Hayes Joanne: Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHayes Joanne: Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 22 October 2015. Volume:709;Page:7532. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JOANNE HAYES (National): I stand to take a call on the Greater Christchurch Regeneration Bill. My contribution is going to feature the regeneration of New Brighton. I was not born or raised in New Brighton; I arrived last year. I stood at the top of the mall at New Brighton and I looked down on a very dismal day and any people who visited New Brighton on that day would have thought: “Oh dear! Things are going not too good here.” But I saw a New Brighton mall that had potential—potential for vibrancy potential for growth and most important I saw potential for regeneration. That is why I am very pleased indeed to stand and speak up for the people of New Brighton for New Brighton and the transition to regeneration plan released this month.I want to thank Mr Brownlee for the work that he has done for the Christchurch earthquake recovery and now through the Christchurch transition to regeneration. I want to thank him because he has done a marvellous job in a very difficult situation. He has come down back to his hometown and he has given all his time and his energy to rebuilding Christchurch and to ensuring that it is restored to an even better Christchurch—a world-renowned Christchurch that is much better than its former glory. In the brief time that I have been privileged to serve as a Christchurch list MP I have continued and I am determined to immerse myself into this community to give it a voice. In these hallowed halls of Parliament and Government very rarely do we hear “New Brighton” or “Christchurch East”.To date I have met with thousands of constituents within the Christchurch East electorate with many businesses and with many community groups. Over 92 community groups I have met with and all of them—all of them—have told me about their concerns about the regeneration of New Brighton. What are we going to do? What are we doing to do with New Brighton? So therefore the transition to regeneration plan is a very great start to where we are heading off for the New Brighton area.I have met with the New Brighton Business and Landowners Association manager Mr Paul Zaanen and just recently his contract finished. But this man continues—continues—in his work in his drive to make sure that New Brighton is regenerated back into a better and a more prosperous area. Although the funding is not there for him he continues and some of the business owners are helping to support him along the way. I want to see this man Mr Paul Zaanen take a key role in the regeneration of New Brighton under the new urban development authority because he has a lot to give. He has done a lot of work and I believe that through his careful leadership he will be able to help with the urban development authority.The transition to regeneration transition recovery plan is not just a good thing for New Brighton; it is a great thing for New Brighton. It covers areas from Pages Road bridge down Hawke Street Keyes Road Rawhiti Avenue Marine Parade south to Mountbatten Street to Union Street and north back up to Pages Road bridge. Some people can sit in here and can go: “That’s not big enough. We want it to go from Southshore all the way up to Waimairi Beach.”This is a start. It is a great start for the people of New Brighton. It is a great start for New Brighton per se. I must say that when they do say that to me I say to them “Let’s start with small bits and let’s start to grow it from there.” because I believe that once the New Brighton business district has been regenerated it is going to build the economy and everything else will flow on from that. That is the way business development works. That is how the economy and growing the economy works: a little bit can develop into a big result—and that is what regeneration is all about.The regeneration of the New Brighton area is a key investment for the Government and the city council. There is a real need for this and for this Christchurch beach suburb whose properties are worth less than those around the airport we need to reverse that trend through this regeneration so that those property prices and values will actually rise.I want to say thank you to our Minister down here. Thank you Mr Brownlee for the work that you have done. I want to thank the Canterbury councils. I want to thank the Mayor of Christchurch Lianne Dalziel for the work that she has done in working with Government to get us to this point. I want to say thank you to those in New Brighton who have kept the faith who have kept the faith and said: “New Brighton regeneration is where we’re going. We’re sticking there and we’re going to do it and if you are a list MP who is going to help us do that then kei te pai welcome.” And that is exactly what has been happening.I look forward to the implementation of this wonderful regeneration plan to see a newer New Brighton—a newer New Brighton. That is where we are going to. I am very proud to commend the bill. I look forward to the submissions to our Local Government and Environment Committee capably led by our chair here Mr Scott Simpson who will be visiting our wonderful Christchurch again to come and see the great things from start to finish as we start to move through this bill. As I said I commend this bill to the House. I look forward to the results. Thank you.