Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill

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.

Following on from the comments of the Hon Judith Tizard, I must say that it was a great experience to be part of the Government Administration Committee in relation to the bill. I take the opportunity to thank the chair of the committee, Dianne Yates, for the great job she did. I thank my colleague Pansy Wong, who was as enthusiastic as myself in relation to this matter, and David Cunliffe was also there.

Some members might wonder why we are taking so long this evening to work through the bill. I note that the member for Whanganui, Jill Pettis, does not share the same passion for the bill and the work of the museum as those of us who have spoken this evening—I forgot to mention the passion that the Hon Judith Tizard clearly feels for this particular site. The reason we are not rushing this bill through tonight with a quick yes/no vote is that this is an important bill for an important site. Not only is this museum an icon but it is a war memorial. I have already said it, but I will say it again: it is a war memorial, and therefore it is extremely important that we give it its due. This is the anniversary of the start of World War II, and as the museum is a war memorial to the fallen from the Auckland region in World War II, it is even more important this evening that we pay our respects to those people—to those men and women who served our country so that we can enjoy democracy to the extent we do today. To give it anything less than its due would be disrespectful, and that is important.

I have so enjoyed the contributions from the speakers tonight. In particular, Judith Tizard, Dianne Yates, Pansy Wong, Richard Worth, Simon Power, Dail Jones, Bernie Ogilvy, and also Taito Phillip Field have contributed well and given sterling performances. That is what this museum deserves because it is a wonderful icon. It is something we can show respect for, forgetting all our political differences across the House. We can be absolutely proud that this bill is going through the House with the support of all the parties. That is wonderful, and it is a moment to be proud of. I particularly commend this bill to the House and to the membership.

As chair of the select committee, I too want to thank all those who were involved in the preparation of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill, particularly the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage and the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, who ensured that the funding was adequate. It is the Labour Government that has to be praised for providing the funding to build this new facility. It will be a facility of which not only Aucklanders but also all New Zealanders will be truly proud.

I wish to thank the House once again. It is not often that we have the House unanimously and constructively behind such a project, and we look forward to when the building is finished, so that we can all enjoy this facility. Once again, thank you to all those involved, and for the cooperation we had at the select committee.

New Zealand First is very pleased to be supporting this bill. It is a wonderful example of how the people of Auckland, for a start, can get together and support a project. Auckland is so often criticised as not being able to put up a united front on a project, or present such a united front, in particular, to Wellington, but this is one of those occasions when Aucklanders have got together. When I say Aucklanders, I mean those with a connection to this bill—the Rodney District Council, which has one appointee to the electoral college; North Shore City Council, which has two appointees; Waitakere City Council, two appointees; Auckland City Council, three appointees; Manukau City Council, three appointees; Papakura District Council, one appointee, and Franklin District Council, one appointee.

One should also remember work done in the past—from Taupo right up to Cape Reinga, I understand—in supporting the original concept of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. I think it was a little bit churlish of the two Government members who spoke in the third reading to suggest that it could only have happened because we have a Labour Government. Labour Party people do know how to spoil a good occasion. The money for this building is coming from the New Zealand taxpayer. It is not coming from the Labour Government. The New Zealand taxpayer is paying for this project, and for that we give as much thanks to the member for Whanganui, the member for Rotorua, the member for Hamilton East, and such like, as to anybody else. This money is coming from the New Zealand taxpayer, and that is the thing that the Labour Party obviously does not understand. Labour members have no grasp of where the money comes from to run this country. Trust them to be churlish and spoil this debate!

New Zealand First is delighted to support this legislation, and wide and far all New Zealand First members will support it. I am sure that wide and far all members of this House will support it, and I will not comment any more on that other matter. I hope that people from the rest of the country will come up to Auckland—or come down to Auckland, as the case might be—and see just where their taxpaying dollar is being spent, and the wonderful way in which this project has developed.

This project is not just for the people of Auckland but, as the objectives of the original bill show, for the people of New Zealand as a whole, as a proper war memorial to all New Zealand’s efforts in its many endeavours overseas.

I join other members in expressing what a pleasure it is tonight to take part in the third reading of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill. The passage of this bill advantages New Zealanders, but the redeveloped Auckland War Memorial Museum will be even more of a showcase to international visitors to New Zealand, and especially to Auckland. As the National Party spokesperson on tourism, I can say that we appreciate that international visitors always visit museums in the various countries they visit to gain a sense of the history and culture of that particular country.

The Government Administration Committee met and received submissions at the site of the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and the excitement, the enthusiasm, and the very creative ways of the board and its team convinced us that when the work has been carried out, it will indeed do New Zealand proud and showcase the new site, and the content of that site, to our international visitors.

It is indeed rare to see all political parties assisting the passage of legislation in unison, so I hope the Labour Government takes note that, given reasonable consultation, Opposition parties will cooperate. I know this matter has been raised with the Business Committee, and we have no hesitation in supporting initiatives that are constructive and important.

Like all the other members, I am looking forward to the completion of the redevelopment work. People will be able to visit a museum with sheltered car parks and other additional facilities. Above all, I am very pleased for the Auckland museum staff, who, deservedly, will be able to work in a facility that has space for their dedication. One cannot but have admiration for the type of creative work that has been carried out by the dedicated staff at the Auckland museum, given the inadequate work space they currently have to put up with.

On behalf of the members of the public who appreciate the wonderful presentation of the treasures we have in the Auckland War Memorial Museum, I want to say that a better environment for the team will lead to added attractions. The team will be able to show even more of its creative powers, and visitors will have more treasures to enjoy. It is a great pleasure to be associated with the passage of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Site Empowering Bill.

Bill read a third time.

The House adjourned at 9.29 p.m.