Hayes Joanne: Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill — Second ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeHayes Joanne: Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill — Second Reading[Sitting date: 01 April 2015. Volume:704;Page:2833. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]JOANNE HAYES (National): Tēnā koe e te Mana Whakawā. I am pleased to stand to speak on the second reading of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill but before I get going I just want to give some clarification. This Government is—is—concerned about the rebuild of Christchurch and $15 billion - plus is not exactly a little drop in the bucket. We are caring about what is happening with the Christchurch rebuild; it is one of our major priority areas. I just wanted to put that out there in response to what was said by a previous speaker from the Green Party. I also want to say that I moved to Christchurch East just before the by-election—it would have been about June of last year—and found my whakapapa roots there. I am one of the mokopuna of Tahu Pōtiki whose older brother is Porourangi. Porourangi is my direct ancestor through my father and Ngati Porou. I just wanted to put that there.As I move into my speech I want to thank the Hon Nicky Wagner for bringing this bill to the House. It is a very good bill and I am really pleased that it has cross-party support. The Arts Centre is one of the most significant clusters of heritage buildings in New Zealand. It is a cultural asset not only just locally but nationally and internationally as well. I know that the people of Christchurch love their Arts Centre. Maybe I was too young to go to the Dux de Lux—I do not know. I did not know much about that place but anyway from all accounts I can see that many people did enjoy what the Dux de Lux offered up. Again I am carrying on with thanking Nicky for bringing this bill to the House. I am also going to thank Scott Simpson as the chair of our Local Government and Environment Committee. I was one of the members of the Justice and Electoral Committee last year and being a new MP it was really good to be under his chairmanship. He chairs the meetings very well and collegially. The Local Government and Environment Committee is not the only one he has chaired; he has also chaired the Justice and Electoral Committee and I thank you Scott for your wise counsel and for your leadership in that select committee.As I move on to the Arts Centre as I said the Arts Centre is a historic building. As Eugenie Sage said it reflects the distinct architectural designs of Benjamin Woolfield Mountfort and it also as I said reflects the history of local education with a strong connection obviously to arts and science. Its main pupil or student was Ernest Lord Rutherford. He completed his undergraduate degree there at Canterbury College as well as most of his breakthrough research. So it has got a special place in the hearts of everybody who has used it.The Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board which is the group that governs the Arts Centre was established in December 1978 and incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act of 1957. My colleagues have already outlined the devastating 2010 and 2011 earthquakes that hit Christchurch leaving 22 of the 23 buildings in dire need of repair. That repair is going to be a 7-year and a near-on $300 million restoration programme which is currently under way. As many have heard the Local Government and Environment Committee met there a few months ago. We were privileged to go through the Arts Centre. I was unable to go there—I had worn the wrong shoes—so I will enjoy heading back to Christchurch to have a bit of a look through the building and see its progress thus far. As I said before it is the largest heritage restoration building not only here but currently in the world. It is a significant milestone for New Zealand to have that project ongoing. Not only does it provide back to the people of Christchurch their beloved Arts Centre but it also sits within the world records and because it is there it is basically a flagstone for international visitors to come and visit this wonderful centre once it is completed.I just want to talk a little bit about the trust board and some of the impacts that the earthquakes have had on it. With the impact of the earthquakes there have to be some changes or some adaptations within the trust board. Some of my colleagues have already talked about the skills-based board appointments. They have an appointments committee with which to do that. I want to acknowledge André Lovatt the chief executive officer and Jen Crawford the chair of the trust board for the work that they have been doing—and the work that lies ahead of them based on some of the clauses within this bill.I want to move to some of the new provisions some of the key changes set out in schedule 2 which looks at the constitution of the trust board with some of the key changes. Some of the areas that I want to talk about are the new provisions in clauses 1 to 4 of schedule 2. These deal with trust board membership and look at the number of board appointments. Seven to nine members can be appointed to the board. As I mentioned earlier there is an appointments committee that has been set up. Some of my colleagues have also discussed vacancies on the board which may arise from time to time. Some of the key stakeholders such as the University of Canterbury the Christchurch City Council Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga the Christchurch Civic Trust the Papatipu Rūnanga of Canterbury—which I am sure my colleague Nuk will talk a little bit more in depth about—other such local businesses and community organisations and the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage will have an interest in vacancies and in the Arts Centre as it progresses. This area of clauses 1 to 4 also talks about how vacancies will be made available. That will be done through the chief executive officer publicly advertising the vacancies in the local newspapers and various other areas.I want to talk a little bit now about the revised provisions relating to the proceedings of the trust board which is in clause 5 of schedule 2. This looks at a new requirement for the board to hold an annual public meeting where the conservation plan will be placed for input and all viewing and as amended it also talks about what the quorum will be as well about voting.We have talked a little about the revised provisions dealing with the accounts of the trust board and other areas. I just want to talk a little bit about clause 10(a) of schedule 2 which deals with the protection of board members from liability. That is really key because when you ask people to come on to boards and help to govern particular organisations especially this one—it is a very key one for the community—we want to be able to protect them and so clause 10(a) puts in the ability for board members to be protected from liability for loss to the trust.Finally clauses 10(b) and (c) look at indemnity. I am going to read this. New clause 10(b) provides that “Each board member [may] be indemnified by the trust against all actions proceedings claims damages losses demands costs (including legal costs) and expenses suffered by or incurred by that member in connection with the trust.” That is really key because when you start advertising for new board members those are some of the things that they will be looking at—especially those from a skills-based background because they are professionals. They bring in their professional backgrounds or their community links and they want to know that they are going to be safe within the board where they are representing their community.In closing we are going to pay them. Clause 11 of schedule 2 looks at providing for the remuneration of board members and it is nice to be able to give them something in recognition of the skills that they bring to their role as trust board members of the Christchurch Arts Centre. Again I am very proud to be standing and speaking on behalf of the Government supporting the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill. Kia ora.