability to go forward together. I would like to recommend this bill to the House. I would like to thank the Minister and also the Labour Party for their support. We look forward to other parties in this House supporting it as it goes through. Thank you.