Mapp Wayne: Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
Mapp Wayne: Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:663;Page:11356] 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP (Minister of Research Science and Technology) 
: 
 I move  
That the Carter Observatory Act Repeal Bill be now read a third time 
. I have listened with interest to the contributions on this bill in the House tonight including those from members of the Education and Science Committee. I know that many of those members will take a call during its third reading. I acknowledge the work of the select committee which sought submissions on the bill. The select committee received submissions from the Wellington City Council the Carter Observatory and indeed the Stardome Observatory and Planetarium in Auckland. The officials of course did an excellent job in advising the committee. Everyone was supportive of the bill. Indeed everyone is looking forward to it passing into law. 
The general point has been made that in 1938—under a Labour Government I might note—the Carter Observatory was established as a national observatory. At that time that was appropriate. I remember going up to the observatory when I was a student in Wellington many years ago. At that time it was noticeably—and this was many years ago now—in a careworn state. The reason was that by then—and we are talking about the 1970s—astronomical research in New Zealand had already effectively transferred to the Mount John Observatory with a number of participating universities involved. At that time the most sophisticated instrument in New Zealand was the 1-metre telescope at Mount John. Today primarily as a result of collaboration between the University of Canterbury and Japan the principal instrument there is the 2-metre telescope which is primarily involved in searching for extrasolar planets and indeed has been very successful in that regard using microlensing techniques. 
Sue Kedgley observed that New Zealand does not have a specific allocation of money for a national observatory. That is because our funding system through the Foundation for Research Science and Technology universities and international collaborations effectively achieves that purpose. We now have a fine collection of instruments suitable for a country of our size at Mount John. In addition the University of Canterbury collaborates with the Southern African Large Telescope—or SALT—in South Africa. Last year and indeed this year the Government is partnering with the Australian Government to establish in New Zealand the Square Kilometre Array or SKA which is about radio astronomy. If the two countries are successful it will be a hugely important initiative. It is a global science project. We are in a science competition if you will with South Africa primarily and a decision on where it will be built will be made in 2012. In fact I am going to the Netherlands next month to assist Senator Carr in the joint Australia - New Zealand presentation to advance our case in that regard. The New Zealand Government is committed to funding it. I mention those issues to demonstrate that under successive Governments from both sides of the House there has been a commitment—appropriate to the size of New Zealand—to astronomy both radio and optical. But astronomy is no longer appropriate for the Carter Observatory given the nature of the instruments there and indeed its location in a city. 
As I indicated in my speech during the bill’s second reading I had the pleasure along with a number of colleagues to go to what was effectively the reopening of the Carter Observatory. The Wellington City Council and the Carter Observatory have done an excellent job in refurbishing and restoring the facility—not just the instruments but also the displays libraries buildings and so forth. It will perform an important educational role for people both young and old and in addition a tourism role. The refurbishment involved a contribution of $2 million from the Government to enable it to take place and the Wellington City Council is committed to annual expense of $300000 to enable the facility to continue in operation because as has been reasonably noted an observatory cannot be run just with donations and whatever payments people make. It requires the commitment of society for societal good and benefit to ensure that these kinds of public-good facilities exist. 
The Carter Observatory is part and parcel of the cultural and intellectual life of Wellington. As I noted earlier in the proceedings on this bill Wellington can justifiably make claim to being one of the finest small cities on the planet in large part because of the richness of its cultural and intellectual life and the commitment of the city council led very ably by Mayor Prendergast—and in relation to the Carter Observatory by Alick Shaw—to promote the life of Wellington. I was not surprised to read that Wellington is the best city to visit in New Zealand in the winter. I guess that in winter people concentrate on the intellectual side of life rather than perhaps the sporting side—on the observatory the art galleries the museum and so forth. 
Hon Tony Ryall 
: They can play sport in Wellington. 
Hon Dr WAYNE MAPP 
: Yes they can play sport in Wellington; that is true. There is an excellent stadium down here as well. 
It is with real pleasure to speak as Minister of Research Science and Technology on the transfer of the observatory from the Government to Wellington City. I say also as Minister that the Government has put a particular emphasis on science and we made it a particular priority in the Budget. I have heard the various comments from Opposition members in regard to that. They make various claims that Labour would have done more and so forth. They seem to have forgotten a few things. One there was a global recession; two their initiatives were not perhaps as well targeted as they could have been; and three there is also a question of taking the science system along with the funding. I think one of the important initiatives and I understand one that is well accepted by the Opposition is the innovative creation of the position of Chief Science Adviser to the Prime Minister. That has been a real fillip to the science community generally and has helped put a substantial level of shape around science policy for New Zealand. 
In closing it is a real privilege to be present in the House some 72 years after the initial establishment of the Carter Observatory. The House has recognised that Wellington is no longer suitable for a national observatory and that the responsibility for the Carter Observatory should be transferred from the Crown to the Wellington City Council.