Carter David: Christchurch City Council (Robert McDougall Gallery) Land Vesting Bill — First Reading 
Carter David: Christchurch City Council (Robert McDougall Gallery) Land Vesting Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:606;Page:3585] 
Hon DAVID CARTER (NZ National) 
: 
 In speaking to the Christchurch City Council (Robert McDougall Gallery) Land Vesting Bill I want to say at the outset that the National caucus will support this particular legislation going to the select committee—but with some serious concerns. 
As a local National Party member of Parliament I am surprised by the lack of communication that has occurred about this legislation. I think that shows either arrogance or incompetence by either the member in charge of it or the elected representatives on or the staff of the Christchurch City Council. This item came up for discussion at our caucus last Tuesday and most of us had no knowledge of this vesting bill. 
The important thing that needs to be ascertained during the select committee process is what the intentions were of that great benefactor to our city Robert McDougall. Earlier last century he left this wonderful facility to the city of Christchurch. I readily acknowledge that time has moved on and that a wonderful new facility is being established at huge cost but that still does not mean that the Christchurch City Council or anybody else should ignore what I presume were the very specific wishes of Robert McDougall. 
Mr Barnett in his address said that the Christchurch City Council is the promoter of this bill and also said that the Christchurch City Council had engaged in extensive consultation. Two National Members of Parliament live within the city of Christchurch—Gerry Brownlee and myself. Neither of us have had any approach at all from any member of staff of the Christchurch City Council. So I ask Mr Barnett to reflect on that during the select committee process because if he acknowledges that that is a process of extensive consultation then I seriously disagree with him. I say to Mr Barnett that if he is involved again in being in charge of a local bill he also should take the opportunity of making sure he consults colleagues. 
I give him an example of a bill that I was involved in in recent years. It was a similar local bill which has become the Summit Road (Canterbury) Protection Act. That bill was passed through this House with a tremendous amount of consultation. It was introduced into the House under my name but under the auspices of the Summit Road Society and on many occasions as it liaised with me I insisted that it also go and liaise with all members of Parliament in the Christchurch area. I think that is a policy we should follow. 
The Mayor of Christchurch Mr Garry Moore is without doubt a simple character and fiercely loyal to the Labour Party. Here we are talking about a facility for the display of art and I remember—I think it was last year—when the Prime Minister was on the mat for forging a piece of art. In fact a man here in Wellington—I think his name was Mr Sharpe—put his head above the parapet and laid a complaint with the police so that they would investigate whether our Prime Minister had committed an act of forgery. It was interesting that Mr Garry Moore the Mayor of Christchurch sprang to her aid but it was rather embarrassing for the mayor and for his wider extended family that the man who had laid the complaint was the mayor’s brother-in-law.  
Jill Pettis 
: Mr Moore is a chivalrous chap. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: The member can make a speech if she wants but I suggest that the Christmas party that Mr Moore then attended with his extended family was probably a frostier affair than it might well have been. 
I summarise by saying that we support the legislation going to a select committee and we will take the opportunity of examining very specifically the wishes of that great benefactor to our city Robert McDougall but I do ask that both the city council—the mayor and his councillors—and Tim Barnett the member for Christchurch Central who is in charge of the bill please take the opportunity in the future to make sure that they liaise with fellow members of Parliament in Christchurch.