Muller Todd: Riccarton Racecourse Development Enabling Bill Riccarton Racecourse Bill — First ReadingsText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeMuller Todd: Riccarton Racecourse Development Enabling Bill Riccarton Racecourse Bill — First Readings[Sitting date: 22 October 2015. Volume:709;Page:7545. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]TODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty): I rise to take a short call on the Riccarton Racecourse Development Enabling Bill and the Riccarton Racecourse Bill. It is great to be able to speak to these two companion bills this afternoon. And what an afternoon we have had an afternoon of Canterbury rejuvenation and recovery and it has been great to hear the discussions from both sides of the House about the economic recovery that is occurring down in Canterbury the rebuilding that is occurring at pace and what that means for the people of Canterbury. It was a huge list of economic activity. We heard a lot about the positive attitude that is emanating from the region of Canterbury and it deserves to be celebrated.Before we acknowledge somebody else shortly I would like to acknowledge Gerry Brownlee because these bills are part of his vision for the future of Canterbury. I see him very much as a statesman of the South Island and he should be seen as such—a man of huge vision a man who understands that enabling frameworks are critical for the success of a view of the future to come to pass. He understands the value of that the value of talented people goodwill and he has an inexhaustible energy for working for the people of Canterbury.And it is in that context that these two bills are to be discussed. We have heard already today how they fit with part of our vision for delivering more housing for the people of Canterbury and working in an effective way to get a solution that works not only from a Government perspective but also from the organisations in Canterbury—in this case the critical organisation of Ngāi Tahu of course and the Canterbury Jockey Club working together to get a sensible outcome for the land that is on the table for development.We do need more housing in Canterbury. We have a fantastic track record as a Government in terms of responding to the challenges that befell that community a number of years ago—4400 homes built in 2014 three times more than the long-term average and of course up 73 percent on the previous year. But it needs to be done because 13000 homes were destroyed in those two earthquakes. It is a long and focused campaign to be able to get those rebuilt and this bill is part of our ongoing strategy in that regard.So the specific purpose of the Riccarton Racecourse Development Enabling Bill and the Riccarton Racecourse Bill companion bills—together they will provide the necessary authorisations to enable close to 40 hectares of the 123 hectare Riccarton Racecourse Reserve in Christchurch to be developed for housing. It has huge interest in the communities around Riccarton. Based on the numbers here this afternoon it has huge interest in the House in Parliament as well! These bills will revoke the reserve status of the land at Riccarton Racecourse and enable the residential development to take place on the site. But from what we have heard already from the two or three speakers who have spoken to these joint bills it still enables the amenity value of the Riccarton Racecourse to be maintained and arguably enhanced because wrapped around that racecourse will be modern new housing at both ends of the spectrum including a third set aside for housing at a lower end which is good.It is very important when you look at the array of messages that you could impart on a bill such as this to know exactly the one that you want to draw out but the one that I do want to highlight just to conclude is that I am delighted that we have acknowledged here the right of first refusal and first option for Ngāi Tahu. I think that working in development with the Canterbury Jockey Club they will come up with a vision that will work for the people of Canterbury. They know how to build houses for the people of Canterbury. I have been to Wigram. I have seen that vision and it just reinforces that it is not only Housing New Zealand that has a view of how houses can be built; there are others out there from the community who know how to build for the people and build for the people in a way that will endure over time. I am sure that that vision will deliver something fantastic for Canterbury. I commend this bill to the House.Debate interrupted.