Robertson Grant: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeRobertson Grant: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 08 May 2014. Volume:698;Page:17710. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central): Just a brief contribution because as the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage and Maryan Street have both noted this part does do something quite significant in terms of disestablishing formally the branch committees of the Historic Places Trust. I think it is worth placing on the record of the House the appreciation certainly from the Labour Party of the hard work of many many people over many many years to support the heritage of their own community.Although I actually agree with what the Minister has said about the changing nature of Heritage New Zealand—it is a Crown entity and the branch structure is actually no longer really appropriate for that—I do not think we should let the moment pass without acknowledging that around New Zealand there are monuments buildings and places that are protected today only because of the work of individual people who were part of those committees. I know that in 2010 when this proposal had been put up as I went around the country talking to groups there was a lot of variety of opinion. There were those who felt that the committees had had their day and really were not achieving much at all. Numbers had dwindled in a number of places. So they really were not achieving much at all and they were not too concerned.Then there were others and I am thinking here particularly of Dunedin where it was a very strong group that had had systematically gone around the city of Dunedin protecting the buildings. For any members of the House who visit Dunedin it is one of the things you notice instantly as you move around the city—the way in which the city has protected its heritage. LoisGaler and people like that were part of making sure that Dunedin retained what it was as a city. I know that in Dunedin and in other places—and Taranaki is an example—new bodies have been formed that are taking on these roles. And Mr Henare is himself heritage and so he understands.Hon Tau Henare: Soon will be.GRANT ROBERTSON: That is why he is nodding so enthusiastically because he understands the importance of preserving our heritage.Phil Twyford: It’s a good thing you didn’t say his history.GRANT ROBERTSON: No. And so it is important that we acknowledge the contribution of those around the country who have done that and those who want to continue and I think that that is the second message I would give briefly here on this point. There is still a place for people in local communities to play their part in protecting their heritage. It is no longer a committee of the Historic Places Trust but in different parts of the country organisations have been formed as the Minister said to be advocates. They are not resourced any more—let us just make that absolutely clear—but they are there in place and still able to do that and I would urge people who believe in the importance of preserving and protecting our heritage to get involved in those organisations.I just wanted to take an opportunity on behalf of the Labour Party to formally record our thanks to the generations of people who have been part of the local committees of the Historic Places Trust. What those people have done has meant that heritage has been protected and we should all be very very grateful for that.