Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill

I move, That the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Local Government and Environment Committee to consider this bill. I have been asked to be the member in charge of this bill and I am delighted, because I can tell you that the Arts Centre holds a very special place in the hearts of my family but, more important, in the hearts of the people of Christchurch.

The Arts Centre is a collection of historic buildings on a site previously occupied by the University of Canterbury and two of the city’s original secondary schools. It represents one of the largest clusters of heritage buildings in New Zealand and is a cultural asset of local, national, and international significance. As well as reflecting a unique part of our country’s architectural heritage, the Arts Centre has a rich history of education, of arts, and of science. Nobel Prize - winning scientist Lord Rutherford completed his undergraduate degree and carried out most of his groundbreaking research at this site, and his den has been restored to commemorate that.

By the late 1970s the University of Canterbury had relocated to the suburb of Ilam and the buildings were transferred to the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board. The trust was established in 1978. It was to provide a cultural centre and to preserve the architectural character and integrity of the historic stone buildings on the site. Since this time the Arts Centre played an important role as a community asset and it has been used for a variety of arts-related activities, including art and artisan studio spaces, cafes and restaurants, theatres, cinemas, retail, outdoor markets, galleries, and public performances. The Arts Centre became known as a key destination for visitors and for locals alike. An estimated 1.5 million people visited the Arts Centre every year, with approximately half of them coming from outside the Christchurch region. But in 2010 and 2011, when the Canterbury region was struck by a series of devastating earthquakes, all but one of the Arts Centre’s 23 heritage buildings sustained significant damage and were subsequently deemed unsafe. This forced the closure of the site in 2011 for the foreseeable future.

Work is now under way on a path of transformation to restore and to reawaken one of New Zealand’s most significant heritage sites. The Arts Centre’s restoration programme is understood to be one of the largest of its kind to be undertaken in the world today. Piece by piece the Arts Centre is being strengthened and restored to its original form. It will be stronger, more durable, and safer than before the earthquakes, and at the same time we are adding modern services to improve public access and the use of the buildings. Over the coming years there will be a phased reopening of the site. The first building in the programme has already been opened, and that is the restored Registry Building. Such is the work that it has been recognised for excellence with a Christchurch Civic Trust award in late 2013. The commitment of the Arts Centre to the re-emergence of arts and culture in the city is also evident in its redevelopment, and the gymnasium, which opens in the coming months, will be the new home of Free Theatre Christchurch, in collaboration with the Arts Circus project.

Significant planning and work is under way to enable the Arts Centre to achieve a vision for the future. This is about not just restoring the physical buildings but also providing a foundation for arts, culture, heritage, and education in a much stronger way than has ever been done before. The goal is to create a hub of creative entrepreneurs in the heart of Christchurch that is undeniably 21st century. This is informed by the objects of the trust and the need for the Arts Centre to be financially sustainable. The activities at the Arts Centre will complement and support a broad range of cultural, arts, and education activities in Christchurch. Importantly, the revitalised Arts Centre will bring people back into our city.

This bill is a key part of protecting and preserving the Arts Centre of Christchurch for the future. It sets out the objects of the trust in legislation and reflects the cultural and heritage significance of the Arts Centre. It provides an opportunity for greater certainty around the original intentions of the trust deed to preserve the architectural and heritage values of the site and to provide a vibrant cultural centre for the people of Christchurch and visitors to the city. The bill will also enable the Arts Centre to modernise its governance arrangements. The new governance structure has been recommended by the Arts Centre’s trust board following a comprehensive review. This included the commissioning of an independent report with the support of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage and also involved an extensive consultation process with stakeholders over the last couple of years.

The bill provides for a skills-based board appointed by an appointments committee. Stakeholders, including the broader community, will have the opportunity to nominate candidates for trustee vacancies. This will provide trustees with the essential support of the community. It is vitally important that the trust maintains a strong set of skills during the restoration phase of the Arts Centre but also over the next few years, and that an enduring governance structure is in place for the repopulation phase and beyond. In the unlikely event in the future that the trust is unable to carry out its charitable objects and is wound up, the bill also provides for the site to be vested in the Crown on an interim basis until a new entity is put in place. This is to ensure that there is always a safe pair of hands in the short term if such circumstances would ever arise, and that gives a level of certainty that the current trust deed cannot provide.

This bill is about protecting the Arts Centre of Christchurch for the future. It reflects the local, national, and international heritage significance of the site. The bill will provide legal foundations for the trust board to continue to be able to recover from the impacts of the earthquakes. It is also appropriate for the governance structure to be adapted to account for changed circumstances and to better secure the protection of this important cultural asset into the future. In this way the future of the Arts Centre can be assured.

The Arts Centre of Christchurch is an absolute treasure. It deserves to be respected and cared for. The trustees and the management at the Arts Centre are all highly committed and working incredibly hard on this project. My hope is that in years to come people will feel that a revitalised Arts Centre has really anchored them back into Christchurch. I strongly believe that the Arts Centre will be an inspiring public place that is recognised from the past and protected for the future. We will benefit from not only restoring our history and culture but also from the site being strengthened and improved for future generations. From the damaged buildings and the rubble there is a unique opportunity to create a new, vibrant centre that will be a source of great pride for Christchurch and New Zealand as a whole.

I am delighted to move the motion for the first reading of this bill today. I look forward to the select committee deliberations and the bill’s return to the House, and its ultimate passage.

I recognise the Hon Ruth Dyson.

Can I say that I am very pleased that after our years in Parliament together you do recognise me. I would be very disappointed if you could not recall who I was. It is a real pleasure for me to stand in support of this legislation, the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill, and I want to begin by acknowledging the Hon Nicky Wagner, who has introduced this private bill as a local member of Parliament. I want to commend her for that. I also want to acknowledge the eight members of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board, and in particular our former parliamentary colleague the Hon Margaret Austin, who I know is very passionate about this legislation. She is very passionate about heritage and, like all of us from Canterbury, I suppose, she is devastated at the loss that has happened as a result of the quakes in our city. Actually, it is not just as a result of the quakes; it is also as a result of the demolition orders of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, where we have had magnificent heritage buildings demolished rather than be repaired. That is a travesty and I know that the Hon Margaret Austin and her fellow trustees would feel that very keenly.

That is another demonstration, actually, of the National Government being so out of touch with where people are. People in Canterbury would love to see more of their heritage buildings repaired and restored so that we could once again have that connection to the past, which is actually so important for people looking to the future. But this is not about the buildings that have been destroyed by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority—thank goodness. This legislation is about an extremely damaged set of buildings at the Arts Centre, which have started to be lovingly and tenderly put back together, piece by piece. It is going to be such a magnificent restoration of a set of buildings that really are at the heart and history of our city. As Nicky Wagner noted, the University of Canterbury used to be there. I want to acknowledge the Hon Michael Cullen, who was one of its pupils. Knowing Michael, he is probably listening to this debate, because he is very interested in heritage and history. That was his speciality when he was at the university.

This bill is pretty straightforward. It puts into legislation the trust’s objects, and that is very important. It also makes changes to the governance arrangements and other terms of the trust, so it is a legislative protection. The trustees and other people who have been involved in the operation have proposed to our Parliament that this is the best way to ensure the continuity of care, passion, and dedication to the running of the Arts Centre, but also to ensure that, whatever happens in the future, work is still able to continue. So I think it is a bit of the responsibility of Parliament to accept that that work has been done and it is really our job to progress it from here, as is appropriate with private bills.

The Arts Centre is actually undergoing a huge restoration job at the moment. It is a 7-year time frame. It will cost $290 million, which is a huge amount of money, and I think that having this legislation will mean that many potential donors will have more confidence and understanding of the needs of the trust and the needs of Canterbury and will be better positioned to support them. I hope that that is one of the many benefits of this legislation.

Can I just conclude by expressing a small amount of disappointment. I do not want to personalise it, but I need to direct it to the member whose name the bill is in, because she just said she is going to refer the bill to the Local Government and Environment Committee. I am devastated, because the Government Administration Committee has got nothing on the agenda. We are a really competent committee and Margaret Austin told us that we were probably going to get this bill. She thought that we were going to have it referred to us. The members of that committee agreed to an informal discussion with the Hon Margaret Austin, just so we were ahead of the game, and that was much appreciated by everyone. Now we are devastated. I think that my colleagues on that committee are probably too upset to contribute to the rest of the debate, to be honest. So if the Minister changes her mind before the conclusion of the debate, the members of the Government Administration Committee stand ready, willing, and able to take charge of this bill.

I am really delighted that this bill is here. I am proud to support it, and I hope that it progresses and creates some interest in our city and some good debate. I hope it creates a further sense of pride in our heritage and a respect and passion for the people who do so much in our city, particularly the trustees of the Arts Centre. Thank you.

Just before I call the honourable member, I just wish to advise members that the people’s House, the Chamber, is a place of listening and debate. This is not a call centre. Cellphones are not an extension of a member’s office, and when in the House they must be in silent mode.

I am very pleased to stand up in this first reading of the Hon Nicky Wagner’s private bill, the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill. I am absolutely delighted that this bill has been referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee—

💬 Hon Ruth Dyson: Don’t rub it in.

I am delighted that this bill has been referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee, not least because it is a pretty damn good and hard-working committee, with an excellent chair in Maggie Barry, who will be taking a call on this bill in due course. We are dealing with some related matters that will help inform the discussion on this bill, and no doubt that was in the mind of the Hon Nicky Wagner when she introduced this bill—that the Local Government and Environment Committee is dealing with the earthquake-prone buildings legislation and that, in fact, its members are travelling the length of New Zealand listening to submissions. That information will inform our consideration of this bill. So I want to congratulate the Hon Nicky Wagner on introducing this bill and undertaking to give it a pretty good working over in the committee.

The Arts Centre in Christchurch is something that all of us New Zealanders who have travelled around New Zealand are very well aware of. It is the secondary magnet in Christchurch—is it? The first magnet is Cathedral Square and the secondary magnet is the Arts Centre, for its vibrant, wonderful centre of creativity and arts for a number of years—since, I think, about the mid to late 1970s, when the trust was formed and it was recognised to be the future hub for arts and creativity. Unless you were there, you cannot imagine the devastation caused by, and the impact of, the two earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. Twenty-two of the 23 buildings were closed to the public, pending a major restoration effort. Although it is one thing to restore the buildings, it is a large project. It is a 7-year project, and something like a $290 million restoration programme. It is one thing to undertake the physical works, but what needs to go with that, and the very reason for this bill, which is why the Hon Nicky Wagner is so right to introduce it, is that the governance arrangements need to be updated to enable the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board to undertake this major, major piece of work, so that the Arts Centre, once it is restored—in 7 years, I hope—can return to being the exciting, vibrant, and thriving centre that it has been in the past.

Actually, we have been there several times since the earthquakes and there are little pockets of activity. It is still an exciting place to visit. Is there a wonderful cheesemaker’s there? Yes, that is right. The Hon Nicky Wagner took us to the most wonderful little artisan, boutique cheese shop, Canterbury Cheesemongers—fantastic. I believe I bought some cheese to take home to North Otago, but do not tell Whitestone Cheese—but never mind. It is still a vibrant part of Christchurch, encapsulating all that is good about the recovery in Christchurch. Something devastating has happened. The board of the Arts Centre in Christchurch understands it needs to do the physical rebuild, but it also understands very clearly that it needs to bring the governance structure in line with the responsibilities, the aims, and the purposes of that very rebuild.

I do look forward to the scrutiny of this bill as it passes through the excellent Local Government and Environment Committee, and I do commend the member for bringing it to the House. I commend the bill to the House.

It is my pleasure to take a very brief call on the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill. I want to join my colleagues in congratulating Nicky Wagner on bringing this bill before the House. It is good to see some discussion around heritage issues in Christchurch.

Although at the beginning of the recovery it was very necessary to take a safety-first approach to Christchurch’s buildings, we on this side of the House have been concerned for some time that we are now at a point where we are concerned about the powers under the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority Act, and in particular section 38, which allows for the demolition of those heritage buildings. It is time now, we believe, for that section to be repealed and for there to be due process over the removal of further heritage buildings. We have lost 50 percent of the heritage buildings in Canterbury, and it is time, I think, for us to take a step back and say that we have addressed those immediate safety concerns and we do need to turn our minds to preserving the wonderful, beautiful history of the Canterbury region. I just make that plea at the beginning of my statement.

Just very quickly, to summarise, obviously Labour supports this bill. The Arts Centre is the jewel in the crown of heritage buildings in Canterbury. It is important, though, that we ensure that the framework that sits around the trust and all of the work that it is having to do now—the comprehensive and expensive restoration work—is fit for purpose, that it gives the trust a good, sound footing, and that it adapts to the situation it now find itself in.

I wish very well those who are on the governance committees of the Arts Centre for the work they are doing, and I particularly acknowledge, as my colleague has done, Margaret Austin in that work. Finally, I just reiterate our support for this bill and our thanks to Nicky Wagner for bringing it forward.

Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. I am pleased to take a call on the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill, which the Green Party will be supporting. Like other members, I acknowledge the Hon Nicky Wagner for bringing the bill to the House, and the hard-working and committed members of the trust board.

I was privileged to have an office in the Old Chemistry building on Hereford Street through the 1990s and early 2000s. It is indeed a privilege to work in a building that has got such a history of craftsmanship and has been used and enjoyed by so many people over the decades. As you enter the Old Chemistry building, the stone steps have a depression in them, and each time I walked up them I wondered how many thousands of students’ feet had passed that way before.

The craftsmanship in the buildings, in terms of the ornamental stonework and the architecture, is not found in many buildings today. The buildings, the whole complex itself, were constructed by some of Canterbury’s early significant and leading architects, like Benjamin Mountfort and Samuel Hurst-Seager, and that is one of the reasons why it is one of the most significant clusters of heritage buildings in New Zealand. They are not just nationally important; they are internationally important.

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has recognised the Arts Centre campus as a building with special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance and value. It was really disappointing that in the series of earthquakes, despite the work that the trust had put into earthquake strengthening prior to the quakes, there was significant damage to all but one of the 23 buildings on the campus. But whenever you walk down Worcester Boulevard or Hereford Street and you see the very steady and thoughtful progress of the restoration work that is being done, it is very encouraging, particularly because it is being done in a careful way. The work is being phased. It is a significant and very large project—one of the largest in the world, I understand, given the complexity of it.

There is a very marked contrast between the thoughtful work that is happening to the Arts Centre and the desolation we have in the rest of the central city because of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority’s very aggressive demolition strategy in relation to heritage buildings. Its strategy has seen the destruction of over 230 buildings with a heritage listing. It is really disappointing that the same care that is being put into the Arts Centre could not have been exercised by the authority in terms of its decisions on whether buildings should stay or go.

The buildings are significant not just for their craftsmanship and their architecture but also for their history. The University of Canterbury was founded in 1873. It moved on to the site in 1876. The buildings were there to accommodate the university and two of the city’s major secondary schools, Christchurch Boys’ High School and Christchurch Girls’ High School. When the university celebrated its centennial in 1973 it got the Government’s permission to preserve the buildings and to sell off some of the ones at the western end of the complex, and that has been the basis of the buildings growing to form a very special place in the hearts of many Christchurch citizens.

We are very pleased to support this bill, because it updates and modernises the governance arrangements for the trust, and it consolidates the trust’s administration. It includes provisions that will provide for the appointment of a skills-based board, and it provides a much more secure future for the Arts Centre because of the provisions that mean that in the event that the trust board had to be wound up, the Crown would have to establish a new entity with objects as close as possible to the objects in this bill. At the present time, if the board had to be wound up, then it could use the assets that the Arts Centre represents for any educational or charitable purpose. So it has a much more secure future with this change.

Another one of the improvements in terms of the governance arrangements is that the board will have to hold an annual public meeting, because Christchurch citizens are concerned about the future of the Arts Centre. It was very controversial in 2009, with the University of Canterbury’s proposal to establish a new school of music on the site.

Kia ora, Mr Assistant Speaker. I rise on behalf of New Zealand First as the arts and culture spokesperson. I am pleased to stand in support of the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill going to the Local Government and Environment Committee, and to acknowledge the member of Parliament Nicky Wagner for bringing the bill to the House, and the trustees who have been working around these heritage properties for some time.

In my own experience in my own town, where we have a grand lady that was also 100 years old, and where there have been a substantial number of voices calling for us to pull down our heritage, to attack our heritage, because it might be in a prime spot that might have more commercial value, I know how difficult it can be sometimes to argue the point that these buildings must be protected and must be maintained. In the circumstances that I am talking about, with this category I building with the last building made of hollow blocks, not of a stone block construction, we have to raise only $1 million more to make sure that the inside is preserved and strengthened, as opposed to $290 million.

My hat is off to the very brave people who have put themselves forward, who will put themselves forward, and who will commit themselves to these buildings and to the maintenance of this heritage, as already has been suggested, not just for Christchurch but for the country. It is just another step on the way to making sure that this Parliament supports the people of Christchurch in any way that it can to bring their city back to the fabulous city that it was. They still have the character, the strength, and the backbone that they always had, and they are probably even more resilient than they ever were, due to the circumstances of the earthquakes. But they still need support in particular ways, and this is one of the ways that this Parliament can give that support.

We do not see any reason to take up any more time to talk any more about the bill. We look forward to the select committee process. We look forward to reviewing the wide consultation that has already taken place around this particular issue. We believe that it has strong support from the local area, so we will commend the bill to the House.

Can I just advise members on 5-minute speeches. Custom and practice dictate that, like the general debate, speakers with 5-minute slots are to be seated on the ringing of the bell and the next speaker should seek the call.

I rise with great pleasure to speak to the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill at its first reading. As the chair of the Local Government and Environment Committee, I am delighted that the Hon Nicky Wagner has chosen to take this bill to our committee. It is a very good thing indeed, and, of course, she is extremely well placed, unlike a member from Auckland. Nicky Wagner understands only too well the importance of the Arts Centre to the community of Christchurch. It is an essential part of the fabric, the history, of the town.

As someone who studied horticulture in Christchurch many, many years ago, to me the building really does typify what is quintessentially Christchurch. It is a magnificent building. One of the many tragedies that occurred after the earthquakes is the fact that all but one of the centre’s 23 buildings were very, very badly damaged, and it is wonderful indeed to see this magnificent building be restored and be able to be used in a way that will reflect the history of the city, even when so much else all around it has changed.

It seems to me that when you modernise and make more fit for purpose buildings of the importance of the Arts Centre, it is also very important to change the governance structures so that they too are able to reflect the changing needs of those buildings. So to get people in charge of the buildings who have the skill set required to guide and push them through to the place where they need to be—to be again a jewel in the crown of Christchurch City—is indeed a very important thing.

As Nicky Wagner pointed out in the opening call in this debate, the centre used to be visited by 1.5 million visitors annually, and, of those, half came from outside the region. I think that when you look at the proud history of Christchurch’s buildings—apart from the Cathedral, and I share members’ concerns that that is a building that has not been restored to the grandeur it deserves—we can see that the remaining buildings do need to be very carefully looked at and preserved. Piece by piece, stone by stone, these magnificent buildings will rise and be fit for modern purpose. Buildings of this kind are very representative of Christchurch.

This bill will enable the centre to modernise the governance arrangements. It will set out the objects of the trust in legislation, which will protect it and enshrine those protections. It will also reflect, as a baseline, the cultural heritage significance of the Arts Centre, but with that modern edge and with that post-earthquakes edge as well. This is a bill that will ensure that the Arts Centre will be in a safe pair of hands in the short term, and in the longer term the vision for the future and the governance role of the directors will ensure that it remains relevant and fit for purpose, no matter what challenges might occur for it in the future.

I think that setting out the trust’s current objectives in legislation, with the consequences that they can be changed only by amendment to the legislation, is a further strengthening. It is as important as the earthquake strengthening. It is important that people cannot fiddle and tamper with something that really needs to be able to just get on with the very challenging job that it has for its future. As I indicated, this is a bill that provides for a skills-based board that will be appointed by an appointments committee.

Sometimes in the past—I have seen it a little bit in Christchurch and in other places—well-intentioned people who have got time on their hands and who would like to get involved in a project, do get involved in it, but sometimes there is more required than that. So, with the best will in the world, that very important decision-making role of who should be on a board and what skill sets are required needs to be properly protected and enshrined, so that there is not going to be any misunderstanding.

Given the amount of time, energy, and resources that have been put into this bill, and into the centre itself, it is really important that in the future it be secured in perpetuity. I think the objects of the trust, as set out in the legislation, do need to be clearly distinguished from the powers of the trust board, and that is all because those objects need to be advanced. Along with the other reasons and points that have been made by other speakers in this debate, I join with them in commending this bill to the House. I look forward to it coming before the Local Government and Environment Committee and going through due process in due course. Thank you.

Kia orana, Mr Assistant Speaker. Meitaki maata. I rise to take a short call on the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill. I acknowledge the Hon Nicky Wagner for bringing this bill to the House. Of course, it is something that we are very happy to support because it is a beautiful precinct and it has a lot of history and significance in Christchurch. I want to acknowledge the members of the trust board who are here today to support the discussion in the House.

I am a little envious, I have to say, of the member Eugenie Sage, who actually got the opportunity to work in the precinct. What wonderful memories you must have of that place. I have to say that my own connection is rather more recreational, but I have spent many, many times enjoying the markets there previously. I know what a touchstone the whole precinct is for that part of the city and that many people gather there. It is unfortunate that we have lost so much in Christchurch, but the care and the love that the trust board has for this centre and has really put into saving the buildings will ensure that the centre will go on into perpetuity for the people of Canterbury and for people from outside the region.

I have to say that that is a really important part of this bill. It is about the structure of the board and governance issues and ensuring that there is good, sound structure for the Arts Centre to continue, but it also has a very emotional heart because we have lost a lot of the touchstones that we had in that city. You would connect different parts of the city to the significant buildings that occupied those spaces, and we have lost so many of them. It is a particularly pretty and beautiful part of our city, and it is wonderful to know that those buildings will be retained there.

I do not have too much more to say on this, other than to commend the trust for wanting to strengthen the provisions within its charitable objects, wanting to strengthen the work that it does within its board structure, ensuring that it has the right people and the right skill sets on board, and ensuring that it has got the opportunity to get all of the expertise to continue to develop not only the recovery and the rebuild of this particular precinct but also the sense and the mana of the Arts Centre to continue on past this particular board into the future. I just want to say that it is a great bill. We are really happy to support it and I commend the Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery on this. I commend the bill to the House.

I rise to support the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill in its first reading and I acknowledge the sponsor, Christchurch Central MP Nicky Wagner, for introducing it to the House. I know that this is not just something that she simply does. I know that her heart is very much in this bill, just as her heart is very much in Christchurch. I congratulate her and happily support the provisions in this bill.

The Arts Centre restoration programme is understood to be the largest of its kind ever to be undertaken in the world today. This bill is a key part of protecting and preserving that very Arts Centre of Christchurch for all of our futures, but not least of all for the people of Christchurch and of wider Canterbury. It sets out the objects of the trust in legislation and reflects the cultural and heritage significance of the Arts Centre. In noting that, it is important that the objects of the trust, as set out in this legislation, are clearly distinguished from the powers of the trust board to advance these objects. This is because of the local, national, and international heritage significance of the Arts Centre and its historic buildings. It is because of the importance of the trust’s objectives in relation to ensuring that the Arts Centre continues as a cultural centre for the people and visitors of Christchurch, and it is so the heritage integrity of the Arts Centre and its historic stone buildings are preserved.

The Arts Centre holds a very special place in the hearts of the people of Christchurch. It is a collection of historic buildings on a site previously occupied by the University of Canterbury, and the Associate Minister for Canterbury Earthquake Recovery gave us a brief history lesson on that. The Arts Centre was occupied by the University of Canterbury and two of the city’s original secondary schools. In fact, it represents one of the largest clusters of heritage buildings in New Zealand and is a cultural asset of local, national, and international significance—as I outlined before. Interestingly, the Nobel Prize - winning scientist Lord Rutherford completed his undergraduate degree and carried out most of his ground-breaking research on this site.

This bill also provides an opportunity for greater certainty around the original intentions of the trust deed. This is to preserve the architectural and heritage values of the site. It is very important that we keep as close as possible to what was originally intended by designers and those involved in the act of construction way back when the original build occurred. It will provide a vibrant cultural centre for the people of Christchurch, and, of course, the bill will also ensure that the new governance structure that has been recommended by the Arts Centre’s trust board, following a comprehensive review, does in fact occur. This process included the commissioning of an independent report, with the support of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, and also involved an extensive consultation process with stakeholders over the last couple of years.

The bill provides for a skills-based board appointment by an appointments committee. That is very, very important. Stakeholders, including the broader community, will have the opportunity to nominate candidates for trustee vacancies. I see an opportunity there. This will provide trustees with the essential support of the community.

💬 Phil Twyford: A career opportunity.

As one who is searching. Importantly, prior to the drafting of this bill the trust board has undertaken wide-ranging consultation with key external stakeholders already—including the University of Canterbury, the Christchurch City Council, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, the Christchurch Civic Trust, and papatipu rūnanga of Canterbury—about the nature and the effect of the proposed changes. So the community as a whole is well weaved into this process and there is tremendous support for what Minister Wagner wants to achieve here for the community.

These stakeholders are supportive in principle of the proposed changes, including the move to a skills-based trust board. They see the sense in that. That is something that this National Government has over the last 5 or 6 years ensured—that skills on boards throughout the country are made top priority.

I would just like to take a call on this particular bill, the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill, because coming, as I do, from the West Coast, the development and the restoration of Christchurch institutions are very, very important to us. Not only that, I was a resident in Christchurch for some years and this particular centre was where my children used to go when they were playing in their orchestra, and I would join many a parent listening to the wonderful renditions of children under 10—and I was very heartened.

Another reason I would like to speak on this bill is to provide support for my colleague the Hon Nicky Wagner, who is a very, very hard-working MP in Christchurch. It was very pleasing to hear some of the principal speakers on the Labour side saying that they felt she had done a jolly good job. However, it would seem that Phil Twyford finds it boring. He asked Phil Heatley in the previous speech to hurry up, when he was talking about something as important as this.

💬 Hon Amy Adams: It’s not about Auckland.

It is not about Auckland; therefore, Phil Twyford is not interested. I was astonished. I had always given him a little bit of credit for being reasonably cultured: you know, not just having books with illustrations in them, but into the odd chapter books, some joined up writing—Phil could handle this. But, no—

💬 Jami-Lee Ross: He should be out doorknocking.

He should indeed be out doorknocking, and it is just something of a disappointment to hear such a stream of criticism coming over from the other side. Well, I hope he was listening to Phil Heatley, because I am going to say much the same things myself, because there may be points that he missed. But all jokes aside—

💬 Phil Twyford: He was a fine housing Minister, Phil Heatley.

It was a fine speech by Mr Heatley. I quite agree with you. Thank you for saying that. I do remember the building, and, of course, it is not just a matter of Christchurch residents benefiting; it is the whole area—the diaspora of Christchurch, the entrepôt of the South Island, and the second-largest city in New Zealand.

This centre of it—the cultural centre, the Arts Centre—is a very important aspect. This bill sets out the objects of the trust and the powers of the trust board to advance these objects in an Act. Mr Assistant Speaker, I realise that you were getting frustrated with the level of interjection that we were receiving from the other side. I did not really notice it, but I think Mr Twyford had something else to say.

💬 Phil Twyford: A top-quality interjection.

You had a question?

💬 Phil Twyford: Top quality.

A top-quality interjection?

💬 Phil Twyford: I said it’s pronounced “di-aspora”, not “dia-spora”.

“Di-aspora”? Well, I pronounce it—“envelope” or “on-velope”; “di-aspora” or “dia-spora”. I probably use a Scottish pronunciation. I probably use a—

The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson): Order! Let us talk about the bill.

Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker. I am keen to do that. The bill sets out the objects of the trust and the powers of the trust board to advance these objects in an Act. Basically, the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill reflects the local, national, and international heritage significance of the Arts Centre. The bill is a key part of protecting and preserving the Arts Centre of Christchurch for the future, and it sets out the trust’s current objectives in legislation, with the consequence that they can be changed only by amendment to the legislation.

I have been privileged to have a visit from one of the trustees, who wanted to acquaint me with the work they have done. I think that everybody here is familiar with the voluntary efforts of people with experience who sit on trusts and on boards and bring their skills, and this trust is no less deserving of credit for what its members have done. They have worked very, very hard to bring this bill to this point. Because the bill will enable the Arts Centre to modernise its governance arrangements, it sets out the objectives of the trust in legislation and reflects the cultural and heritage significance of the Arts Centre. Perhaps without straying from the bill, Mr Assistant Speaker—without straying from the bill—

In reply I call the honourable Minister Nicky Wagner.

As we have heard this afternoon in the House, the Arts Centre is a much-beloved part of Christchurch. We all have our family stories of how we have enjoyed it. I remember most of all taking my little sons down to the Arts Centre most weekends to go to the food carts, because we lived only a couple of blocks away from it. I also used to make a regular trip every Christmas to do my Christmas shopping there. The Arts Centre was also a place that we liked to take visitors who came to Christchurch to see. We took them there so they could enjoy the magnificent heritage buildings, reflect on the history of Christchurch, enjoy the arts, perhaps shop for local crafts in the stores and markets, and really enjoy the public space, the entertainment, and the performances that were there.

When the 2010 earthquake hit Christchurch, the Arts Centre was damaged. Fortunately, there was some work done on the Arts Centre, including securing one of the turrets that is on Rolleston Avenue, before the 2011 earthquakes, which did further damage. I think we were particularly fortunate to have nobody injured in those earthquakes, because a lot of people spent a lot of time in the Arts Centre. Immediately after the 2011 earthquake, the site had to be closed because of unsafe buildings. As we have heard, the rebuilding is under way. It is a huge restoration project, and it is going very well. I was delighted to see the new Registry Building opened. It has been beautifully restored, it is fully tenanted, and it looks fantastic. The next thing we are looking forward to is the opening of the gymnasium, which will be the home of the Free Theatre and the Arts Circus project. Lots of people are looking forward to that and to coming back into the city to go to their performances.

The vision of the future of the Arts Centre is important to Christchurch. It is a vision of a hub for creative entrepreneurs that will support a broad range of cultural, arts, and educational activities. It is a place for all Christchurch people and our visitors to gather, to enjoy a vibrant, creative, and historically important experience.

The Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Bill also seeks to modernise the governance arrangements, as we have heard. It provides for a skills-based board of trustees appointed by an appointments committee, and candidates will be recommended by stakeholders and the broader community. It is essential that the trust has a strong set of skills as it works its way through this restoration project, and also that it has a strong governance structure for the ongoing future. This bill is about protecting the Arts Centre of Christchurch. The Arts Centre is a unique cluster of historic buildings, and it will be a fabulous creative arts centre and cultural hub. It is has been a much-loved public space, as I said. It has been enjoyed in the past by the people of Christchurch and many, many tourists, and once again it will be a fabulous, people-friendly, vibrant space for our city. Thank you.

Bill read a first time.

Bill referred to the Local Government and Environment Committee.