Roy Eric: Southland Agricultural and Pastoral  Association Empowering Bill — First Reading 
Roy Eric: Southland Agricultural and Pastoral  Association Empowering Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:633;Page:5232] 
ERIC ROY (National—Invercargill) 
: 
 I move  
That the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association Empowering Bill be now read a first time. 
 It gives me a lot of pleasure to bring before the House an issue that the local community in Southland is unanimous and excited about. I guess a good question is why we have to bring the bill before the House. The answer relates to attractive land that is protected by an endowment provision as are most of the agricultural and pastoral grounds around New Zealand. 
The Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association has been in existence for well over 100 years. It has one of the pre-eminent shows of the country in that in every sixth year it earns the right to be a royal show. It is one of the agricultural and pastoral shows that continues to serve its community—both the people who are involved in primary production and those who service primary production. It also forms part of an expo to the wider community of Southland. It has a property situated in almost the centre of Invercargill—in Victoria Avenue—that it has held for some considerable time. 
People might ask why we have to bring before the House the need to change things when the Southland A and P showgrounds have been serving the community for so long. It is because several needs now arise that have to be met. The first thing to note is that the A and P showground is a valuable ground; it is situated reasonably centrally—in the city as I have mentioned. It is asset-rich but not overused. There is an A and P show of 2 days’ duration each year there are a number of stud fairs—three or four—there are a few equestrian events and some of the buildings are used from time to time. But essentially the building is underutilised and is worth a considerable sum of money. It could also be put to better use—I will say more about that in a moment. I ask members to note that at the appropriate time I intend to move that this bill be sent to the Primary Production Committee after it passes its first reading. 
The reason the A and P association wants to move is that it has the sensible option of merging assets with the local Ascot Park Raceway. This will provide an outstanding facility. We have two facilities that are underutilised and overcapitalised in the way of grandstands and facilities and the common-sense approach is to merge the endeavours of both organisations in order to end up with a first-class facility. It will not only serve these two organisations better but will also provide opportunities for others to be involved in a very much better developed site at Ascot Park. 
Members may recall that some years ago an endowment bill was passed to assist the Canterbury A and P showgrounds by merging the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s activities with the Addington saleyards on another site. In that legislation we saw a sensible solution that proposed multiple uses of the same land by different organisations. 
This proposal is a similar concept which needed to be considered. It has been considered and the community is very enthusiastic about the options. There may be a question as to whether this option will work. The interesting thing about the Ascot Park Raceway is that it is unique in New Zealand. To my knowledge it is the only raceway that embraces all three codes on one site in front of one set of grandstands—gallops trots and greyhounds. People working in those codes have shown a willingness to work and make sensible solutions and the A and P association’s presence will be a very very important addition to what is already offered. 
The A and P association’s plans for developing the site at the Ascot Park Raceway include an equestrian centre. I am told that it will be the best equestrian centre of its type in New Zealand. It is most likely that this will happen because Invercargill is a city that has shown its ability to develop several first-class sites. It has one of only three covered velodromes in the Southern Hemisphere. It has a first-class swimming pool a first-class theatre a first-class stadium—both for rugby and netball—and some other interesting things are on the drawing board. 
One of the first things to note is that Southland wants to develop an equestrian centre. That will add considerable value to what the A and P association is doing not only on its show day but also for equestrian people and organisations around Southland. The centre can and will be used by the Riding for the Disabled Association. A number of related events for all equestrian-type activities will be able to take place at the newly developed centre. It is probably fair to say that the existing showgrounds have some limitations now in the area of parking. That problem will be overcome by the increased parking area available at the Ascot Park Raceway. We have a huge opportunity to develop a first-class facility in every respect. 
One other shortcoming that exists at the showgrounds is that the city itself is constricted by traffic flow. Subject to this bill’s passing—and I ask members to note that a level of urgency is being requested by the purchaser—a developer is to develop a bypass for heavy traffic from the north down North Road. The traffic normally runs through Dee Street and cuts round in a rather complex roundabout through the city centre but heavy trucks travel on the road right through to Victoria Avenue. So a bypass will be created a couple of kilometres away that will bypass the city and take traffic through from the north and west through to the Port of Bluff. The reconfiguration of the showgrounds will be an integral part in seeing that happen. 
 I have mentioned also that there are plans to create an industrial estate. Significant interest is now arising in and around businesses in terms of redeveloping and reconfiguring what they have in their seeking to re-establish themselves in a better situation in the area now occupied by the showgrounds which will become an industrial estate. 
The House should note that there is a degree of urgency and that this bill needs to be progressed in quite an expeditious manner. I have already mentioned that this bill is to go to the Primary Production Committee but I ask the House to consider—and I will respond to this matter in my right of reply if there are any difficulties—getting a report back from the committee in 30 days. So at the appropriate time as I said before I intend to move the instruction to the Primary Production Committee that the bill will be reported back within 30 days of today’s date. I want the House to consider that request and I will respond to that matter at the appropriate time. 
Can I assure those members who may feel that this bill is being rushed that the consideration on this project has taken some years in Southland. If members would care to look at Appendix C of the  
Standing Orders of the House of Representatives 
 they will see that a very prescriptive process has had to be gone through. The community has been consulted and all the requirements have been met according to Appendix C. So we are presenting to the House today a private bill that has been advertised and considered and the very prescriptive requirements of Appendix C have been fulfilled in every respect. There are no impediments. All sections of the community including iwi have been consulted and there are no difficulties. 
All that is required is for the House to sign off this bill concerning land that has been protected by endowment. This is a sensible solution and it is what the local community wants. I look forward to the House expediting this bill at the earliest opportunity.