Trust Horizon (Trust Variation) Bill

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It’s a pleasure to take a call on this Trust Horizon (Trust Variation) Bill. The Labour Party supports this piece of legislation, although we are keen to see what comes about at the select committee process, because we have some things that we would like to see, perhaps, considered at that time.

This particular piece of legislation just simply amends the trust’s deed. The trust was set up at the time as part of the energy reforms in the early 1990s, and their remit was quite narrow. It was quite narrow in so far as they just had to be able to support applications for funding that related to energy-specific projects. Now, this trust is in an area in New Zealand where some of our highest needs are, and so what they are asking for is the ability to broaden the scope for whom they can grant funding. To me, that makes sense, because what we know is that our community, local charities, and our local volunteer groups have had funding access cut and stripped out so much that every organisation is desperately trying to seek funding from some agency wherever they can get it. This actually does make sense, in order for the communities that this trust serves to be able to access additional funding for projects that they deem worthy.

💬 Hon James Meager: Not very collegial—that’s not a good sign for the alcohol debate.

If you would like to make a contribution, feel free to make a call, Mr Meager.

However, there are some things that we would like to understand and see, perhaps, through the committee process. The trust has said that the applications for energy-related grants is somewhat limited despite population growth; they’re not seeing those applications come through. We’d be interested to explore if there’s any scope for the trust to support local residences, businesses, and groups with energy independence—for example, through initiatives such as solar power.

This bill has some really good aspects to it in that it will look to serve the community, as I said before, where there are some real deprivation issues. We’ve seen some real success stories with other trusts—for example, the likes of Trust Tairāwhiti; when they were formed in the same sort of era and issues, they didn’t have a specific clause that said that they were only mandated to be able to provide grants to those around the energy-specific area. They have gone on to achieve fantastic, fantastic things, and to support the community in incredible ways.

We are supportive of this piece of legislation. We do see the benefits that it will bring to the community, and so we support it at this point, particularly to the select committee process. We look forward to hearing from all those organisations and people that will look to benefit from it so that we can get a really good picture of how it will benefit those communities more specifically. I commend this piece of legislation to the House.

I’m delighted to rise on behalf of New Zealand First to support this bill, as well, and congratulations to Dana Kirkpatrick for bringing the bill to us, but, also, congratulations to Horizon Trust, not only for developing the bill but for the way they’ve gone about it. They really, really clearly signalled it to their community. It’s up there in lights in their annual report. They had a poll in their community, and I don’t know if that member said how many votes were cast, but 3,469 were cast and 80.7 percent said, yes, they liked the idea of this bill. So it’s got really, really strong support, and you can see the reason for that support.

As Dana Kirkpatrick has already said in introducing this bill, the range of different activities that are able to be supported by the trust has been limited, basically because they’ve done most of it, and you can see the investment made in schools, LED lighting for rugby clubs, and so on. Actually, one I did like—and I’m not quite sure how it fits with energy—was investment in supporting New Zealand AutoTraps’ work. AutoTraps is another wonderful, creative organisation in Whakatāne that does predator control. They have broadened out a little bit, but, obviously, this is about trying to allow them to broaden out much more and to be able to give much more benefit to the community as a whole.

Like many others around here who have been involved in some of these organisations that give grants, I know that when you have an organisation that is really focused on the community, is really embedded in that community, and has a certain amount of money to be able to give to that community, it is careful and thoughtful and it engages with the community in thinking about where that money goes to give the maximum possible benefit. I’m sure that is exactly what the trust is doing.

There are a couple of other things that I did want to note. The bill says that the trust now has more than $200 million dollars in assets—$207 million, according to the annual report—but $173 million of that is, essentially, the ownership of the lines network that is there. I hope that, in your right of reply, you will be able to cover off that the trust has a responsibility to maintain the asset on an ongoing basis to make sure not only that this generation but future generations are able to continue to benefit from that. I think of the bill we passed not that long ago for the Auckland Council, where they had set up, essentially, the idea of a perpetual fund that will benefit not just this generation but, also, future generations of Aucklanders, and likewise, I would hope that this will continue to benefit future generations of people in the Easten Bay of Plenty.

There are a couple of other things I wanted to reflect on. During the debate on the last bill, the Carter Trust Amendment Bill, comment was made about omnibus bills, and maybe there’s a whole bunch of different organisations that are limited by, as in this case, a trust deed. I have had this conversation—at least in passing—about whether there are other organisations, particularly of this nature, which are similarly limited and might want to put their hands up and say, “Hey, can we get our trust deed expanded?”, if that’s what they want to be able to do.

I think I’ve said all that I needed to say on this. I think it’s a great bill. Congratulations, again, to all who were involved with it. I look forward to seeing the submissions and to seeing its passage through the House.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. What a great day for local representation—a bill has been brought forward by a local member of Parliament with passion for her community to do the right thing, to support her community. This is what you can get, New Zealand, when you have great, strong local advocacy and local representation. It’s been an excellent debate with support across the House—no sniping, no politics. I commend the bill to the House.

Kia orana, Mr Speaker. Thank you for that. These private bills are an interesting beast, and there is a real question to be asked about whether the House’s time is best used on what is, essentially, a minor trust variation expanding the powers of the trust to distribute money beyond its original purposes. The High Court is perfectly able to do that, but efforts being created by Parliament are not seen as being within the ambit of the court’s powers. So I’m very happy to see this bill go to select committee and have a good look at the proposed trust variations—see what’s good for the community, which is ultimately what this is about, because it’s a community asset, in terms of this electricity company that we’re talking about. Let’s send if off to select committee as soon as we can and see what happens. Kia ora.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I’ve recently had the privilege of visiting the Eastern Bay of Plenty with the outstanding member of Parliament, Dana Kirkpatrick, and have seen firsthand the high esteem in which she’s held within her community. I just congratulate Dana on bringing this bill before the House.

I note that the trust estimates a further $1 million to $2 million potential contributions annually into their community, on top of their already very generous local support. I commend them on their dedication to their community, and I commend this bill to the House.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. When I knew I was going to be speaking on this bill, I went to have a look at what the Horizon Trust does, and I have to say I’m very impressed with the work they are currently doing. I’m looking forward to seeing what they are able to do with the passing of this bill through all stages.

It seems to me that they’re almost on that journey now, when you look at what they’re doing—when you see that they have apprenticeships, they’re looking into making certain that people have warm, dry homes, and they are investing in businesses like Whakatōhea Mussel. There’s a whole lot that they are doing, and I’m just really excited.

I have personal knowledge of what a trust such as this can do, with our Western Bay of Plenty trust and the difference they can make for people in need, and I look forward to seeing what this trust is able to do when they’re able to expand their operations. I’m looking forward to seeing those questions coming through in the select committee and seeing the representation made. I, too, have no hesitation in commending this bill to the House.

ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Teanau Tuiono): A five-minute right of reply—Dana Kirkpatrick.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I just want to cover a couple of things quickly, just to reinforce the two main parts of this bill: to broaden the funding from energy-related purposes to charitable purposes, so, to widen the scope; and, secondly, the bill will alter the trust deed so it can be updated in the future by a trip to the High Court, not a trip to the House, which will please Mr Webb to no end, I’m sure.

The trustees have worked very hard to get to this point. I just think there’s a list of a few people who need to be thanked: the settlor of the Trust Horizon Energy Distribution Ltd and their board, who support the changes; the local councils, iwi and others who have written to trustees and supported the bill; the fellow charitable trusts Bay Trust, Tauranga and Western BOP Community Trust (TECT), the Rotorua Trust, and Philanthropy New Zealand, who have supported this bill and, in the case of TECT and the Rotorua Trust, they’ve already made similar changes to their deeds to those being proposed today.

Finally, I mention the trust’s chief executive, Derek Caudwell, the staff, advisers, and trustees past and present who have had the vision and conviction to put this before Parliament to unlock greater funding support for their community, including Allison Windley and Robyn Forrester; legal advisers James Every-Palmer KC, Jonathan Orpin-Dowell from Stout Street Chambers, and Brooke Courtney from Sharp Tudhope; and trustees David Glover, David Bulley, Edwina O’Brien, Kevin Hennessey, Merrin Stables, and Yvonne Boyes. We were also just asked to pass on very great thanks to the Parliamentary Counsel Office, who offered great support; and the Clerk’s Office, who were instrumental in helping guide the trustees and us through the initial stages of getting this to this point.

I want to thank all of these people for the opportunity to do this job for the community. It’s a great privilege and an honour, and I look forward to the select process. I commend the bill to the House.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

Referral to Select Committee