Tizard Judith: Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill — Second Reading Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee Third Reading 
Tizard Judith: Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill — Second Reading Instruction to CommitteeCWH In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:611;Page:8383] 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Auckland Central) 
: 
 I move  
That the Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill be now read a third time 
. I thank the House for the expeditious way that it has dealt with this legislation and for recognising the enormous amount of work the Government Administration Committee did in a very short time. This bill will repeal the Auckland Institute and Museum Site Empowering Act 1918 and will replace it with new legislation allowing the leasing of land within the Auckland Domain for the purposes of the Auckland War Memorial Museum and for extensions to the museum. 
The Auckland War Memorial Museum is an exceptional place. It is a resource of enormous value and of enormous sentimental attachment by all Aucklanders and all New Zealanders. It has one of the biggest museum collections in New Zealand. It has spiritual historical cultural military architectural economic and educational significance for us all. 
The museum is about to undertake a significant redevelopment and extension project that will ensure its collections are conserved and protected for all New Zealanders to enjoy now and in the future. As the debate in the House has demonstrated the museum is widely supported and this has been further demonstrated by the very strong community backing for the redevelopment project with 80 percent of the nearly $53 million for the project already committed. The Government is committing $26.5 million over 5 years from the Regional Museums Fund toward the development of world-class facilities at the museum. When completed the museum will be a tremendous asset to New Zealand as well as to every Aucklander. The passage of this bill is the final step to enable that project to proceed. 
Again I thank the select committee for its prompt and thorough work on the bill which included a visit to the museum. I thank those who made submissions on the bill and the many people who have worked on the museum since 1918 when the idea of a museum on this site as a war memorial for all Aucklanders was first raised. In particular I mention Bruce Anderson who is at present the chair of the Auckland War Memorial board. There are many other board members too numerous to mention but we heard in the Committee stage particular mention of Mr Bill Laxon who is also as a consultant with Brookfields responsible for the drafting and presentation of the bill we are dealing with at present. But I particularly want to mention Barry Turley who was the chair before Bruce Anderson and who did an enormous amount of work on the development of the plans for the extension and other board members such as Lorraine Wilson Garry Law and many others who have contributed enormously over the many years that the Auckland War Memorial Museum has been a vital part of Auckland’s cultural and heritage landscape. 
I also want to express my thanks to the House. I acknowledge the work that Richard Worth has done as an Auckland MP and indeed before that as an adviser to the Auckland City Council on this matter when he was practising law in Auckland. But when I think of the Auckland War Memorial Museum I think of the contribution made by the Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt over many many years. He shares his passion for history and for the culture of Auckland with many people at the Auckland War Memorial Museum and his encouragement was a crucial part of the development of these plans. I also think of Sandra Lee my predecessor as MP for Auckland Central who took an active and enthusiastic interest in the legislation. And I think particularly of the Rt Hon Douglas Graham who as the MP for Remuera was the member for the area covered by this bill when he as the Minister of Cultural Affairs was able to persuade the last National Government to make a significant contribution towards stabilising the fabric of the building. 
So my congratulations go to the House the Government Administration Committee the Auckland War Memorial Museum trust board Dr Rodney Wilson who has been a source of inspiration and passion for this project all his staff and everybody involved in the museum redevelopment project. Their passion and commitment towards one of New Zealand’s most significant cultural icons is encouraging. Projects like this do bring us together as a nation. I look forward to the completion of this project which has been made possible because the Rt Hon Helen Clark as the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage agreed to it. It is expected to open to the public in late 2005. I believe that it will make New Zealand a better place. I commend this bill to the House.