Gallagher Martin: Walking Access Bill — Second Reading 
Gallagher Martin: Walking Access Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:649;Page:17947] 
MARTIN GALLAGHER (Labour—Hamilton West) 
: 
 I listened with some interest to the previous speaker Jacqui Dean. She is very much like the traditional conservative. When a progressive and visionary Government introduces legislation—and I believe the Walking Access Bill will be seen as one of the great achievements of this Government and this Parliament—she runs with it eventually then tries to claim some credit and claim that it was her policy all along. Certainly I can see Peter Brown laughing at that and acknowledging that that is how conservatives run. In her heart of hearts even Jacqui Dean knows that to be true. 
I want to pay huge tribute to people such as David Parker who has been an incredible advocate for his area. He has reminded colleagues on this side of the House of the incredible heritage and gift that Central Otago as a region is to the rest of the country and of the need to ensure that in the long term for our children and grandchildren we have adequate access to the treasures of our nation. I also want to compliment Damien O’Connor an incredibly hard-working Minister who has stewarded this bill. 
I believe I should also pay tribute to Jim Sutton who did a lot of work. There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing and many submissions to the Local Government and Environment Committee. The committee chair Moana Mackey did a very good job as well. I want to be gracious and I will be gracious and acknowledge Lesley Soper. I was in Invercargill earlier this year and she was doing a very good job down there and again she was very supportive of this legislation. But let me also acknowledge Eric Roy and his work in helping us get to where we are today. 
For me as a Waikato member of Parliament this is very important legislation. I will give the House a very practical example of one of the worries I have. A few years ago if one was to turn off and take a scenic route into Hamilton from Ngaruawahia down the Turangawaewae side into Hamilton East one would have seen splendid views of the beautiful Waikato River from River Road. Now bit by bit inch by inch month by month that view is being obliterated by the building of some very expensive houses that come between us and our view of our wonderful heritage. [ 
Interruption 
] I do not understand why members opposite are interjecting at this point. I am simply trying to explain why it is critical to have an environment in which we build a series of walkways and access routes to our heritage so that our children and great-grandchildren can still enjoy the view of that beautiful precious resource and treasure our Waikato River. 
We have to ensure that this does not become like some kind of Miami-style Florida-style beachfront whereby the beaches and riverways are blocked off by the wealthy and the public cannot get access to them. I say to Opposition members that they should listen to the wise words of Eric Roy. They should not laugh as this is a very serious problem in this country. It is becoming increasingly serious. Parts of our heritage could be locked away and that is why I am delighted by the Walking Access Bill. 
I believe that this bill will go down as one of the more visionary Acts of Parliament. It will be a great achievement not just by this Government but by Parliament as a whole. It is about ensuring that New Zealanders enjoy their natural heritage and that we gift to our grandchildren the right of access around this country. The important point—and it is a good aspect of the bill—is that the bill will achieve a proper balance between the rights and aspirations of the public in terms of access to our beautiful countryside the property rights of landowners and the practical needs of farmers and other land users to carry out their business without undue hindrance. I acknowledge some very good input from Federated Farmers in the Waikato. Some very very good farmers and other people in our rural communities have shown real leadership and wonderful support with regard to this bill. 
Finally I want to express a debt of gratitude on behalf of this Parliament to people like John Acland and his team who worked around the country. I attended some of the consultation meetings that he undertook and I thank him. His legacy and that of those who worked with him will go way beyond this Parliament and indeed way beyond this generation. As I said earlier on I do not think we should underestimate the significance of this legislation in preserving the wonderful treasure that is New Zealand and the New Zealand countryside. I look forward to the Committee stage and third reading of this bill. Hopefully before this Parliament rises this bill will become the law of this country.