Jones Dail: Resource Management and Electricity Legislation Amendment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
Jones Dail: Resource Management and Electricity Legislation Amendment Bill — Second Reading Instruction to Committee In Committee 
[Volume:627;Page:22313] 
DAIL JONES (NZ First) 
: 
 I am a keen supporter of the Western Springs Speedway in Auckland. I first went to the speedway about 40 years ago. I am not sure whether any National Party member in this House has ever been to the Western Springs Speedway least of all Dr Brash when the speedway is actually on—and it is on at a convenient and appropriate time. But I have been to the speedway and enjoyed it off and on over the years. I have taken my children there. [ 
Interruption 
] I have driven a twin-turbo Subaru GTB which is a nice car. I drive a Subaru Impreza now and I have a Rover Tomcat. I have a tomcat car apparently. [ 
Interruption 
] If I could just get my speech across. 
Hon Mark Burton 
: Point of order— 
The CHAIRPERSON (Ann Hartley) 
: Just a minute; I am going to rule. There is far too much barraging coming from the side. It is very hard for the member when it is going that way. 
DAIL JONES 
: It might be very hard for those people who are actually interested in the speedway which clearly National Party members are not. 
I want to refer to the amendment put forward by Dr Smith to find out what he is actually getting at. The key I think to that amendment is this: is the present decibel-level provision for the speedway part of the operative plan? I need to know that. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Yes it is. 
DAIL JONES 
: If it is part of the operative plan then how can that amendment have any bearing on it? 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Because it will allow the proposed plan when it is publicly notified to stand over the operative plan which will enable the Auckland City Council to resolve this problem. 
DAIL JONES 
: But that is the case anyway. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: No it’s not. 
DAIL JONES 
: If I may just carry on with my speech now. Dr Smith confirms that there is an operative plan with regard to the 75 decibels. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: It’s 85. 
DAIL JONES 
: I think the member might find it is 75 and that is the whole problem. It is 75 and that is too low. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: No it’s 85. 
DAIL JONES 
: Well 75 or 85 we will sort it out later but I happen to think that it is 75. If it is an operative plan surely the only way an operative plan can be changed is by going through the process and changing the plan. [ 
Interruption 
] Exactly. Surely that can be done under the present legislation. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: But it takes 3 years. 
DAIL JONES 
: And it can take 3 years; that is fair enough. What in this amendment will take less than 3 years? That is what I am getting at. 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Can I explain? I want to help the member. 
DAIL JONES 
: The member can take a call. That is what I want him to do because I am very concerned about the whole situation. His amendment to section 20 of the principle Act in proposed new clause 5AB would add the following words to section 20(1): “or a change to a plan” and section 20(1)(a) talks about a “proposed plan” and section 20(1)(b) is new as well. The only other new bit is section 20(6). That is the important thing that I shall clarify. Is the member for Nelson saying that a city council can change an operative plan before the time comes to do the ordinary district plan set-up? Does he want it to be done earlier and be treated as a special case? 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: That’s right. 
DAIL JONES 
: If that can be done now what is the problem? I shall be very interested to see just how that would work. I am concerned. If we can speed things up if we keep chopping and changing how many times within a district-plan period can those changes be made? Can one be done every year? 
Hon Dr Nick Smith 
: Yes. 
DAIL JONES 
: Dr Smith is saying that with his proposal it could be done every year. So there would be no certainty in a planned period. If one has a plan that is meant to be for a set number of years before it can be changed with Dr Smith’s amendment one could keep on changing the plan regularly not necessarily even yearly. Where would we end up with that? There would be no certainty all the time. I am also concerned about what effect this would have on say an operative plan for Wellington Airport. Could there be constant changes to the noise levels for Wellington Airport and perhaps the Nelson Airport? Where would there be certainty for people who go through an expensive legal process to fight a case—[ 
Interruption 
] Sandra Goudie tells me that there is no certainty. She is giving the whole thing away. Surely there must be some degree of certainty with the whole planning situation. 
I would be very interested to hear what Dr Smith has to say from the point of view not only of Auckland but of other areas as well. I would also be interested to hear whether there will be regular changes to that plan as the case might be. I am a great supporter of the speedway and I would be willing to give it every chance to see whether it could go ahead.