Kaye Nikki: Mount Maunganui Borough Reclamation and Empowering Act Repeal Bill — Third Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Kaye Nikki: Mount Maunganui Borough Reclamation and Empowering Act Repeal Bill — Third Reading 
[Sitting date: 07 November 2012. Volume:685;Page:6383. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
NIKKI KAYE (National—Auckland Central) 
: 
 I am very pleased to be speaking on this piece of legislation the Mount Maunganui Borough Reclamation and Empowering Act Repeal Bill in the third reading. Can I acknowledge Te Ururoa Flavell Maori Party MP for Waiariki. Can I also acknowledge Nicky Wagner the chair of the Local Government and Environment Committee. 
As has already been mentioned by my colleague the Hon Nick Smith I think this House should pay tribute when a local member comes to this Parliament with a bill because often there has been a huge amount of work which we do not see behind the scenes to liaise with groups—in this particular instance obviously local iwi. We have heard right throughout the select committee process but also in the advice from the Department of Internal Affairs on a submission by Nga Potiki that although for some members this might seem a tidying-up of the statute book for other members in the community for iwi there is actually quite a bit in this bill that is of cultural significance. 
I want to briefly touch on how much I understand particularly when it comes to the importance to water as being of cultural significance. Obviously we are dealing with waste water but as a member responsible for a large part of the Hauraki Gulf I know the issues that often come up both in terms of the community but also with local iwi around recognising that cultural significance of some of our conservation areas particularly when it comes to water. 
So as has already been mentioned it is fairly straightforward. The select committee recommended that we repeal the Act but that we also insert a new clause 5 which is a sunset clause. We know the history. The Act transferred part of the seabed of the Tauranga Harbour to the Mount Maunganui Borough Council. We know that the area authorised to be transferred under the Act was 73.5 hectares but actually the council reclaimed approximately only 23.5 hectares. 
I again have gone back through my research and I think Nga Potiki summed it up with the reasons that my colleague Jacqui Dean mentioned in terms of supporting this bill. I think firstly the Tauranga City Council has no intention to further reclaim the land. Secondly the repeal of this Act will provide in the term that is used in the Nga Potiki submission vindication for some of the members of the community who did protest against the original Act. And then the third thing is around that cultural significance and the healing of the wounds of past conflicts between Nga Potiki and the Tauranga City Council. 
Again as well I would just mention that on this side of the House in terms of local government we have a view that if we want to have good harmonious relationships between central government and local government then there does need to be a greater focus on shared infrastructure and also in terms of reducing debt so that there are better relationships in the community in general. 
Just coming back to the bill—I think it has been a really collaborative process on the Local Government and Environment Committee. I think the chair has done an outstanding job. I think the local member has done a huge amount of work behind the scenes in terms of the research—and we have seen it through the Department of Internal Affairs and its work on this bill. I commend this bill to the House because I think not only does the Tauranga City Council have no intention to reclaim the land but actually there is a cultural significance to passing this legislation in the House. So I just end my speech by saying that I acknowledge Nga Potiki I acknowledge the Tauranga City Council and I acknowledge the select committee for its work on this bill. I commend this bill to the House. Thank you. 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson) 
: I call the—is the member calling? I call the honourable member Catherine Delahunty. I understand that this is a split call so the member will get a bell with 1 minute to go.