Patterson MarkMARK PATTERSON (NZ First): Thank you Madam Assistant Speaker. I too have great pleasure in rising to support the passing of the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Bill. Today we have come together as a House to enshrine this important piece of legislation to allow the reinstatement of the Christ Church Cathedral in the heart of Christchurch where one has been since 1864. I do note the extraordinary powers granted to the Minister—particularly the Orders in Council provision—and we in New Zealand First have looked at this but we are sufficiently satisfied with them being subject to judicial review—Chris Bishop: Oh Denis wouldn't have said that. MARK PATTERSON: —and having a defined scope and a time frame and a sunset clause of 15 years. We are satisfied post-Denis that all the checks and balances are in place. I would like to acknowledge that this bill had its genesis in the work done by the Hon Gerry Brownlee and the Hon Nicky Wagner. The honourable member may be saddened that she didn't get to put her name on the final legislation but her contribution is well noted and well-known. I congratulate the Hon Dr Megan Woods for having shepherded this bill through the House. Of course as the local member in Wigram and as the former Opposition spokesperson on earthquake recovery she has also played a full role. I note the contribution of the Christchurch City Council yesterday. It would have been somewhat unconscionable for this House to support this project without the council also having put their money where their mouth is and shown their support. So we welcome that as we all come together. Also I acknowledge the local notable leadership—as has already been discussed—by the past members of this House Philip Burdon and Jim Anderton who have shown wise heads when wise heads have been needed. I acknowledge the officials for their work in this truncated process. I think what we have seen is the House working at its best with a degree of purpose and solidarity around this and it was this signal that we needed to send to the people of Christchurch from this House. They have our full support and they have certainly seen that. I also think that we need to acknowledge the submitters and from what I've seen and read the very pragmatic and sound contributions that we got through that. Importantly we're also committed to funding in the form of the $10 million we have granted and the $15 million loan towards the $104 million estimated cost. There has been some resistance to this. Some of the submitters asserted that this was private property it was a religious institution and it was the responsibility of the Church. However this is a narrow view. This is not just bricks and mortar. This is not just a church. This is a significant and historic building that is intrinsically linked to the city of Christchurch and anything less than a reinstatement would not have done. I also note the tourism sector. Christchurch Airport has 8.5 million transactions or passenger arrivals every year with many of them local and international tourists. You have to have a tourism portfolio. Without the cathedral the Arts Centre and those great buildings you become a bigger version of Ashburton without the airport or the university. Tourists are looking to the great tourism paradise of Otago and Southland—to the great lakes down there—and to the emerging powerhouses of Gore and Invercargill as they come on to the tourism maps. I would also like to just salute those people that pushed back on the original decision to demolish this cathedral. It is vindication for their tenacity really. While it was messy and litigious the right decision has been arrived at and now the ball is back in the court of the local trust to finish the job that we are giving it the opportunity here to do. With the passing of this bill we facilitate the reinstatement of the Christ Church Cathedral to the heart of Cathedral Square where one belongs. Future generations of New Zealanders will thank us. On behalf of New Zealand First I commend the passing of this bill to the House.