Pillay Lynne: Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Bill — Third Reading 
Pillay Lynne: Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:646;Page:15288] 
LYNNE PILLAY (Labour—Waitakere) 
: 
 I move  
That the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Bill be now read a third time 
. I am honoured to have been given the privilege of ensuring the bill’s safe passage through Parliament. It has not been without its challenges. 
The bill has a long history. Over three decades ago the Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt promoted the idea to the council of the time. It fell on deaf ears—but not now. I have to acknowledge the Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt who is with us in the House today and it is a pleasure to see him here. The three councils—the Waitakere City Council the Auckland Regional Council and the Rodney District Council—have jointly promoted this bill. It has been a meeting of hearts and minds and a glowing example of councils working together. 
The amendments made to the bill have significantly refined and improved its provisions. The changes result from a thorough consideration of over 200 submissions for and against by the Local Government and Environment Committee. It was ably chaired by Steve Chadwick who has now appropriately gone on to become Minister of Conservation. I pay tribute to Steve the whole committee and the committee staff for their work on the bill. I also thank former Ministers Mark Burton and David Benson-Pope and their staff for their assistance and advice. I also acknowledge the able assistance of the Office of the Clerk—in particular Carole Hicks. 
The Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area is a nationally significant area of ecological historical and cultural importance immediately adjoining the expanding international city that metropolitan Auckland has become. The area comprises 27720 hectares about two-thirds of which is the current Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and incorporates 10000 privately owned properties with a resident population of more than 21000 people. The challenges of the encroaching city on this iconic area are enormous and unique in New Zealand. Further guidance is needed to sufficiently protect this area from the negative effects of urban growth and development. The bill serves the dual function of containing urban Auckland so that it does become more compact efficient and sustainable and of protecting the natural and cultural values of the ranges and foothills. 
But this bill is not blind protection at all costs. The heritage area will continue to be a lived in worked in and played in place; a place with its own special communities and landscapes; a place separate from but highly accessible to all urban Auckland. The needs and interests of the social and economic well-being of the local communities have been woven together with the wider national significance of the area and the need for protection. 
The heart of the heritage area is the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park. These majestically rugged hills were originally gifted to the people of Auckland as a regional park to commemorate the first century of development of their city. The bill restates the objectives for this now-expanded parkland in terms derived from the purpose provision of the National Parks Act. These and other legal provisions ensure the protection in perpetuity of the land and the values of the parkland. 
Outside the park the heritage area includes 10000 hectares of private land including I say proudly my own home. It includes many distinctive communities: the rolling landscapes of Oratia the wild west coast beaches of Piha Karekare and Bethells Beach; the Manukau Harbour heads area of Whatipu the bush areas of Titirangi and Waiatarua and the urban villages of Waitakere and Swanson. In Waitakere we have a proud history of connection to the land from tangata whenua the early orchardists the gumdiggers to our now vibrant vineyards and arts communities. The Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Bill is an expression of this connection. 
The bill operates within a framework of existing legislation particularly the Resource Management Act 1991 and the Local Government Act 2002. Amendments have been made to ensure that the provisions of the bill do not conflict with the Resource Management Act or other legislation. Some members of the National Party have mischievously promoted that the bill will add costly layers and endless restrictions to an already complex Resource Management Act and district plan. That is not the case and it was never the intent but the select committee has ensured that there is no longer confusion. 
The bill has majority support—just. I want to thank all supporting parties who shared with the people of Waitakere and New Zealand their vision of protecting this great land for generations to come. I thank Helen Clark for her leadership. I am with the westies on this; I brought support from the whole team. I give special thanks to my westie mates David Cunliffe and Chris Carter for their staunch support. Chris not only is a local MP but was the Minister of Conservation at the time. David Cunliffe laid the foundation for the bill to go through the parliamentary process. His electorate forms part of the heritage area. Beside me at all times David has advocated cajoled and got things done in true David Cunliffe style. 
Jim Anderton from the Progressive party and the Green Party have given their unconditional support. The Maori Party has worked with us. I commend its members for their constructive comments. Taito Field although he had concerns took the time to talk to the local Pacific communities and residents and put forward a constructive amendment. I thank him for that. 
Dr Morgan Williams a former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment drew much attention to the problem with his now-famous words “death by a thousand cuts”. I thank him for his inspiration. 
The mayors—Bob Harvey John Law and now Penny Webster—along with the chair of the Auckland Regional Council Mike Lee have been strong advocates for the bill throughout as have their councils and staff. Special thanks must go to Auckland regional councillors Sandra Coney Paul Walbran Christine Rose and Bill Burrill; Waitakere city councillors Penny Hulse Janet Clews Ross Clow and Judy Lawley and former city councillors Denise Yates and Greg Presland; and Rodney district councillors David Steele and Greville Walker. 
Tangata whenua support has been vital to the success of this bill. I specially thank Te Warena Taua and Saul Roberts from Te Kawerau-a-Maki and Bernadette Papa and Jane Sherard from Ngati Whatua. I also acknowledge the Te Tai Tokerau member Dover Samuels. 
I acknowledge staff from the three councils including Dr Graeme Campbell Jenny Fuller and Mark Tollemache from the Waitakere District Council; Hugh Jarvis Debbie Philp Neil Olsen and John Burns from the Auckland Regional Council; and Max Smitheram from the Rodney District Council. I acknowledge also of course Heather Ash and Emma Mosley from Simpson Grierson—the councils’ legal counsel. 
There has been overwhelming support for this bill at grassroots flax-roots and bush-roots level throughout Waitakere and the wider Auckland region through polls hui public meetings and submissions. There are many local people and organisations to thank and acknowledge in this House: the Waitakere Ranges Protection Society—of which again the Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt is a founding member—is led by John Edgar and it has campaigned for over three decades for the area’s protection; Gary Taylor and Douglas Allan from the Environmental Defence Society; Forest and Bird; and all those other Waitakere groups that are committed to keeping Waitakere beautiful. I also thank Jack Colmar from Waitakere who tirelessly gathered pledges of support for a heritage area from politicians musicians artists sportspeople and celebrities including our very own Sir Ed Hillary. Sir Ed said: “I heartily support the establishment of the Waitakere Heritage Area. It is a magnificent piece of coastline and forest and Auckland is very fortunate to have it so close. … I enthusiastically support the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area.” It is very fitting that the next of the summit walks to commemorate Sir Ed’s life is being held this weekend just as the bill is passed in the new heritage area. 
The third reading is the final leg of a long journey and we are almost at the summit. When the final vote has been taken and the bill is passed we can say: “We knocked the you-know-what off!”. I commend the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Bill to the House.