Masterton District Council(Montfort Trimble Foundation) Bill

I move, That the Masterton District Council (Montfort Trimble Foundation) Bill be now read a third time. In seeking the third reading, I acknowledge the wide-ranging debate and discussion that have occurred on the bill. More seriously, I thank, first of all, the Masterton District Council for bringing the bill forward and taking the initiative to have the Montfort Trimble Foundation established so that it may do what it desires to do. In the second reading debate I complimented the Local Government and Environment Committee on its deliberations. Notwithstanding that the committee had to seek an extension of time, which I was happy to acquiesce to at one stage, there was a slight delay towards the end, as was mentioned in a previous debate. However, we are at the third reading, and I am most grateful, as I am sure the people of the Masterton district are—most certainly, the mayor and councillors of the Masterton District Council are—to members of this Parliament, who have supported almost unanimously, I would say, the passage of the bill. It shows a great faith in the Masterton district and the purposes of the bill.

I thank the member for cooperating in the chair during the Committee stage in answering, I think, three different questions during that short period. It is a shame, frankly, that other members when they are in charge of bills are not prepared to answer questions in such a forthright and open way. Members on this side of the House commented to each other during the Committee stage that it would be nice if the member were given a ministerial warrant, because then we would have a member in the chair who would answer questions from time to time. That would be very helpful.

The National Party has been happy to oblige the member in seeing this bill progress through the House at a reasonably rapid rate this evening. I thank the member for explaining to the Committee the detail of the amendment proposed and placed on the Table at the last minute. Members on this side of the Chamber did not object to that amendment to clause 8(2). As the member in charge of the bill said, it was simply a drafting issue. I am pleased that members of the National Party have been able to support what essentially is an administrative, technical bill, in the sense that it now enables the trustees to distribute, collect, and operate outside the area that once was the Masterton County Council, and which now incorporates a wider area as the Masterton District Council.

I conclude by saying that it is a pity we are not able to progress sensible legislation in this way more often, with members sitting in the Committee chair who are as cooperative as this particular member was in engaging, in a legitimate way, with members who had questions about the content of this bill during that process. The National Party will delay this matter no longer.

On behalf of New Zealand First, along with my local colleague from the Wairarapa, Edwin Perry, we support the further movement of the Montford Trimble Foundation. The foundation trustees now have the constituted trust to move into the modern world. The nature of the board membership, the nature of their remuneration, the nature of their tax status—all these matters—can now be handled. It is unfortunate that the trustees have had to wait, as has already been mentioned by the Hon Ken Shirley, for some weeks because of a certain Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill. In the mind of the Government, that took priority over this important local issue. But, putting that aside, on behalf of New Zealand First I wish the trustees well in their endeavours, and may the forest and afforestation in the Wairarapa confines, right across to Pahiatua, be able to be sustained in the future for the enjoyment of all.

Bill read a third time.