Coleman Jonathan: Auckland Domain (Auckland Tennis) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Coleman Jonathan: Auckland Domain (Auckland Tennis) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:643;Page:13316] 
Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (National—Northcote) 
: 
 I doubt whether the member in charge of this bill is going to learn any lessons quite frankly. When one looks at what Mark Gosche said about National’s approach to Auckland issues I just remind him that we still have an Auckland issues spokesman. Labour thinks so little of what is going on— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Who is it? 
Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: Mr Mallard should settle down. That is not good for him. He should stay calm. Labour thinks so little of what is happening in Auckland that it has actually done away with the portfolio. Judith Tizard thinks so little of her obligations to Auckland Central and the people of Auckland that she has not even remained to listen to the rest of the speeches in this debate. The fact is that Labour cannot— 
The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Ann Hartley) 
: No the member knows he cannot do that. 
Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: Labour cannot deliver on the infrastructure needs of Auckland. We heard before about Labour’s failure to deliver Trevor Mallard’s waterfront stadium. Well members might remember that he was the Minister for Sport and Recreation when we lost the rights to co-host the 2003 Rugby World Cup. I can tell members now that we heard about the North Shore of Auckland—and I am very proud to represent the people of Northcote; we are all blue north of the bridge now—and the one thing we do need is a second major harbour crossing. I can tell members now that that mob over there cannot deliver it. Those members are all looking away and they know they cannot deliver it. Why can they not deliver it? Because they will not use public-private partnerships. They are so critical. They are back in the 20th or the 19th century because they see the Government as being the answer to everything. But now we have this Auckland Domain (Auckland Tennis) Amendment Bill and it is a good example of private money being used to deliver a great facility for Auckland and for New Zealanders. 
We have heard a lot about Stanley Street and it has been a great facility over the years—there is no question about that. We have had many great players there. Björn Borg won the Benson and Hedges Open there in 1973 Nadal was there 4 years ago and a lot of people have started their careers off there. As Wayne Mapp said it is a real chance for New Zealand every year to get some truly international events and it is great for tennis people—there is no question about that. 
But there is a much wider spin-off. It brings a lot of people into Auckland from overseas and those people spend money visit the rest of our country and see everything we have to offer here. The tennis tournaments are also shown live around the world; one would not believe it but that little stadium holds about 3000 people. Those matches are shown on international television and seen by millions worldwide on satellite TV. So it is a great opportunity for New Zealand. But we cannot rest on our laurels. There is no question about that because the Chinese will eat our lunch on this stuff. They will take this tournament. The Middle Eastern people— 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Did the member smoke cigars there too? 
Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: Trevor is at it again. His therapist will be saying that this is not good and that he has to calm down. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: Oh settle settle! 
Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: That member can deal it out but he cannot take it. Two weeks ago this happened and he is back at it again. But I tell members that if we do not secure these international rights they will be taken off us—there is no question about that. The Yock Stand and the Redwood Stand have all done great service to New Zealand Tennis but it was time they were knocked down and we had a true international class facility delivered there because the benefits are going to be fantastic. 
I can tell members this: if the Minister who is no longer the Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues were in charge of delivering the stadium it would not happen. Trevor Mallard was going to deliver the Auckland waterfront stadium and it will not happen. Do members know what he said? When he could not deliver that he said: “Aucklanders are ignorant and lack vision.” I tell Mr Mallard that in that one statement he lost a heck of a lot of votes for his party in Auckland. North of the bridge we are all blue now and we will see great big swathes of blue across central Auckland— 
Dr Wayne Mapp 
: And Auckland Central. 
Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: —including the Auckland Central electorate which the sponsor of this bill actually represents. Those four Labour members sitting there know it. They have got their heads down. Mark Burton over there is on the way out as well. He is going to lose his seat of Taupo because people have had enough of this Government. It cannot deliver. You can see the way he is reacting; it has hit a raw nerve. 
Hon Mark Burton 
: You come and take it off me. 
Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: I tell the member that if I had not won my seat I would go down and take that seat off him any day of the week. At the next election we could put a lamb with a blue ribbon there and we would take the seat off that member because he is finished. He is out of here. He made a mess of the justice portfolio and he will be going out with the rest of his cronies. There are a number of them here too whom the public would like to see the end of as well. 
But getting back to the Auckland Domain (Auckland Tennis) Amendment Bill as we have said this bill will deliver a world-class facility. It will be a great benefit to Auckland tennis— 
Hon Mark Burton 
: You come and take me on. 
Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN 
: Oh the member is still going on about losing his Taupo seat. This will be a great facility for New Zealand it will have a wider economic benefit and it will make a great difference—there is no question about that. So we have to make sure that we support this bill. It is not often that we get cross-party support but everyone supports this. The Green Party supports it. Some valid concerns were raised by Te Ururoa Flavell and I think some of the points he raised about the lack of consultation were very valid and I think Mr Gosche actually raised those points as well and so did the Green Party. There were some legal aspects to do with the change in the lease that really should have been more clearly explained and I think maybe if Auckland City had done that it would have allayed a few concerns and issues. 
But we have a great season of tennis coming up. We have to watch that these tournaments are not taken by the Australians or anyone else around the world but to make sure that we do that it is important that this bill goes through and we get the facility for Auckland and New Zealand that New Zealand tennis deserves. So National will be supporting this bill. 
Bill read a first time.  
Bill referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee.