Tizard Judith: Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Bill — First Reading 
Tizard Judith: Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:642;Page:12053] 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Labour—Auckland Central) 
: 
 I thank all members of the House for their contributions on the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Bill. I would just like to remind the House that it is not a Government bill; it is a private bill that arose from the organisations promoting it. I would say in respect of Dr Pita Sharples that any consultation on decisions about the organisations included was indeed up to them— 
Hon Tau Henare 
: No it’s up to you. You’re the person putting the bill forward as well. 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: —and I look forward to their contributions at the select committee. Members who do not understand the nature of a private bill and the history of private bills before Commonwealth parliaments show their ignorance by their interjections. 
I say to the House that until 1992 the Auckland Regional Council funded a range of regional organisations. It funded Tourism Auckland Surf Life Saving New Zealand and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and indeed it was how the Commonwealth Games facilities were developed including the cultural festival. I particularly remember a significant amount of funding going to the waka festival which included waka ama. 
I agree with Dr Sharples that it is sad that there is no regional Maori cultural organisation that could have taken the place of the Auckland Regional Council. I understand that that was one of the reasons why the mechanism—which has been described as being somewhat cumbersome—is in place so that organisations can come under this bill’s provisions and also leave them. 
The public were asked to rate the regionality of various organisations and the final 11 organisations were a group that met a range of regional criteria. That committee was chaired by Dr Robin Congreve a major philanthropist who has contributed to a huge range of Auckland and New Zealand organisations. 
The financial outcomes of this bill are set down in it. The funding would never go above 2 percent of the ordinary rates take which would exclude water and waste-water charges. That is partial funding for the organisations alone. The bill recognises that increasingly organisations have to employ people for fund-raising and have to first raise their own salaries. That is not good use of regional organisations’ time and money. They should get on with the services they provide and all councils including Auckland City Council would contribute more than at present. 
Any new organisations coming into the funding arrangement in the future would have to be accommodated within that 2 percent cap and further this would mean about $20 a year per ratepayer in Auckland. I do not believe that that is too big a price to pay for what are often absolutely crucial organisations. Surf Life Saving New Zealand undertook over 600 rescues on Auckland beaches last year. I believe that we would all be much worse off without that organisation. 
 When the Museum of Transport and Technology Act was passed Mr Wood the present Mayor of North Shore City talked of the embarrassment of holding on to the coat-tails and purse strings of Auckland City and feeling “a bit of a heel” when he went to events hosted by Auckland City. I say to all mayors councillors and candidates that I believe it is time that Auckland City and the Auckland region stood up for the things that make it a complex challenging and rewarding place to live in. 
I am delighted that these 11 organisations have the capacity optimism and vision to bring in this legislation because it was something that Parliament used to allow regional government to do. It was also this Parliament that took the power away. It is time we put these decisions back on to Auckland and Auckland citizens are saying that it is time we got on with it. 
I thank all the members in the House including Dr Wayne Mapp and Dr Richard Worth from the National Party Brian Donnelly from New Zealand First Sue Bradford from the Greens Dr Pita Sharples from the Maori Party and of course my colleague the Hon David Cunliffe who have agreed that this bill should go to a select committee. It is my pleasure and intention on behalf of those 11 Auckland organisations—and I believe on behalf of all Aucklanders and many other New Zealanders who will look at today as an important day and the bill as an important step forward for a good society and a good community now and for the future—as soon as the first reading of this bill is passed to move that the bill be referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee. 
Bill read a first time. 
Bill referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee