Carter Chris: Historic Places Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
Carter Chris: Historic Places Amendment Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:632;Page:3931] 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Conservation) 
: 
 I am pleased to stand up and support the Historic Places Amendment Bill for the third reading. As Minister of Conservation in this Government I too have a responsibility for preserving the unique heritage of New Zealand—its natural heritage of course; the landscape and species that define us and our identity as New Zealand - Aotearoa—but I share that responsibility of preserving the unique heritage of New Zealand with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage which is headed by none other than our Prime Minister. The Prime Minister when she became Prime Minister of this country in 1999 was the first Prime Minister to ever take the portfolio of culture and heritage because she like this Government believes that it is culture and heritage that help to define us as New Zealanders; to shape our unique identity in the world. This legislation goes some way towards making that task easier. 
It has been interesting being in the Chamber and listening to the contributions made by some National Party members in the last few minutes. I was astonished to hear the previous speaker Mr Ardern the member for the Taranaki region somehow tying this bill to “the lights going off”. I was amused to hear that because of course as a member of the House I would remember well the weeks of darkness we had in Auckland during the time of the previous National Government when it certainly was not able to deal with not only the vagaries of weather but also the under-investment in energy infrastructure. 
Indeed I also heard some nonsense a few minutes ago about our not having a farmer who was a Minister of Agriculture. Well I think that under the previous Government we had a Minister of Health who was not a doctor and a Minister of Education who was not a teacher and we currently have a National Party spokesperson on Maori affairs who is not Maori even though there are three Maori members of National’s caucus. I would imagine those three National members who are Maori and are proud of their Maori heritage must find it particularly humiliating and infuriating that none of them has been chosen to be spokesperson for Maori issues in this Parliament. However that is an issue for the National Party not for me to pass judgment on; but I just reflect on the irony of it. 
What I would like to reflect on though is the purpose of this bill. It goes some way towards strengthening the Historic Places Trust which is playing such a useful role in that important task of preserving our heritage. I think of the excellent work for example that is taking place in the Kerikeri basin—a place of unique settlement history in our country where not only were some of the earliest of Maori settlements in this nation some 800 or 900 years ago but there was also the beginning of European settlement such as the stone store and other historic places there that the Historic Places Trust governs. 
The governance of the trust itself is strengthened and enhanced by this legislation. We have had comments about the number of trust board members that we reduce from 11 to nine under the bill. We also have an increase in the Government appointees to the board from three to six members. All Governments appreciate the opportunity of appointing experts to those positions. I am sure that in the natural electoral cycle—long may it be away—and when the present Opposition gets its chance to be in Government which I guess will come one day it too will take the opportunity to put experts I hope rather than lackeys in those positions. Good governance is something that all Governments care about. The tasks of the Historic Places Trust are really important. It is an important role. 
As my colleague Judith Tizard the Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage said in her introductory speech this legislation will assist in that critical task of heritage preservation. It will make the management and functions of the trust easier and more effective and efficient. I am certainly very supportive of that role and of the responsibilities I have as conservation Minister. 
I am really pleased to be on my feet defending this legislation and I am looking forward to its passage through the House.