Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill — Third ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeArts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill — Third Reading[Sitting date: 03 June 2015. Volume:706;Page:4274. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust BillThird ReadingHon NICKY WAGNER (National—Christchurch Central): It is with great pleasure and delight that I bring this Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill for its third reading. As we have heard in the House over the last few weeks—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): Order! The Minister must move the third reading—not the preamble—just move the bill’s third reading and then you can go into the substantive matter of what you want to say.Hon NICKY WAGNER: Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. I move That the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill be now read a third time. This bill is very important for Christchurch and for the Arts Centre so it is my delight to be here at its third reading.As we have heard in this House over the last few weeks the Arts Centre is beloved by the people of Christchurch and actually also by the visitors and tourists who come to our city. It is a magnificent site. It is the site of 23 neo-Gothic buildings it is something that every Christchurch person has spent time in and it is part of our everyday life. The Arts Centre has been a centre of activity full of arts events. It has a weekend market that I think most tourists visit it has craft stalls it has the Dux de Lux—and we have heard about lots of events there over past years. It also has Le Café which was also frequented by many of us often.Of course the site suffered dreadfully in the earthquakes. In fact it was damaged in both the September and February earthquakes and 23 of the 24 heritage buildings were badly damaged. The first of these buildings was built in 1876 and the rest were built over a period of time until the last one was built in 1923. They have been such an important part of our city as they were used for different purposes and so it has been enormously difficult for the people of Christchurch and also very sad for us to see them damaged.It is fortunate that the buildings were well insured. What the trust board is now facing is about a 7-year restoration and rebuild period and nearly $300 million worth of restoration. Actually the work is well under way. It is going very well. We have already seen the Registry Building on the corner of Montreal Street and Worcester Street completed and now that is tenanted. The gym has also been completed. That is now used as a performance space and people are able to go in there and enjoy that art.The grand hall is the next one to be completed. This is a magnificent building. It had a turret which has been put back up there. It also had immensely special stained glass windows which fortunately survived the earthquake and will be put back into that building. The trust board is also expecting that the work on this restoration will be finished earlier than in 7 years and so I think it is really a feather in the cap of the people working on that to see that this work is being done beautifully. It is really restoring these buildings and also it is going to be on time and on budget.This Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill is a really important element in the protection and the preservation of the Arts Centre for the future. It sets out to modernise the governance arrangements of the trust and sets out the charitable objects of that trust in legislation. This is to give greater certainty around the original intention of the trust deed and to formally recognise the heritage and cultural significance of the Arts Centre.The modernising of the governance arrangements brings the trust in line with currently accepted best practice and this is absolutely vital. It is really important that the trust board maintains a strong set of skills not only during this restoration phase but also into the future as the Arts Centre is repopulated and again becomes a central important part for the people of Christchurch and those who visit our city.I really want to commend the work of the Arts Centre board—commend it for the way it developed this bill. As we know people are very fond of the Arts Centre and they also want to have their say on the Arts Centre so there have been quite a lot of controversial debates over the years. The way that the board discussed talked to stakeholders consulted widely and explained its rationale to the people of Christchurch was very well done indeed. I would like in particular to recognise the Hon Margaret Austin who has talked about the Arts Centre I have to say to all and sundry probably for decades but she was particularly active in this area explaining what was going on and putting people’s minds at rest knowing that this was a good thing for the Arts Centre.I also want to acknowledge the work of Jen Crawford the chair of the board and André Lovatt the chief executive officer. Both of them have led this process and while they have been leading this process it was on top of managing this huge restoration but also future planning for the site. So it has been a huge job—a lot of energy a lot of effort a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of hard work by a lot of people to get it to this stage.I just want to recap on the bill. What it will do is first modernise the trust governance arrangement; second set out the objects of the trust in legislation to reflect the cultural and heritage significance of the Arts Centre; third provide legal foundations for the trust board to continue to recover from the earthquakes; fourth provide for a skills-based board appointed by an appointment committee; and fifth ensure that there is a safe pair of hands in the short term if the circumstance ever arose that the board could not perform. I think that is really important. It gives us much greater certainty than there was in the past. Finally the bill sets out in legislation the trust’s current objectives—again giving that certainty.I would like to thank the Local Government and Environment Committee for its hard work on this bill. Committee members took it very seriously. They even visited the Arts Centre and I think that was really important because it gave them an opportunity to see why it is important to the people of Christchurch. I would like to commend the work of Scott Simpson as the chair.The committee made some very helpful amendments. In particular it introduced a new subclause 5(2) for clarification which requires all income to be used to advance the charitable purposes of the trust. It also deleted clause 8 which provided for the transfer of the trust property to the Crown on an interim basis. That is what clause 8 was going to do. Instead the committee inserted clause 9 and that states that the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 applies. So that is standard right across the country and I think it is a better solution. Basically I think the work the committee did improved the bill and made it a much more certain and more acceptable bill to the public of Christchurch and actually to the board itself.I just want to make a comment about the importance of the references to the historic stone buildings. The buildings were central to the intentions of the original trust deed so it is particularly important that the stone buildings are referenced in the preamble and in clause 4 of the bill.Finally it is my great pleasure to be here at the third reading. The Arts Centre is a magnificent cultural and heritage site for New Zealand. It is beloved by the people of Christchurch and beyond by our visitors and our tourists. It is a hub of activity. It is something that we all go to for arts for crafts for the market for entertainment to the pub—something that all Christchurch people can enjoy. The passing of this bill gives it a fantastic footing for the future and it will be there for many many generations to enjoy. Thank you.Dr MEGAN WOODS (Labour—Wigram): It is my great pleasure to speak in this third reading of this bill. I think that this bill is an incredibly important and symbolic piece of legislation in terms of the recovery of Christchurch and part of that recovery needs to be our cultural recovery.I too want to pay tribute to the work of a number of people. The member who has just taken her seat the member for Christchurch Central the Hon Nicky Wagner has worked hard on this bill and I would like to commend her for that work. I would also like to pay tribute to the chairwoman of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board Jen Crawford and to the chief executive officer André Lovatt who are here for the work that they have put in and to other members of that board who have done the work. Also I pay tribute to my fellow members of the Local Government and Environment Committee one of the most productive committees in this Parliament who work very well together to find good solutions. The Minister who has just taken her seat has talked of some of the changes that we were able to achieve at that select committee which I think has led to the strengthened piece of legislation that we are now seeing here today for its final reading.I think what this bill has done besides modernising the governance arrangements and setting in place the future of our Arts Centre in Christchurch which are incredibly important is that it has given many members of this House also the opportunity to reminisce about the site of the Arts Centre through the course of its readings and what it meant to them. I think it is clear from all stages of the bill what an important cultural symbolic and emotional heart of Christchurch the Arts Centre has become since—well it was the university—it was transferred from the university to the city in 1973. I think a reading and consulting of Hansard will be a very important record of just how important this set of buildings has been.I think it is incredibly important that we do have the proper provisions to ensure that we can preserve these buildings because heritage and the heritage fabric of our city have been one of the victims of the Christchurch earthquakes. We have lost far too much of our built heritage and I think that is something that we in Christchurch all feel strongly. As of February 2015 there have been 1240 demolitions within the four avenues. That is compared with 292 building consents by the by. But 20 percent of those 1240 buildings have been heritage buildings that have been demolished. I think it is with great sadness that all Cantabrians look on at the loss of this built history of their city. It was in the aftermath of the quakes of course when the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority through section 38 of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act was given the power to demolish damaged heritage buildings without consultation. I think it is an important time to put on record while we are talking about the way in which we are going to preserve an incredibly important set of heritage buildings in Christchurch that we on this side of the House believe that the time for that has passed. We believe that we do need to return to a proper discussion about our heritage in our city.At previous readings of this bill I have spoken about the part that one of my predecessors the Rt Hon Norman Kirk the member for Sydenham—a very fine seat—played in the preservation. [Interruption] Yes the Hon Ruth Dyson is also claiming the Rt Hon Norman Kirk—quite rightly so—and the Hon Clayton Cosgrove can claim him as a Mayor of Kaiapoi as well. It was the Rt Hon Norman Kirk who had a dream about the Arts Centre buildings becoming the cultural and educational centre for Christchurch. It was he in 1973 at the university centennial convocation who made the announcement that these buildings were to be gifted to the city. When Norman Kirk made this announcement about the buildings being gifted to the city he made the point that it was about drawing together the various strands of culture in New Zealand to produce something that was uniquely New Zealand. I think these are the words that we need to hold dear to because Norman Kirk did have a very firm grasp of the importance of culture and our history in the place of the making of a modern identity in 1970s New Zealand.In 1973 that same year the Rt Hon Norman Kirk said that “Politics is the conscious projection of a country’s identity … and not something removed or remote from everyday life.” I think they are important words for me to leave the final passage of this bill on because I think the passing of this legislation and the preservation of these buildings are not something removed or remote from the everyday life of Cantabrians. Thank you.SCOTT SIMPSON (National—Coromandel): As the first non-Cantabrian to speak in this third reading debate and as chairman of the Local Government and Environment Committee it actually gives me enormous pleasure to support my colleague the Hon Nicky Wagner the MP for Christchurch Central who has been sponsoring this bill through the House. This is a very good and momentous piece of legislation and it is a good and momentous day for Canterbury and for the Arts Centre of Christchurch. Seldom in this House do we get unanimity and I am hopeful that we will get it today on this piece of legislation.It is an opportunity for this House to actually put in place a piece of legislation that will provide for a modernised governance structure for the Arts Centre of Christchurch one that will help it cope with the massive rebuild that is under way at present and also one that will set it up for the future for years to come for the children grandchildren and great-grandchildren yet to be born of Canterbury to enjoy and learn to love the Arts Centre as much as Cantabrians clearly and obviously do already.As other speakers have already indicated I want to also acknowledge the leadership and contribution of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board chair Jen Crawford and chief executive officer André Lovatt who came and presented to the select committee when it met in Christchurch. We took the trouble as the sponsor indicated to travel to Christchurch to have a look at the site to have a look at the restoration and to have a look at the work that is being done with such care and skill by the many able craftspeople who are using skills that probably have not been used on a building site in this country for many many years. These are craftspeople from around the world who are bringing their stonemasonry skills to the Arts Centre for what is believed to be the largest heritage restoration project of its type in the world currently under way.As a non-Cantabrian there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that there is a very special place in the hearts and minds of all Canterbury people for their Arts Centre. It is a place that holds fond memories for many Cantabrians. As this bill has been making its progress through the House we have heard some of those stories.The purpose of this bill is actually quite simple: it is to enshrine the trust’s objects into statute to ensure that the Arts Centre continues as a cultural centre for the people of Christchurch and Canterbury and for people from other parts of New Zealand and indeed international visitors as well who care to visit the site. The bill consolidates the terms of the trust’s structure and it modernises the governance arrangements. Both the consolidation and the modernisation are required for the trust to adapt to its changed circumstances which are largely as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes.Modern governance best practice calls for the establishment of skills-based boards. This piece of legislation seeks to put in place a board that will be able to draw from the broader wider community skills that will assist with the restoration project as it continues over the next 7 years or so and that will indeed set the governance trust up for the future. It will mean that there is a strong set of skills on the board during the major phase of the restoration that is currently under way. A truly skills-based board will create an enduring governance structure for the future and it is the future that I think is most important even though this is a very significant heritage project. The current deed that the trust is operating under does not actually provide sufficient certainty or robustness to protect the site as most of us would want it to be protected. If the trust was ever to be wound up the current trust deed does not provide sufficient robustness to ensure that safe hands would be able to manage and secure the future of this nationally important heritage site. This bill actually fixes that process.I want to spend just a minute talking as others have done about the history of the site. It is true to say it is not just one building; it is an amalgam of a number of buildings built over a number of years some dating back more than 100 years of which there are 24 buildings in total. All but one—23 of the 24 buildings—were damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes. It was very fortunate that the trust had the good sense and wisdom to be well insured. This has meant the $290 million restoration project can be funded adequately and appropriately. I think that is going to be enormously important for the future of the site. The site was of course originally occupied by the University of Canterbury plus it was the site of two of Christchurch’s original secondary schools. It is an absolute cultural icon for Canterbury and its people housing these days—or in fact before the earthquakes—a variety of arts-focused facilities not the least of which was the regular market. The current Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board was established way back in 1978—over 40 years ago. It is fair to say a lot has changed in the 40 years subsequent not only on the site but also in terms of what is now considered to be best governance practice for trusts of this sort.The earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 resulted in very significant damage to the site. We were able to see that firsthand during our visit. We were also able to see that bizarrely as a result of the earthquakes some quite unique original work has been rediscovered because some of the fascia work done in the period between the original construction of the stone buildings through to modern times had actually covered up some of the really intricate and lovely beautiful fretwork and other stonework over the years.Tim Macindoe: Is it now on display?SCOTT SIMPSON: It is now on display Mr Whip and it is good to see it. I commend to people who want to visit Christchurch that it would be a good thing to do.Paul Foster-Bell: “Professor Whip”.SCOTT SIMPSON: He is “Professor Whip” to most of us. “Sir Whip” sometimes—“Mr Whippy”. He is a very fine and highly regarded member of this team.It is $290 million that is being spent on this site and it is a 7-year project. I am delighted to hear from Nicky Wagner that there is a likelihood that the project will be concluded earlier than the 7 years and that it will likely come in under budget as well. A revitalised Christchurch Arts Centre is actually symbolic and goes to the heart of the whole Christchurch rebuild. For many Cantabrians it is a visible tangible sign and manifestation of what the future holds for a new rebuilt Christchurch while at the same time protecting the heritage and the history of a site that is so important to so many people. This legislation provides an opportunity for much greater certainty around the intentions of the trust and for the preservation of the architecture and heritage values of the site. The rebuilt centre will in my view be an outstanding icon of Canterbury and indeed of national significance.One of the things the bill does is codify the charitable objects of the trust into statute. What that means is that a couple of things have been achieved. One of them is that the objects of the trust have been separated from the powers of the trust. That separation—dealing with the trust’s powers—means that if there is ever to be any future change it will require a further passing of legislation in this Parliament. I think that kind of protection is very useful and very powerful. The new governance structure follows a comprehensive review that was initiated by the trust itself. That review included the commissioning of an independent report by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. It also involved as part of that process a very extensive consultation with key stakeholders. So this has been a very good process all round.In my concluding comments I want to again just thank the leadership team—the chair and the chief executive—for their guidance and steady hand through this process. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the result of this legislation will provide an enduring governance structure for the trust and for the people of Canterbury and indeed of New Zealand. I have great pleasure in commending it to the House.Hon RUTH DYSON (Labour—Port Hills): Can I begin my contribution in support of this bill by acknowledging the member who has just resumed his seat Scott Simpson and thank him for the manner in which he chaired the select committee that considered this bill the Local Government and Environment Committee and particularly for taking the trouble—and it is quite a lot of trouble—to pack everything up and come to Christchurch. It is a local bill but it means a lot to us Mr Simpson that you took that effort and that leadership so I acknowledge that. I want to also acknowledge the Hon Nicky Wagner member of Parliament for Christchurch Central for her role in shepherding this bill through to this stage. I guess for the National Government that this is a bit of a bright light in a sea of disasters post-Budget so it is nice to be part of the good feeling around what I think is going to be unanimous support of this legislation. That is a pretty unusual thing for this Parliament so we should celebrate that.As Scott Simpson noted in his speech it is not just Cantabrians who are proud of this beautiful collection of buildings but also people who have been part of the life of the Arts Centre in one way or another over its long life so having the opportunity which this legislation accords to ensure that the passion we all have for the Arts Centre is translated into a very robust governance structure that will ensure the continuance and protection of this building is a very good thing for us all. It is a sharp juxtaposition when we look at the loss of so many beautiful heritage and historic buildings in Canterbury over the last 4½ years many of which could have been restored could have been repaired and could have remained part of our landscape if it was the desire of the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery to offer some leadership in that area or indeed if the property owners themselves had had full insurance. Some buildings were demolished despite their having very good insurance because the owners decided it just was not worth the bother and that they would rather put their money somewhere else. I think that is a tragic lack of support for the beauty and the part in our culture and our understanding of ourselves that heritage and historic buildings play.Other buildings of course have been demolished by what I strongly consider is inappropriate use of the extraordinary powers of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and the Minister. A beautiful theatre was demolished because Manchester Street was not wide enough to meet the Minister’s desire for a new part of the city and a different landscape there and that was a big loss. But in this bill we are celebrating not a loss but a restoration and a preservation and our Parliament’s desire to make sure that the governance structure is robust and supports that.A lot has been said through the various stages of this legislation and I do not think there is much more to add. There were some parts of the bill originally that were not clear enough. I think the select committee has done an excellent job in ensuring that we are clear about the mandate of the legislation and what it covers so that the concerns of people who were registered right in the very early stages have been put to rest and I certainly hope that is the case. I think it has been a jolly good job done by the select committee and it is great to see the bill progressing in its final stage through the House.TODD MULLER (National—Bay of Plenty): I rise to spend just a few minutes here in the third reading debate obviously speaking very much in favour of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill. It is has been quite a journey actually to follow this bill through as a new backbencher. It has been of course great to be on the Local Government and Environment Committee with our chairperson and our colleagues from across the House.This is one of the first bills that were essentially put in front of us as a new committee to progress. Can I add my voice to those who have spoken already and acknowledge the Hon Nicky Wagner and the leadership she has brought to this issue. I acknowledge also our chairperson Scott Simpson. I think it is worth taking a moment to reflect—during what at times have been a pretty rancorous last few weeks particularly on one side of the House—on hearing the collegial comments mostly from the other side of the House on the approach we took as we walked our way through this bill and provided opportunities for people who are interested in this to make their submissions felt and heard. As noted—and I will talk about this shortly—we had the opportunity to visit the site.As we know this bill is all about establishing in perpetuity the purpose of the trust and giving the appropriate governance arrangements for the Christchurch community and for this world-class precinct. As we have heard the 23 buildings are made of stone—various durations as we have heard going back to 1878—and all but one building was impacted on severely by the earthquake of February 2011.One of the highlights for me as we have gone through this bill has been the opportunity to go and visit the site and see firsthand what we are trying to put in stone in a legislative context down in Christchurch. To be able to see the wide array of stonemasons working on their craft and to see the pallets of stone ready to be put into the new buildings I found quite an enjoyable experience. As Mr Simpson mentioned in his comments it was quite extraordinary seeing parts of the buildings that have had their old fascia removed and they have suddenly revealed something of even more moment standing behind. We were able to see that and know that through this tragedy there will be something that is more enduring and more powerful for the community of Christchurch and indeed the country.We saw the rooms where Lord Rutherford was a young student. An area that was an old swimming pool is now being turned into an outside promenade and even though it was a very cold summer’s day we could picture what it will look like when the community of Christchurch fully engages with the site in the next few years once the building project has been completed.What a building project this is—7 years and $300 million—and it is absolutely worth adding my voice to acknowledge those who are very close to this: Jen Crawford the chair and André Lovatt the chief executive officer. I think it is a very well-made point that not only have they had a business-as-usual requirement in their jobs but they have been able to oversee what has been declared to be the largest heritage rebuild going on in the world at the moment. That I think is a testament to them and the skills they bring to the table and the team they have around them. So they should be acknowledged for that.One of the key deliveries of this bill discussed here already is setting out the charitable objects of the trust and enshrining them in law so there is absolute clarity for the community around the purpose of the trust and what it is there for. I think the moves and the changes in respect of the governance structure are very well-thought-through and the community of Christchurch and the stakeholders of Christchurch should be acknowledged and recognised. The University of Canterbury the Christchurch City Council Heritage New Zealand the Christchurch Civic Trust and Papatipu Rūnanga are the key stakeholders that historically have had a very direct linkage into the governance of this organisation and it was a representative governance model which so often is the case in organisations like this.But it takes some courage to be able to look at the scale of the rebuild that is occurring in Christchurch in this precinct and realise that if you genuinely wish to be world class in terms of protecting and enhancing a series of buildings that are in place in that precinct then it is appropriate to have world-class best-practice governance arrangements as well. It is not easy to move from a representative model to a skills-based model particularly in a tight community such as Christchurch which has always had such direct representative governance around the Arts Centre. So they should be acknowledged. I think that is a very strong step forward and obviously a key component of this bill.I do hold the view though that once we have had the third reading and the bill becomes law there is an opportunity for those who are going to participate in this new governance structure to ensure that they take off their parochial lenses. It is very easy for communities to think that they are the sole harbinger of what is good and best practice when it comes to precincts like this. But as we have heard earlier from Megan Woods when she reflected on the comments of former Prime Minister Norman Kirk around the importance of bringing a wide strand of perspective and engagement around this precinct so too does it fit in my view that a wide strand in diverse governance skills should be brought around this board.So now there is an opportunity for those stakeholders to be able to put forward people. I would ask them to consider not necessarily putting forward people just from their own organisations or from whence they have come; they should look externally not only externally to Christchurch but externally potentially to New Zealand to ensure that the mix of skills that sits around that board are genuinely world class.Ultimately for this legislation to endure in time these phenomenal stone buildings need to engage with people and with communities and as we have noted through this process the community of Christchurch is very different from the one that built these buildings all those years ago. The community of Christchurch in the next 10 15 20 or 30 years and beyond will equally change and become more diverse.Buildings are ultimately just stone buildings however beautiful they may be if they do not have people connected with them and inside them. If they are not evocative to people then they are simply that—just stone buildings. This precinct is far more than that. It has got an incredibly evocative power for the people of Christchurch and for that to be maintained enhanced and to grow they must ensure that that precinct continues to engage in a way that is quite profound and that moves with the evolving nature of the community.The other key change that we reflected on—and that I think is a good one from a good-practice perspective–is the removal of the requirement for the Minister to be informed of vacancies. I think that was a minor change but one that I thinkwas an appropriate amendment if you are looking at it through a belt-and-braces lens which we did.Also we had quite a lot of debate about the requirement to have the conservation plan available at the annual meeting. Again I think it is a very sensible amendment to this bill and one that by the sound of it we will have cross-party support for. It ensures that those who have a strong connection with this Arts Centre precinct can have visibility at a time every year as to the vision around conservation that the board has and it will give them comfort that the institution is heading in the right direction.Can I conclude by adding finally my congratulations to the Hon Nicky Wagner. This is something that she has championed well as a local MP. She is a great MP for the people of Christchurch. That is why they have voted her back with the strength that she has and I can see why because she is a great advocate for Christchurch. She knows what is important for Christchurch and she has through her leadership facilitated a bill that is going to benefit the community of Christchurch for many decades to come. Thank you very much.EUGENIE SAGE (Green): I am pleased to take a call on the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill and to help it on its way to becoming law. I like other speakers congratulate the Hon Nicky Wagner on her work on the bill and also Scott Simpson on running a very collegial process around the Local Government and Environment Committee’s consideration of the bill. Certainly this bill is an example of how parties can cooperate. It is really disappointing that there has not been a similar cross-party agreement on one of the most important issues of our time—our climate. It is really disappointing that the Prime Minister has dismissed the Green Party’s invitation to build a broad cross-party consensus around the emissions reduction target that we take to Paris and the changes that our country needs to make to its economy to ensure just as Scott Simpson talked about present and future generations enjoying the heritage of the Arts Centre. We need to have that cross-party agreement around reducing our emissions so that we get a stable climate for future generations.The Arts Centre as others have noted is one of Christchurch’s major heritage assets. MPs at the select committee talked with submitters and each other on this bill in a very constructive way to make some changes in response to some of the issues that submitters raised. All of the parties have been able to agree on how the objects of the Arts Centretrust should be translated into the legislation and how the trust should be governed in future to ensure that it guides the management of this wonderful heritage precinct at the heart of the central city.We should also be able to do that on our climate because the issues—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): Order! This is not about climate change; this is about Christchurch—EUGENIE SAGE: Well the issues in terms of—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Lindsay Tisch): No this is a narrow debate specifically as mentioned by previous speakers and I will ask the member to come back.EUGENIE SAGE: Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. Well in terms of the bill and the heritage restoration project $290 million is being spent on that. When MPs visited the Arts Centre on our field trip a lot of us were excited about what we saw in terms of the traditional craftsmanship that was evident there with the stonemasonry work that was being undertaken the huge scale of the challenge of repairing the buildings after the earthquakes the dedication and commitment of all of the contractors staff and consultants engaged in that very ambitious project and the leadership and vision of the trust board chaired by Jen Crawford and the chief executive officer André Lovatt in ensuring that the work was happening across the complex. It is quite a complex project and I think everybody was very proud of the work that was being done there.I would also like to acknowledge the foresight of the former trust board and the former chief executive officers in ensuring that the Arts Centre was very well insured. This meant that post-earthquakes it was able to get a good settlement and had the financial wherewithal to begin the restoration work. So it has been that combination of a lot of dedication competence craftsmanship and expertise that I think is contributing to the rapid progress that the Hon Nicky Wagner alluded to in getting the project potentially completed ahead of target. We still need that same commitment on the climate but I will finish talking about the climate there.Everybody agrees that the Arts Centreis worth saving and restoring—Ron Mark: The climate of the House.EUGENIE SAGE: And so is the climate—thank you Mr Mark. In fact it is worth saving even more. The purpose of this bill in terms of setting out the objects and powers of the Arts Centre trust in legislation is updating revising and consolidating the trust’s governance arrangements and revising its winding up arrangements. Of course we hope that those provisions will never be called upon.Others have certainly canvassed the scope of the bill and I would just like to talk a wee bit about the changes to the appointment process. The original Arts Centre trust deed provided for a mix of trustees appointed by both the board and by nominating bodies. As Historic Places Canterbury noted in its submission over the years this split model had become quite a source of contention because successive boards altered the bodies that could appoint members and those changes tended to reduce the community appointees. That led to a perception that the board had become quite unresponsive to the beneficiaries of the trust—the public—and also that it did not result in the most appropriately skilled trustees being appointed. So this bill actually changes that to provide for the appointment of a skills-based trust board of no more than nine members and the board invites nominees for consideration.It was reassuring that organisations such as Historic Places Canterbury said that the appointment processstrikes a good balance between the desires of interested groups to put forward potential trustees and the need of the board to obtain trustees with a range of skills. The fact that the bill also provides for trustees to serve a term of no more than 6 years instead of the previous 9 years means that the board will be regularly refreshed. One of the other changes that the select committee made was to ensure that the conservation plan was presented at the annual meetings of the trust in the same way that the strategic plan is also required to be presented at those meetings. That helps promote accountability and engagement with stakeholders.In this final reading I would like to repeat a call that I made earlier for the Church Property Trustees who are responsible for the Christchurch Cathedral to visit the Arts Centre to see what can be achieved in terms of restoration. The Church Property Trustees in the way that they are treating the cathedral leaving it open to the elements and to continue to decay—really refusing to engage with any of the many initiatives that the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust has put forward to restore the cathedral—are really lacking in vision. The cathedral has become a huge source of contention and opposition in Christchurch because of the Church Property Trustees’ reluctance to progress its restoration.The Arts Centre in contrast shows what can be achieved with a commitment to restoration and with dedication and energy. That is particularly important because of the huge loss of heritage in Christchurch thanks to the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority’s overzealous approach to the demolition of heritage buildings. We have seen 235 significant listed heritage buildings be demolished. If anyone has visited shop 7 in Cathedral Junction they will have seen where those interested in heritage have got a roll of honour in terms of the 235 buildings that have gone showing us what we have lost. That is why the Arts Centre is so important because of what it represents in terms of Christchurch’s Mountfort buildings and the heritage of his architectural legacy and Hurst-Seager’s legacy—all of the basalt stone the limestone the Oamaru stone the woodwork in those buildings which represent huge craftsmanship and the ability to restore those. That could also happen at the cathedral but it is not.I commend this bill and the Green Party is very pleased to support it.RON MARK (NZ First): Good afternoon Mr Assistant Speaker. I rise on behalf of the New Zealand First to take this call on the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill. I am very pleased to do so. It is an interesting thing when you stand up and talk to a bill that enjoys such a high degree of support across the House—well actually unanimous support across the House. When one listens to the speeches that have been made it is sometimes a bit of a challenge to find what contribution you might make that is a little different from all the other contributions that have been made.In fact looking back over the course of the progress of this bill through the House in the time that I have been back here with the 51st Parliament I think we have all pretty much recognised the same reasons as to why this legislation needs to proceed and the importance of it. We have talked somewhat affectionately particularly those who were university students who over their time spent a little time socialising and conversing in places like Dux de Lux which is one of the places within the precinct that is affected.I am going to start by doing something a little different I guess. The reason we are able to stand and support this piece of legislation is one because the Minister Nicky Wagner has quite rightly brought it before us and brought it before the Local Government and Environment Committee in good form and two because of I think the tone and flavour of the select committee. I am very aware that this piece of legislation came in in the 50th Parliament and in that time I think there were other people on the committee—and you might have to help me out over that side. I remember coming to the House as a mayor to look at and to watch proceedings around the local government amendment bill that went through at the time.I do remember the now Minister Nicky Wagner being on that committee. I do remember Maggie Barry being on that committee. I do remember Nick Smith being on that committee. I know there are others and I apologise; I cannot remember who they all were right now. But this committee is a very good committee. It might seem a little unusual for an Opposition MP to stand up and to compliment Government MPs but this is a very good committee. It is very well chaired by Scott Simpson—and I see in the future a very strong Cabinet Minister—along with Todd Muller as the deputy chair.I think it is the way in which people manage committees—the collegiality that you enjoy—that actually helps people break through some things that might actually appear as political barriers for the sake of politics or barriers where people do not want to move across because they do not see value they do not share the view and they do not share the philosophy. So I do want to pay my respects to Scott Simpson and Matt Doocey—a good Rangiora man. He is looking after my previous home town very well and my family who live down there—Matt good on you.There is Paul Foster-Bell who enjoys something in common with me in that he has been to Oman and I am enjoying having that time with him on the committee. Julie Anne Genter is on the committee and Joanne Hayes. Joanne is a Wairarapa girl so of course we would hear a lot of common sense and good contributions out of Joanne would we not. Tu Korako—well he is whanaunga down there so likewise I always expected good sound logic good reasoning and collegiality and good performance from Tu as we have seen. There are Eugenie Sage and Su’a William Sio—people who are very experienced in local government and that is what makes bills like local government bills easy to move through at times.We are blessed in this committee with having a good number of people on the committee who have strong local government experience and can see straight to the core of legislation such as this beyond what appears on the paper. They are able to understand the background and the depth and the effect it has on the communities because they have served those communities in a local government capacity. Of course there is Dr Megan Woods who continues to impress me each time I go into that committee.So having shared some compliments across there I think we also need to recognise the former board who like Eugenie Sage from the Green Party has said did a sterling job—unlike some other people we could probably talk about in Christchurch who maybe did not insure their facilities in the same way that this trust did. It is from that platform that the board is now with the new trust able to proceed forward and do the work that has to be completed. I want to congratulate this board particularly Jen Crawford on the way in which she chairs it.I also want to reiterate the importance of the clause that deals with trust vacancies and how people are appointed. I think it has been a very good decision to change the way those appointments are made so it can focus on skill sets. I do think that the amendment adding new clause 5A which deals with conflicts of interest is absolutely essential. So often when you change the way in which a board is selected and you bring on board the governance skills and the executive skills that you need to run what is going to be a $300 million project affecting 23 category 1 heritage buildings and people like that are appointed they are appointed for a range of skill sets. Very often they have a strong business background and very often you unfortunately have to deal with the issues of perceptions where those business people are seen to have vested interests in some way or another because of their business background. They might be property developers in their private life or they might be real estate agents—I do not know—but having strong clauses around dealing with conflicts of interest is very important and I think this bill has done that.As a former mayor I want to also talk about why this bill is important and about the deeper meaning. This bill is important to New Zealand First for a number of reasons. One is through having lived in Canterbury myself for 30-odd years on and off and having family who still reside there. I went down in 1974 and one of the first things that struck me about Christchurch was that it was different to the Wairarapa—really different. It was almost English. The culture the architecture the way in which people socialised and even the way in which they spoke in some parts of Christchurch in 1974 was very English. In fact the first question I got asked when I went down there was not where I was from but what school I went to. I found that quite unique because when I said it was Tararua College people did not have a donkey’s idea as to where the hell Tararua College was. And I think that situation still exists today.But it is a very English city built on the back of those pioneers and those settlers who came in the first four ships and the idea and the notion that every cultural and every heritage building—particularly in a precinct where you have 23 category 1 buildings—would not be rebuilt and would not be restored would be devastating to the community and the people of Christchurch. It is bad enough that the cathedral is in the state that it is in and is most likely not going to be rebuilt. The other buildings that you can see—churches throughout Christchurch—that will not be rebuilt and that are going to be replaced have all taken with them something of the character of Christchurch. So it is that important. It is so good to hear that legislation like this is going through and that we will see these buildings fully restored.There is also the wider issue of community and the great thing about the Arts Centre is the way in which it provides for the culture the community of the people of Christchurch and the people who wish to visit and enjoy its precincts. That ability to socialise to display art to display culture to display those things that are so Christchurch is something that would be difficult to replicate in a modern building built to modern designs and modern specifications. Being a mayor I understand and in fact it is probably one of the reasons why I railed against the National Government’s changes to the Local Government Act 2002 when it removed the four well-beings. Having been a mayor I understand completely the importance of community and the importance of having a centre like this for a town and its people. It is a place where they can go where they can communicate and where they can display and show their arts and show everything that is positive about them and different about them.That is probably the one area where we will have conversations and discussions going forward. They will be the debates around why it is so important that the Local Government Act has to have the four well-beings reinstated in it. I actually think that this piece of legislation is in a quiet sort of way a message and an affirmation from Parliament that culture the council’s involvement and the Government’s involvement in providing cultural and social facilities and amenities is important should be supported and should be maintained. I just think maybe we should reflect on that as we get into a debate where we will take different sides in this House going forward from here. Thank you.PAUL FOSTER-BELL (National): Before I begin my contribution on the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill in this third reading debate I would like to make a couple of acknowledgments that I think do bear some pertinence to the matter at hand. Firstly this is the first opportunity I have had when speaking in this House to acknowledge the passing of respected New Zealander Ērima Hēnare. I was fortunate enough to have had Ērima as my third form social studies teacher at Whangarei Boys High School in 1990. He was someone who in his lessons and in the way he conducted himself in the classroom encouraged a love of arts history and culture through his social studies lessons which carried me forward and encouraged me to take on courses in history classics archaeology and art history whilst at university. So I would like to acknowledge the passing of Ērima. It is a great loss not only to his whānau but to us as a country.Secondly as chair of the New Zealand - Scotland Parliamentary Friendship Group I would like to acknowledge the unexpected and shocking death of Charles Kennedy former leader of the Liberal Democrats at the young age of 55. He was the youngest MP when admitted to the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. I think this news comes as a shock to all of us who follow British politics.But getting on to the bill I do want to acknowledge the Minister and member for Christchurch Central the Hon Nicky Wagner who has sponsored this bill. Nicky Wagner is a very impressive member of this House. This is the first of two bills that she brings before us today to advance issues in her local area. She is a very assiduous and hard-working member and there are many of us who follow what she does with great interest because we think there is much we can learn from such a successful and hard-working member. It is a pleasure to speak on such a bill that enjoys cross-party support—in fact unanimous support on all sides of the House. I do want to thank the speaker who just resumed his seat Major Ron Mark for his comments acknowledging the excellent chairman of the Local Government and Environment Committee Scott Simpson who does work very hard to conduct the committee in a very non-partisan cross-party and I think cooperative way to make sure that we deliberate carefully on all such issues that we address.In the particular case of this bill I did enjoy the opportunity to go down to Christchurch where we heard about another matter which we will come to later in the day but also we did have the opportunity to tour the Arts Centre guided by the staff. I particularly want to single out the chair of the board Jen Crawford and the chief executive officer André Lovatt who have made an enormous contribution to ensuring that this precious asset this cultural asset—which not only is important to Christchurch but is actually significant to all New Zealanders and is world heritage—has the opportunity to be restored and to be saved from the almost certain destruction that the earthquakes threatened upon it.As a student of history I would like to touch on a couple of particular parts of the story of the Arts Centre because I think they are perhaps not as well-known as they could be among New Zealanders. The first is the fact that Lord Ernest Rutherford Lord Rutherford of Nelson did his undergraduate studies at the University of Canterbury or as it was then Canterbury College of the University of New Zealand. He did groundbreaking work which he later continued when he went to McGill University in Canada. He later went to Cambridge University where he became director of the Cavendish Laboratory. Of course he is famous for having split the atom—I think that is how we might describe it in common parlance. But Lord Rutherford in his early days did groundbreaking research including on differentiating alpha and beta rays. It is the sort of science upon which much of our modern learning and knowledge in the area of physics is founded. The fact that we now have preserved the rooms in which Lord Rutherford did some of his seminal work is very important. We have to I think take heed of the fact that Lord Rutherford was not only the first New Zealander but actually the first antipodean—the first person from our part of the world more generally—to receive the Nobel Prize before he actually split the atom. So a lot of that early groundbreaking work that Lord Rutherford did was conducted in the Arts Centre and it is a wonderful thing that that laboratory is going to be preserved.Another factor that I think is very important is that the Arts Centre represents one of the very very few—it may even be unique—coherent and cohesive neo-Gothic collegial precincts that exist not only in New Zealand but in the world. We can go to the places where this sort of architecture originated and it is clear that the college buildings were designed to replicate the colleges of universities such as Cambridge University Oxford University Edinburgh University and Glasgow University in the United Kingdom. This is the sort of architecture that I was quite accustomed to at the University of Otago where you have a slightly different Scots baronial neo-Gothic architecture in the original buildings of the university. But this is a unique site because you have not only the college buildings but what is now the Canterbury Museum buildings where work is under way to make sure that they can reopen to their full potential. A lot of the galleries are already open and they are available to visit. I would encourage not only Cantabrians but visitors from overseas to make the trip down and pay a visit to the Canterbury Museum because it is well worth a look. But you have Christ’s College and sadly of course with the destruction of the cathedral one end of that streetscape precinct has unfortunately been affected. But we have had some positive news in recent days and weeks around the potential for the Catholic cathedral to be restored. There are modern means that allow even heavily damaged buildings to be economically brought back to something approaching their original status to preserve some of those heritage values and I think that is a very positive thing.This bill has been improved upon by the Local Government and Environment Committee in hearing submissions from obviously those intimately involved with the current governance and administration of the Arts Centre. We have reported back and made a few changes including some small technical details such as the removal of clause 8 which if it had been allowed in as originally proposed would have provided for the transfer of trust property back to the Crown in the event of the winding up of the trust. As laudable as that goal in itself may sound it carried the unfortunate consequence of a debt incurred by the trust also falling to the Crown. There has been some reorganisation and new clause 5(2) has been added requiring that all income benefit or advantage received by or accruing to the trust be used to advance its charitable purposes and objects. I think this sets the trust up well. It was originally founded some 40 years ago and of course after 40 years it is time for a bit of a spruce-up. But I think we are going to leave the trust in a very strong position in which it will be able to conduct its affairs including some commercial activities provided that the profits and proceeds from those activities go back to deliver on those objects of what is quite rightly a charitable and non-commercial trust. This could include for instance the leasing out of premises to act as cafes. Those of us who visited the Arts Centre pre the earthquakes will remember what vibrant cafes and restaurants it had.Those of us who visited pre the earthquakes will also remember the theatre that served up some wonderful productions. My personal favourite of course was David McPhail starring as Muldoon in the eponymously entitled play. He has moved on. I do not know whether other members have seen David McPhail’s more recent interpretations but he has moved on from the comical caricature of one of our great Prime Ministers into I think a very sensitive and highly dramatic portrayal of Muldoon the man. That was done in a theatre that has been acknowledged by people who I think are experts in the world of theatre and stagecraft. People such as Sir Ian McKellen and other great performers have singled out the Court Theatre as one of the pre-eminent venues that should be rightfully restored. It should be preserved and it should be put back into a use whereby the proceeds from ticket sales and hiring it out can actually go to further making it a sustainable project on an ongoing basis and assist with renovations.Other members have touched on the artistry and artisanship and craftsmanship that are going into the stonework. I do not think it is necessary for me to go on at great length about that other than to say that these are wonderful skills not only to have in the Arts Centre itself but to be deployed more widely throughout New Zealand and in fact even perhaps commercially exported including to such places as Mr Mark mentioned as the Sultanate of Oman where His Majesty Sultan Qaboos has an enormous aesthetic and an unlimited budget for doing such works. I would like to see that move forward in the future. I commend this bill to the House. Thank you very much.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I call Jan Logie—a 5-minute call.JAN LOGIE (Green): I rise to take a short call on this Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill in its third reading which has unanimous support in this House including from the Green Party. I would also just like to acknowledge the Hon Nicky Wagner who is the National Party member for Christchurch Central for bringing this bill to the House.It is a bill that was originated by the trust board itself from a proposal that it took to the member and that was a result of a quite comprehensive review and consultation. The development and the drafting of this bill were also done in collaboration with key stakeholders Crown Law and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. So it is lovely for the House to have the opportunity to consider bills that have come from the community in concept and in design and it is wonderful to be able to offer our support for that—to have the opportunity for this House to consider and help progress the needs as identified and developed by the community itself—particularly in Christchurch at this time. It is sad that this is in such sharp contrast to some of the design plans that have been coming out of the council and through the Government and that do not meet the needs of that community.Some of the key parts of this bill and what it does is to shift the structure of the governance board from a representative structure to a skills-based structure and to limit the terms of membership on that committee from 9 years down to 6 which will help keep freshness on that committee which I guess is the hope of that. It will ensure that all the members of the committee have the skills to be able to best meet the needs of the Arts Centre—that very precious national resource that I am sure anyone who has been to Christchurch absolutely adores and appreciates and that we recognise has been part of what has defined the heart of Christchurch and has drawn so many people from all around the world to Christchurch.The Arts Centre which consists of 24 heritage buildings with the first one dating back to 1876 was built progressively over time right through to 1923. The buildings are just so distinctive and so beautiful those stone buildings that mark the heart of Christchurch. So we are very very pleased to be supporting this bill and the governance and the protection of the restoration of that. It has been noted in the House already that the restoration project is apparently the largest heritage rebuild project in the world at the moment—$290 million going into it over a 7-year period. It is due to be completed in 2019. It is right that this House provides the best possible governance structure for the oversight of that rebuild and the future of this taonga.I know it seems a little bit mean-spirited of me to bring it up but this is in contrast to the lack of protection for some of the other heritage buildings in the centre of Christchurch where we have lost 200 other significant heritage buildings alongside Cranmer Court and the Majestic Theatre and buildings that sat alongside the Arts Centre and created this soul to the centre of the city at least in the colonial centre of the city of Christchurch. So we are finally just so pleased to have the opportunity to provide protection for at least one small part of that city and for the heritage nature of the city. It is a shame we were not able to do it and provide it for the rest of the city. Thank you.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: I call Jacinda Ardern—a 5-minute call.JACINDA ARDERN (Labour): There have certainly been members on the other side of the House who have not let a second go by in terms of an opportunity to speak in great length on this bill. I instead think that this bill has been pretty well canvassed in this House now and the good people working on the Arts Centre probably just want us to pass it at this point in time. So I will not talk about any great sultans; instead I will use my short address to acknowledge the commitment and the real sense of purpose that is driving the people who are working on this project and I thank them for their work. I have been lucky enough a little while ago now to take a tour of the Arts Centre. It is indeed a great treasure for the people of Canterbury but also of New Zealand. It is a huge burden of work that the people on the ground working on this centre have taken on but they have done so with such passion.Although this bill provides a legal foundation for the trust board and for the governance structure one that is more fit for purpose none of that can capture all of the additional layers of work and passion and love and commitment that go into a project like this—23 heritage category 1 buildings dating from 1876 to 1923. Of course despite the terminology in the bill we in this House have not forgotten the importance and I am sure the trust will not forget the importance as well of the student union building. I know that those who have advocated for that building will look forward to an ongoing working relationship with the trust around ensuring that that too is well looked after but this is a $290 million project and even then that figure does not capture all of the human spirit that will go on behind the scenes to ensure that this project is a success.My final word is to acknowledge that as of February 2015 there have been 1240 demolitions in Christchurch. We absolutely acknowledge—absolutely acknowledge—that for safety reasons some of those demolitions were absolutely legitimate but 20 percent of those demolitions were heritage buildings. For a long time Labour advocated that the powers that sat within section 38 of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act were being used beyond their necessary term of life and that it was becoming overzealous and we should revert back to our normal decision-making process. That was the argument that Labour has made for a long period of time and that is because ultimately we do believe that heritage often captures all of the flak when it comes to safety concerns in earthquake-prone cities and we need to make sure that when balancing those safety concerns we do not lose some heritage buildings that can absolutely be saved and used safely by a city and its people. So I wanted to make those closing remarks.I endorse what Eugenie Sage said as well about ensuring that while decisions are being made around the Christchurch Cathedral we do not allow the continued rot of that building because that then makes a decision inevitable and that would be unfair to the city. With those closing remarks I wish those working on the Arts Centre well. Thank you for your work. I look forward to visiting the buildings in the future.MATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri): It is an honour to rise and speak to the third reading of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill. I am very proud to stand and speak to this bill as a very proud born and bred Cantabrian. As Ron Mark indicated and was first asked when he was in Christchurch I have heard they ask in Christchurch: “What school did you go to?”. In Wellington they ask where you live as the first question and in Auckland it is what job do you have. So I am a proud person from Christchurch who went to a very good school St Bede’s College which until recent boundary changes was in my electorate and interestingly enough currently six MPs in the House are former students.This is a great day for New Zealand it is a great day for the South Island and it is a great day for Christchurch thanks to this legislation. In fact just before speaking I took a call from my wife who was feeding my 14-month-old daughter. Like anyone in this House we all make commitments and sacrifices for our families. For me part of this job is to ensure that New Zealand is moving forward and also the regions such as Canterbury and cities such as Christchurch. When I think of my daughter who is now 14 months old I think to myself: “What sort of country and what sort of city will she inherit in 10 12 and 15 years’ time?”. It gives me great heart that because of this legislation the Christchurch Arts Centre will be a part of Christchurch and very much a part of her growing up and a part of the memories that she will have over the next decade and further on.As a proud born and bred Cantabrian I too have great fond memories of the Arts Centre. Like most people who grew up in Christchurch we have very fond memories of a fantastic city. I go back to thinking about the early 1980s when really there was not a rugby team in New Zealand that could beat our Canterbury rugby team the undefeated Canterbury rugby team through the 1980s Ranfurly Shield era. I vividly remember sitting as a young fellow on the embankment and watching Larry the Lamb running around before the game. And who could forget Larry the Lamb? Those were the days of Andy Earl and Bruce and Robbie Deans. Before the game there was a parade. Those were the days when you could go out on to the field and everyone had their own banners which they had graffiti on. It was a time when Christchurch got together.Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Come back to the bill.MATT DOOCEY: And I will just—yes Mr Deputy Speaker. So there are memories like that as well. The Arts Centre—I have great memories when growing up and probably more as a young adult of spending time in the Dux de Lux. It was not one of the stone buildings obviously that are part of the Arts Centre but a key part of it and very well frequented. Thursday nights you would go along to listen to a good Christchurch band. In the 1980s and now Christchurch had very good local music.Any good Cantabrian will remember a great New Year’s Eve spent out in the courtyard having a few local craft beers. It is very much like sitting in Cathedral Square listening to the Wizard and watching the Birdman. Who will forget Radio Ron? I saw Radio Ron the other day and interestingly enough he does not seem to have aged unlike myself. He is still going strong. So there are great memories of the Arts Centre Lancaster Park Cathedral Square going for a hot dog in the Dog House and frequenting places like Cashel Mall. But really for other people they might remember the Court Theatre in the Arts Centre. They might remember going to the markets and the art studios.It is great because Canterbury and Christchurch and the South Island are very much tourist meccas for this country. I have never met one tourist who has not said: “If I had known how beautiful the South Island was I would have stayed there longer”. That is what everyone says. They come down to Christchurch—I mean it is the gateway to the whole of the South Island—and they spend time in Christchurch. The Arts Centre is a key part of that. It is fantastic that this legislation will keep the Arts Centre at the heart of the tourism industry in Christchurch whether that be going for a ride on the tram or punting down the Avon River.I just want to take some time to acknowledge the very hard-working Minister Nicky Wagner who has brought this local bill to the House. I think as a Canterbury MP what a role model what a mentor. But we are a great team of Canterbury National MPs. And Canterbury—obviously at the last election National won the party vote in every electorate in Canterbury. I think the Hon Gerry Brownlee had a lot to do with that in respect of the earthquake recovery. Could I also acknowledge our very hard-working chairof the Local Government and Environment Committee Scott Simpson. If I could name just a couple of bills it gives you the breadth of the work of this select committee—from the earthquake-prone building legislation—Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! A whakataukī in respect of a kumara and how sweet it is is coming to mind. I suggest the member stick to the bill rather than refer to any others that may be on his mind at the moment.MATT DOOCEY: Thank you very much Mr Deputy Speaker. So the Arts Centre is very much a beacon of the Canterbury recovery. We have very much got a mixed economy in this recovery. It is about central government and local government investment and it is about private investment. That is why it was so fantastic to hear in the Budget that the earthquake recovery will get an extra $1 billion. But it is interesting when we look at the Arts Centre restoration which at around $240 million to $290 million is currently the world’s largest restoration project. It must be acknowledged that a lot of that is to do with funding that has not come from the Government. It is people getting out there raising the funds and investing in something that is very much the fabric of Christchurch.I think too of when we went down to Christchurch as a select committee. We held the select committee meeting at The George hotel and then walked down to the Arts Centre—and thank you to chief executive officer André Lovatt and trust chair Jen Crawford for showing us around. What a fantastic story. There will be plenty of people who will have a go at the pace of the recovery and what is happening with the recovery but if you do not take stock and have a look at what is happening you will miss and forget great stories like the Arts Centre. That is why legislation like this is much needed because the Arts Centre is like I say currently the world’s largest heritage restoration project.On that tour around the Arts Centre it was fantastic to see the flags from all around the world that were in the room. They represented every different nationality of the stonemasons. Most of them had off their own bat engaged with the Arts Centre to come to New Zealand and to come down to Christchurch to be part of this amazing story. It was quite pertinent that one of the noticeboards still had posters from 2010 and 2011 of events at the Arts Centre before the earthquakes struck.The Arts Centre very much has a pivotal role in Christchurch. As we know we are called the most English city outside England and it is no surprise with an Arts Centre that is modelled on parts of Cambridge University. And we have our archaic one-way street system and of course the Avon River and the cathedral. So it is quite right that we have got legislation that will support the Arts Centre and very much make it continue to be at the heart of what is a fantastic city.Another key part of this legislation is the board moving from a representation model to one of a skills-based model. I would encourage all people from Christchurch—and of course Canterbury; even from out my way in the Waimakariri electorate in North Canterbury whether it be Kaiapoi or Rangiora—who think they have the skills to put their hands up because it is not always about the State. It is about big communities. What we want to do is support big communities to support things like the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust. I commend this bill to the House. Thank you.POTO WILLIAMS (Labour—Christchurch East): It is a pleasure to rise to take a call on this bill. I just want to acknowledge the previous speaker Matt Doocey and his ramblings through Canterbury. It was a little bit like a tourist brochure for Canterbury so I am—Dr Megan Woods: He’s no Chaucer.POTO WILLIAMS: Yes. I am going to confine my comments to the bill at hand. Firstly I do want to acknowledge Minister Wagner for her stewardship of this bill through the House and the Local Government and Environment Committee for the fine work that it has done shepherding this bill through its various stages to the third reading today. I acknowledge that we have the representatives of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board herein the gallery. They have been here for every reading and through the Committee stage. I know that because as a relatively new MP this is the first bill that I have had the pleasure of speaking on at every stage through the House and the Committee and they have been here watching the debates and contributing to the development of this bill and I acknowledge and congratulate them on this great day.While we have been traversing this bill as it has gone through the House everyone has had the opportunity to reminisce about the importance of the Arts Centre its various buildings and the make-up of the Arts Centre. They have all had an opportunity to talk about how important those experiences have been to them. Everyone has had that opportunity. My colleague Dr Megan Woods talked about her days as a university student and about many of the fun activities that she encountered particularly at the Dux de Lux and other venues. Of course Eugenie Sage talked about her time actually working in the buildings and it is has become a very personal piece of work for many people in this House because of the love that they have for the Arts Centre the buildings and the complex. I even have my own reminiscences of when my daughter who is now 23 was a very young girl. We were visiting a family in Christchurch at that time and we had a beautiful afternoon there. We had some lovely food and we were able actually to watch the craftsmen at work in the Arts Centre and at the time I thought it was an extraordinary thing to be able to watch artisan craftsmen diligently completing their tasks under the gaze of tourists like me. It is no surprise that we have employed the best craftsmen to come and restore this beautiful set of buildings. It will be a real pleasure to watch them throughout its restoration.The bill itself—what does it do? Well it offers protection. It offers protection to enshrine those important objects of the trust so that they cannot be diminished tampered with or changed in any way other than by an Act of Parliament. I think that is really important because it speaks to how important heritage is in this particular set of buildings—because heritage is important. Many of my colleagues have talked about how saddened they have been by the loss of heritage in our city. I know that this bill actually goes towards restoring some of our faith that a beautiful set of buildings can be restored. It is going to cost an awful lot of money to do so and it is going to take the top craftsmen from around the world to do so but the trust board got it right in terms of ensuring that they have the insurance cover right and ensuring that they have the vision right. I for one am very supportive of this piece of legislation to ensure that we give the trust board the support that it needs to be able to find those people and that skill set so that it can continue to do fine work into the future.I do not really want to stand between my speech and the final passing of this bill other than to say that there have been a couple of examples in recent times where we know that heritage buildings will be saved and there is one final call to go out for one of the most significant buildings in our city. It is not too late to do what the fine people from the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board have done to ensure that they retain and restore those fabulous buildings. It is not too late to make a call for our cathedral. We know that the Catholic cathedral is going to be restored and I for one am really supportive of doing everything we can to ensure that we retain as many of those beautiful old buildings that speak to our history as well as hold the thread into the future. So on that note I commend this bill to the House. Thank you very much.NUK KORAKO (National): Tēnā koe e te Mana Whakawā ā huri noa i te Whare e mihi atu ana ki a koutou katoa; ki a kōrua e ngā manuhiri tūāraki e André me Jen nō reira piki mai kake mai hōmai te wairua.[Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker and greetings to you all throughout the House; and to you visitors from afar André and Jen therefore climb and clamber aboard give us the spirit.]It is indeed my pleasure to take this final call and to talk about the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill. I stand here as a proud Cantabrian as a proud member of Ngāi Tahu Whānui and then also as a son of mana whenua Tūahuriri as well.Indeed we have heard about throughout all of the process of this bill the journey that reflects the fact that in Christchurch—Ōtautahi our city—there was the 2010 earthquake the first one and then of course the February 2011 one. What that did was start some incredible journeys. This one here is to me one of the most amazing journeys since the emergency the recovery and it is now a reflection very much of the rebuild.As I said in a previous speech concerning this bill to Ngāi Tahu Māori the Christchurch Arts Centre was more of an edifice to colonialism. When we were young kids and we used to come to Christchurch we actually went to the museum to see all of our own taonga as opposed to visiting the Arts Centre—I see and acknowledge on the other side of the House when we talk about Ngāi Tahu Whānui Mr Rino Tirikatene—and our tāua and pōua used to come in their finery to Christchurch to visit the museum. They used to love walking past this beautiful building because looking at Ngāi Tahu Whānui they were also very very well acquainted with Queen Victoria because if we look at Te Tiriti o Waitangi that was really the first beginnings of that under her. So to us that building of the Arts Centre and its beautiful architecture was very much an acknowledgment of the royal family of Windsor and the English colonialism for which Christchurch is so well-known. This building though is to me not only an edifice of colonialism but also once it is finished—and this has even started now—a beacon for hope. It is a beacon for the retention of what little heritage of colonial times that we have left in Christchurch.There have been some wonderful and very appropriate acknowledgments and like everyone else I too want to acknowledge our local MP who sponsored and championed this bill the Hon Nicky Wagner and the Hon Gerry Brownlee as the Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery. Also I mihi to the two stalwarts really who worked behind the scenes but who have come here for every reading to support this bill. To Jen Crawford and André Lovatt the time will shortly come when the aspirations that we all have will actually be put into effect hopefully with the final reading of this bill and its final journey to legislation.The interesting thing about taking a walk down memory lane—my esteemed colleague the member for Waimakariri Matt Doocey did an interesting tour there. But coming back to the bill if we are talking about cultural heritage there is one part of this bill that I believe really reflects not only colonial culture but also Ngāi Tahu Māori culture. I want to acknowledge the work of the Local Government and Environment Committee under our chair Scott Simpson and also again the work of André Lovattand the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust. What they have actually exercised here in part of this legislation is something that we call kotahitaka and that is true partnership.This is because when we look at the make-up of the trust itself it does represent all of the major stakeholders that will be responsible for the processes that this trust will run under the legislation: the University of Canterbury the Christchurch City Council Heritage New Zealand the Christchurch Civic Trust and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. The great thing there about the second to last one is that it has also included other local businesses and community organisations with interests in the Arts Centre. So what that does is it encompasses a collective of stakeholders that we probably do not think about often but at least it is about kotahitaka or inclusiveness.The last part that I want to come to is the fact that Papatipu Rūnanga of Canterbury are also involved and are part of this trust. This is something that I think reflects the way forward and the way that we work in true partnership as the iwi working with all of these stakeholders particularly with the Crown and with the Christchurch City Council. There was a question because in the original bill it was actually about the tangata whenua of Canterbury. But from the work that was done the questions that were asked and then the trust and also the various officials came back what it came back to was the fact that it was not about tangata whenua specifically; it was actually about Papatipu Rūnanga—those who had mana whenua and manawa-whenua. They had their heart in the land there so they were closer than just tangata whenua.Just to acknowledge this when we look at that it is also an understanding that Ngāi Tahu does not have just one face in Te Rūnunga o Ngāi Tahu; it has many faces. The fact is that there are mana whenua there are Papatipu Rūnanga there are whānau there are hapū. This to me has been an inclusive part of this bill and I want to acknowledge the work that André and Jen have done on our behalf—kia ora to you.In conclusion the Arts Centre is a very important part of Christchurch’s heritage. It is special to the people of Christchurch together and collectively. This legislation provides an opportunity for greater certainty around the original intentions of the trust deed and provides for the modernisation of the trust board’s governance structure. I think that is really important because it moves it forward into the 21st century and beyond. I want to commend again all of those people and to reiterate that for those who have actually been responsible for furthering this bill through the House. I look forward to seeing the Arts Centre of Christchurch restored to its place as a cultural centre for Christchurch and this bill will help the trust as it goes through that process. Kikoraki te tai kahuraki te taoka.[Blue as the sea is the prized possession.]I would like to commend this bill to the House. Kia ora.Bill read a third time.