Woodhouse Michael: Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill — First Reading 
Woodhouse Michael: Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:664;Page:11938] 
MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) 
: 
 If Mr Davis had finished at the 5-minute mark that speech might have been one of the finest of the day. We may come from different ends of the political spectrum but in matters relating to the pain of loss and certain referees including Mr Barnes we have much more in common than I thought. My pain goes back to 1967 when the great man was sent from the field at Murrayfield; I was the ripe old age of about 18 months. I do not think Mr Kelleher from Ireland has entered New Zealand since. 
Members have spoken about the Rugby World Cup as being the largest event in the world in 2011. I was particularly interested in Mr Clendon’s comments in respect of whether we actually need this legislation. He said that we had “significant experience” in running events of this type—in particular rugby event. I do not think that I agree with that comment. Casting my mind back to 1987 I remember I was playing premier rugby here in Wellington for Western Suburbs when the 1987 Rugby World Cup took place. The amateur nature of rugby was very evident in the organising committee of the Rugby World Cup. I notice that we will need 7000 volunteers for the 2011 Rugby World Cup which is probably more than the amount that attended many of those games. The ceremony was a very perfunctory affair: a few speeches and a kick-off. I think it was on a Wednesday in fact and then everybody went home and did what they did. 
I think we will see a completely different event next year beyond the scope and scale of anything we have seen in the past. We are getting a little bit of an insight into it by watching the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. I think the more relevant one was the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany where in Berlin they turned the magnificent area of the plaza that led up to the Brandenburg Gate into a virtual tent city or marquee city of events and big screens so that the fans of each country could watch the events. There were probably quite a few licensed premises in that place as well. It was a terrific success. 
I also pick up on the caveat from Mr Clendon and Mr Twyford about the issues around liquor licensing and legislation. It seems to me in first reading that many of the concerns that are expressed by those members have been addressed in the Rugby World Cup 2011 (Empowering) Bill. It talks about the need to be eligible to hold an on-licence before one can even apply for a special licence. The right to object is still evident and substantially all the requirements of the Sale of Liquor Act still exist under this bill. This bill seems to turbocharge the consenting and Sale of Liquor Act licensing process at a very appropriate time. 
Mr Mallard said that we do not know what we do not know; I think only now are we starting to understand what opportunities exist to market the country to market business and to market tourism around this magnificent event. It will be necessary with places like Oamaru and Masterton to perhaps at reasonably short notice pick up on opportunities and not be arbitrarily slowed down by consenting or licensing processes albeit that they still need to be done at a reasonable and fair way within the existing constraints of the law. 
I look forward to the speedy passage of the bill. I certainly look forward to the captain of the All Blacks holding aloft the Rugby World Cup in October next year.