Simpson Scott: Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSimpson Scott: Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 03 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4277. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel): As the first non-Cantabrian to speak in this third reading debate and as chairman of the Local Government and Environment Committee it actually gives me enormous pleasure to support my colleague the Hon Nicky Wagner the MP for Christchurch Central who has been sponsoring this bill through the House. This is a very good and momentous piece of legislation and it is a good and momentous day for Canterbury and for the Arts Centre of Christchurch. Seldom in this House do we get unanimity and I am hopeful that we will get it today on this piece of legislation.It is an opportunity for this House to actually put in place a piece of legislation that will provide for a modernised governance structure for the Arts Centre of Christchurch one that will help it cope with the massive rebuild that is under way at present and also one that will set it up for the future for years to come for the children grandchildren and great-grandchildren yet to be born of Canterbury to enjoy and learn to love the Arts Centre as much as Cantabrians clearly and obviously do already.As other speakers have already indicated I want to also acknowledge the leadership and contribution of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board chair Jen Crawford and chief executive officer André Lovatt who came and presented to the select committee when it met in Christchurch. We took the trouble as the sponsor indicated to travel to Christchurch to have a look at the site to have a look at the restoration and to have a look at the work that is being done with such care and skill by the many able craftspeople who are using skills that probably have not been used on a building site in this country for many many years. These are craftspeople from around the world who are bringing their stonemasonry skills to the Arts Centre for what is believed to be the largest heritage restoration project of its type in the world currently under way.As a non-Cantabrian there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that there is a very special place in the hearts and minds of all Canterbury people for their Arts Centre. It is a place that holds fond memories for many Cantabrians. As this bill has been making its progress through the House we have heard some of those stories.The purpose of this bill is actually quite simple: it is to enshrine the trust’s objects into statute to ensure that the Arts Centre continues as a cultural centre for the people of Christchurch and Canterbury and for people from other parts of New Zealand and indeed international visitors as well who care to visit the site. The bill consolidates the terms of the trust’s structure and it modernises the governance arrangements. Both the consolidation and the modernisation are required for the trust to adapt to its changed circumstances which are largely as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes.Modern governance best practice calls for the establishment of skills-based boards. This piece of legislation seeks to put in place a board that will be able to draw from the broader wider community skills that will assist with the restoration project as it continues over the next 7 years or so and that will indeed set the governance trust up for the future. It will mean that there is a strong set of skills on the board during the major phase of the restoration that is currently under way. A truly skills-based board will create an enduring governance structure for the future and it is the future that I think is most important even though this is a very significant heritage project. The current deed that the trust is operating under does not actually provide sufficient certainty or robustness to protect the site as most of us would want it to be protected. If the trust was ever to be wound up the current trust deed does not provide sufficient robustness to ensure that safe hands would be able to manage and secure the future of this nationally important heritage site. This bill actually fixes that process.I want to spend just a minute talking as others have done about the history of the site. It is true to say it is not just one building; it is an amalgam of a number of buildings built over a number of years some dating back more than 100 years of which there are 24 buildings in total. All but one—23 of the 24 buildings—were damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes. It was very fortunate that the trust had the good sense and wisdom to be well insured. This has meant the $290 million restoration project can be funded adequately and appropriately. I think that is going to be enormously important for the future of the site. The site was of course originally occupied by the University of Canterbury plus it was the site of two of Christchurch’s original secondary schools. It is an absolute cultural icon for Canterbury and its people housing these days—or in fact before the earthquakes—a variety of arts-focused facilities not the least of which was the regular market. The current Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board was established way back in 1978—over 40 years ago. It is fair to say a lot has changed in the 40 years subsequent not only on the site but also in terms of what is now considered to be best governance practice for trusts of this sort.The earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 resulted in very significant damage to the site. We were able to see that firsthand during our visit. We were also able to see that bizarrely as a result of the earthquakes some quite unique original work has been rediscovered because some of the fascia work done in the period between the original construction of the stone buildings through to modern times had actually covered up some of the really intricate and lovely beautiful fretwork and other stonework over the years.Tim Macindoe: Is it now on display?SCOTT SIMPSON: It is now on display Mr Whip and it is good to see it. I commend to people who want to visit Christchurch that it would be a good thing to do.Paul Foster-Bell: “Professor Whip”.SCOTT SIMPSON: He is “Professor Whip” to most of us. “Sir Whip” sometimes—“Mr Whippy”. He is a very fine and highly regarded member of this team.It is $290 million that is being spent on this site and it is a 7-year project. I am delighted to hear from Nicky Wagner that there is a likelihood that the project will be concluded earlier than the 7 years and that it will likely come in under budget as well. A revitalised Christchurch Arts Centre is actually symbolic and goes to the heart of the whole Christchurch rebuild. For many Cantabrians it is a visible tangible sign and manifestation of what the future holds for a new rebuilt Christchurch while at the same time protecting the heritage and the history of a site that is so important to so many people. This legislation provides an opportunity for much greater certainty around the intentions of the trust and for the preservation of the architecture and heritage values of the site. The rebuilt centre will in my view be an outstanding icon of Canterbury and indeed of national significance.One of the things the bill does is codify the charitable objects of the trust into statute. What that means is that a couple of things have been achieved. One of them is that the objects of the trust have been separated from the powers of the trust. That separation—dealing with the trust’s powers—means that if there is ever to be any future change it will require a further passing of legislation in this Parliament. I think that kind of protection is very useful and very powerful. The new governance structure follows a comprehensive review that was initiated by the trust itself. That review included the commissioning of an independent report by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. It also involved as part of that process a very extensive consultation with key stakeholders. So this has been a very good process all round.In my concluding comments I want to again just thank the leadership team—the chair and the chief executive—for their guidance and steady hand through this process. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the result of this legislation will provide an enduring governance structure for the trust and for the people of Canterbury and indeed of New Zealand. I have great pleasure in commending it to the House.