Carter Trust Amendment Bill

I move, That the Carter Trust Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Social Services and Community Committee to consider the bill.

It’s a real pleasure to stand here today and speak with you about the Carter Trust Amendment Bill. The journey of this bill has been one of teamwork, open discussion, and a shared sense of doing what’s right. It’s gone through a very thorough process, required for a local bill, to be able to reach this House, ensuring that every voice is heard and everyone’s interests are considered. To bring a bill like this before Parliament isn’t done lightly. The process means public notice, lots of consultation, and a chance for all of those affected to have their say.

In this case, I’m delighted to report that both the beneficiaries of Charles Rooking Carter’s original bequest and the people who have been looking after the trust are in full agreement. This is the best and fairest way forward. Their unity is a powerful endorsement, showing just how carefully this bill has been shaped.

I also want to acknowledge the hard work that has gone into getting this bill to the point it is at today: the Carter Society Incorporated, with dedicated volunteers that have invested significant amounts of time and expertise; to the Public Trust for taking a pragmatic and future-focused approach and for their 129 years as trustee; and to St Mark’s parish for their time and support. These three parties that are directly affected by the Carter Trust Amendment Bill have worked together to ensure that what has been introduced today will continue to deliver for future generations. I would also like to acknowledge my colleagues from the other side of the House that are domiciled in the Wairarapa and are also supporting this bill.

This amendment bill is all about ensuring the legacy of Charles Rooking Carter so that it is not unduly hampered by outdated legislation, and reducing administration costs and complexity while firmly ensuring the legacy of the late Charles Rooking Carter’s vision for the aged is maintained and enhanced in the future, because, over time, the world changes and so do the needs of our communities. The Carter Trust Act 1961 was drafted in a different era, with rules and assumptions that made sense back then but now often create roadblocks or confusion.

First, the Act contains provisions that are now outdated or simply don’t fit the way charities and trusts operate today—for example, it refers to specific terms like Carter Homes and trust lands, which no longer align with the actual assets or activities of the trust. Continuing to reference these old terms causes unnecessary confusion for administrators and beneficiaries alike.

Second, the way the original Act directed the use and disposal of trust income has become much less workable over time. The existing rules make winding up the trust burdensome, tying up resources that could be better used for our community. It’s simply not practical to administer a charitable trust with requirements that no longer reflect reality. Without change, the risk is that funds are left idle or caught up in legal wrangling rather than being put to good use. In addition, the Act currently places heavy procedural requirements on the Carter Society Incorporated, like needing to seek Minister of Health approval to amend their rules. This is an unnecessary hurdle that slows down good governance and makes it harder for the society to respond to its members’ changing needs.

Another key detail is the lack of clarity around the liability of the Public Trust. As it stands, trustees could be exposed to risk even in situations where they act in good faith. This amendment bill addresses this by limiting liability to cases of dishonesty, wilful misconduct, or gross negligence, providing much-needed certainty and encouraging ongoing responsible stewardship.

On top of all of this, the Act doesn’t offer a clear, modern path for wrapping up the trust and distributing its assets. This amendment bill carefully lays out a step-by-step process for when the time comes to close the trust. Fifty thousand dollars will go to the Anglican parish of Carterton, in line with longstanding commitments, and all remaining funds will go to the Carter Society, ensuring Mr Carter’s legacy continues to serve the local area.

In short, the Carter Trust Amendment Bill proposes to, one, “amend the will of the late Charles Rooking Carter to enable the winding up of the charitable trust (the Carter Trust) established under the will and the making of distributions by Public Trust as executor of the will; … [two] clarify the legal liability of Public Trust in respect of the [charitable] trust; and [three] enable the Carter Society Incorporated … to amend its rules without needing the approval of the Minister of Health.”

For those who may be wondering what the Carter Trust is and what it does and where it came from, I’ll try my best to do justice in telling a very important local Carterton story. It started with a man by the name of Charles Rooking Carter, born in England, the son of a builder. He immigrated to New Zealand in 1850 with his new wife, Jane. In 1853, Carter walked from Wellington to the Wairarapa via Palliser Bay. Bravely battling the unpredictable tides, accounts of this journey say that he nearly drowned on the way. On arrival, Carter immediately recognised the potential of the plains as suitable to purchase and develop as small farms by working immigrants. He himself purchased close to 2,500 hectares on the Taratahi plain.

He was elected member of the Small Farms Association, advocating for and laying the foundations for developing the land into the lush, fertile farms that they are today. Carter represented the Wairarapa in the Wellington Provincial Council from 1857 to 1864 and in the General Assembly for the Wairarapa from 1859 to 1865. The settlement in the area known as Three Mile Bush was named in his honour—Carterville, now known as Carterton.

Carter was a philanthropist. He provided initial funding for the Carter Observatory, a substantial book collection to the Carterton Library, as well as contributions to the New Zealand Institute and Colonial Museum. He was also involved with the establishment of the Greytown and Masterton lands trusts. In Carterton, through gifts or influence, he was involved in the acquisition of land for a cemetery, post office, police station, and courthouse, as well as the Carter reserve.

Charles Rooking Carter died in 1896, and in his will, with the Public Trust as executor and trustee of the charitable Carter Trust, he left, as stated: “certain pieces of land comprising in all 2,178 acres, three roods, 2.7 perches, more or less, situated near the Borough of Carterton; certain sums of money, and certain furniture and other household articles” to provide for the establishment of a home for a durable and substantial building to accommodate at least 20 inmates—the Carterton Home for Aged Poor Men—the annual sum of £25, to be paid to the Church of England clergyman, whose parish includes the Borough of Carterton, for the upkeep of his grave, located in Clareville Cemetery.

The Carterton Home for Aged Poor Men, Carter Home, was completed in 1900 and dedicated on 7 January 1901, five years after Carter’s death. It was located on Moreton Road, and the income from the Taratahi South Run block it sat on helped to fund the running of the home so that the residents could reside free of charge. In the early years, it is said to have housed seven to 10 residents—or inmates, as they were called back then—and was run by the Carter Homes Committee.

In 1961, in response to the changing social and financial environment, this Parliament passed the Carter Trust Act 1961. This private Act of Parliament provided for the establishment of the Carter Society, the sale of the existing home, the construction of a new one, the provision for the charging of fees, and extending the availability to women. The new home, providing rest home care, was constructed in Pembroke Street, Carterton, and is still in use today.

Substantial renovations to the rest home, together with a new build expansion, were undertaken in the early 2000s. The development included a hospital level wing, a new kitchen, an activities room, and nursing workstations. In 2015, the Carterton District Council senior housing portfolio, with 38 housing units and additional land for future development, was also gifted to the Carter Society.

In summary, what started as a vision to help with housing has grown to be a significant community asset, housing over 100 residents over the age of 65. This is something that needs not only to be supported but to be celebrated. Let’s help this trust finish its journey on a high note, true to the values of its founder and ready to make a difference for years to come.

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Very pleased to stand up and express the Labour Party’s support for this bill. I acknowledge Mike Butterick as the member for Wairarapa for shepherding this private bill through the House. It’s only appropriate that the local member of Parliament does that, and that is the convention in this House. We’re happy to support it.

This is a long time coming. I remember having conversations with the Carter Society about this bill many years ago. The fact of the matter is they do a phenomenal job—and, like all community-owned aged-care providers, it’s not easy. It’s not easy to deliver the standard of care that is required by the community with the level of revenue that they have. One way in which to supplement that revenue and continue expanding and improving and delivering that level of care is to be able to do things that go far beyond the original scope and vision that was in the original will and bill.

What a vision that was. Mr Butterick has spent some time, and rightly so, expressing the contribution that Charles Rooking Carter has made to Carterton, Wairarapa, and the broader Wellington region. He is, and remains, a special member of the Wairarapa community, because his legacy continues. Just recently, I walked through a reserve—a very special reserve preserving centuries-old native bush—that he of course gifted to the Wairarapa community. Every year, there are annual awards that celebrate people’s contributions to the Carterton district named in his honour.

His story is like so many across Wairarapa, where those that were some of the initial European settlers of that beautiful valley—including Henry Burling, who was my great-grandmother’s great-grandfather, who was the first European settler in what’s now Featherston—the legacy that they contributed with their foresight, establishing, like what Charles Rooking Carter has, with the likes of the Wairarapa Building Society and the Masterton Trust Lands Trust and the Greytown Lands Trust—where the community now, many, many, many, many decades on, continues to benefit. The Carter Society is one of those examples.

The problem—and it’s been the case for a long time—is that what was appropriate for the time is no longer fit for purpose, and what was intended to establish the society for the benefit of the community now proves to be a hindrance. There’s no possible way that they could have foreseen this, and in no way should that be interpreted as a criticism; it’s just a matter of fact. That’s the exact reason why we are here speaking on this bill today. The problem with community-owned aged-care facilities is, for so many—and I say this regrettably—it’s just too hard. Already, Wairarapa, in recent years, has lost Arbor House in Greytown and Wharekaka in Martinborough—a massive impact for those communities.

Carter Court is the last one left, and I actually think it is beholden on Parliament to do something really simple and support this bill to give Carter Court every possibility of maintaining that level of care in Carterton. They shouldn’t have to go to the Minister of Health to change their rules when everybody else can change their rules. They shouldn’t have to jump through hoops and over hurdles to do what would be expected of any other provider in what has actually been quite a changing environment in aged care over the last few years.

I first became regularly involved with the Carter Society when Chris Clarke was involved. He’s a tremendous bloke, and just like everybody else that’s been involved in the board there before that time and ongoing, they do this because they care about their community, and they know that the provision of aged care—and, through the generosity of the Carterton Council, now the provision of pensioner housing—makes a massive difference. The fact is, if this was not provided in Carterton, there wouldn’t be enough beds; there aren’t enough beds now, frankly, due to the two recent closures, and there wouldn’t be enough pension and housing, and there would be significant pain and suffering, really, for those that, in their autumn years, just want to live their life out in dignity and with respect. That is exactly what the people at Carter Court are committed to, be they those that assist the residents day to day, the nurses, the other staff, the staff in the office, or indeed the staff in the kitchen; they are all committed to their residents.

This was a no-brainer, really. We have no hesitations in supporting this. It makes absolute sense. It is my genuine hope that it goes through smoothly and that the Carter Court Society can continue doing what they have done for many generations, and that’s deliver for their community. I commend it to the House.

As a resident of the Carterton district, and a list MP based in the Wairarapa, I would like to join my Wairarapa colleagues in supporting this bill. I’d also like to thank Sharon Parker, the chair of the Carter Society, for keeping me informed throughout the process; and our electorate MP for being inclusive to see whether there were any issues about this bill.

As has been mentioned, it will amend the will of the late Charles Rooking Carter to enable the winding up of the charitable trust and enable the Carter Society to amend its rules, without requiring ministerial intervention. There will be $50,000 to the Anglican parish of Carterton, with the larger remaining funds going to the Carter Society and enabling capital works, which is really critical in these days—we know how expensive buildings are when they may need renewals; they may need earthquake strengthening; they may need new facilities; they may need, with a bit of luck, some expansion.

The trust was originally established through the Carter Trust Act 1961. I think, definitely, if we’re talking about legislative improvement, moving away from having local trusts having to come to Parliament is a very good thing.

I do want to honour Charles Rooking Carter’s memory. Not every colonial settler merits that kind of positive remembrance, but his story is one of quite remarkable achievement and genuine community service. He was born in the English Lake District, as were my antecedents, in 1822, and started off life as an apprentice carpenter. He had extraordinary intellectual curiosity. He went to a lot of evening classes. These were the days when people often had to leave school early, but there were opportunities for that kind of intellectual advancement and expansion. He championed workers’ rights, through involvement particularly with the Chartists and the anti-corn laws movement, which led, for example, to reduction of Saturday hours in shops in London, and so on. So he was actually probably more on this side of the House, in many ways.

He came here in 1850. Interestingly, he became a prominent builder, he built the first bridge over the Waiōhine—it’s a pity we didn’t allow that for the Five Towns Trail Trust, which I hope the Wairarapa MPs will be united in also supporting. We’ve got the Tauherenīkau one, thanks to my colleague Julie Anne Genter. But we could certainly do with another bridge over the Waiōhine, Mr Butterick—so maybe in memory of Charles Rooking Carter, you will feel sympathetic to the Five Towns Trail Trust.

Interestingly, Mr Carter never actually lived in the eponymous town. He benefited the Wairarapa but he did not live in Carterton, although now you can go there and, while enjoying a flat white at Wild Oats, you can admire the statue of Charles Rooking Carter. As was said, he represented Wairarapa, both in the general assembly and the provincial council, and he had the idea—they hadn’t sold all the town sections in Carterton and other areas in the Wairarapa, and the proceeds from those created the Greytown and Masterton Trust Lands Trusts in 1872, and they still give out a remarkable number of very useful, very local grants.

In conclusion, his philanthropic legacy is remarkable. The Carterton Library is one of New Zealand’s finest libraries—again, thank goodness that local councils are going to be able to maintain libraries as one of their core services, whatever else may be lost. I look forward to the Carter Court continuing to look after men and women in the Wairarapa. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’m taking this call on behalf of ACT to support the Carter Trust Amendment Bill. I want to acknowledge Mike Butterick for taking up this responsibility, because for private bills, we know that we need a member of Parliament to bring that to the House so that we can work on it. Mike Butterick has taken that responsibility, and I want to acknowledge that.

It was also really good to hear from the member sponsoring the bill a bit about Mr Charles Rooking Carter. I would say that the late Charles Rooking Carter was a very kind man, and he knew exactly how his wealth should be utilised to provide for the community. He wanted to see that people—those who really need help—are looked after with the funds that he left. In the will, what he did was he wanted a trust to be established, and it was according to his will that a trust was established, the Carter Trust. This public trust manages the endowment of the late Mr Carter and also any other income that is accrued is managed by them and is distributed to the Carter Society, and also out of that fund is the annuity paid to the Church of England clergyman whose parish includes the borough of Carterton. So this money—he knew exactly how he wanted to use it, and he had laid this out in his will.

What this bill does is it actually unwinds that will, because, according to the will, this trust was set up and now this bill is to unwind that public trust. With the unwinding of the public trust, the funds will be going to the Carter Society, and also $50,000 will be going to the Anglican parish of Carterton. So, in this way, the Carter Society will be able to manage those funds and will be able to deal with issues, as there are some issues being experienced.

We need this bill because there was an Act in 1961, which was the Carter Trust Act 1961, which enacted provisions affecting the will, the trust, and the society, and that has created some complications, given that was set up in 1961. So that’s why we are dealing with this bill in here, in the House. Overall, it is to ensure that the legacy of the late Mr Carter is able to be carried out and is able to deliver for the community, and this is without the hurdles that they have had to go through because of the way it was set up in 1961.

It’s very important to note that the Carter Society and the Public Trust did advertise their intentions in the Wairarapa Times-Age, informing the public about the Public Trust’s intention to lodge the private bill. So this has been already put out in the public domain, and usually what happens is if there is any counter view from members of the public on knowing this is going to happen, they would be emailing members of Parliament. But I haven’t seen any counter views, so it looks like they have done everything that they needed to do before the bill has come before us to debate it here today for the first reading.

I also noted in one of the articles that the Public Trust’s head of communications said that “Carter’s will provided for aged poor men in Carterton following his death in 1896. New Zealand society has changed and evolved over the years, and so have local community needs. The proposed Bill will continue to ensure Carter’s charitable intentions are carried out for generations to come.” This is a very important part of this whole process because it’s about his charitable intentions. What we want to see is that the charitable intentions are carried out for generations to come, and if some things need to change to see that those charitable intentions are able to be carried out, then those changes should be made, because it’s about ensuring that the resources are utilised appropriately and that the charitable goals are actually met. So it’s about meeting the charitable goals of the late Mr Carter, rather than putting in some kind of legal hoops for them to deliver the intention of his will.

This bill is to unwind the will. This is to unwind the public trust and to have the $50,000 going to, as I mentioned before, the Anglican parish of Carterton, with the remaining funds going to Carter Society, which runs Carter Court Care Home, which is a retirement home looking after aged people and poor people. That work should continue, so we support this bill.

It’s a pleasure to rise as a new member of the Wairarapa community in support of my Wairarapa colleagues to support a Wairarapa bill. So this is good, good stuff and it’s nice to have the House all in accord on this. This is the first private bill of the term, but it’s also a bill about community benefit. We’ve heard a lot, and I will rehash a little bit of that, but also, hopefully, add a few new bits about the work of Charles Rooking Carter: builder, contractor, farmer, politician, and, in this case, philanthropist.

I want to congratulate Mike Butterick as the local MP for sponsoring the bill, and also congratulate all the parties who’ve obviously done a lot of work in bringing this bill to this place. The Carter Trust, the Carter Society, St Mark’s Anglican Church of Carterton, and the Public Trust Office, at the very least, have been involved in this. This bill is about better administrating the bequest of Charles Rooking Carter to make sure that it can do the best it can for the community of the Wairarapa.

Charles Rooking Carter was a pivotal leader in the development of the Wairarapa. He died, as we’ve heard, in 1896, and he left a significant legacy not only in his will but also in the things that he had done over many, many years. We’ve all heard about the 1961 Carter Trust Act, which is administered by the Public Trust, and the proceeds at the moment from that trust go to the local St Mark’s Anglican Church of Carterton, as I understand it, to including to upkeep properly Mr Carter’s grave, which is at Clareville. As you heard, to upkeep the Carter Reserve and with the balance which is by far the most of it, going to what was originally established as the “Carterton Home for Aged Poor Men”. It’s a bit more expansive these days, but it is about looking after our older people in the Carterton community and surrounds.

What is now the Carter Society runs what is now the Carter Court Care Home, which includes a 10-unit retirement village and 40 independent senior rental units, and you’ve heard how important that is for the Wairarapa community. As I understand it, the legislation is to make for a more efficient way of running the legacy of Charles Rooking Carter and also to help the operation of the Carter Court Care Home, which, as we’ve heard, also currently has to get any change to its rules approved by the Minister of Health.

What the bill does is it, essentially, removes the Carter Trust; gives a small amount of money, $50,000, directly to the Anglican parish of Carterton; and the Carter Society, essentially, receives the rest—which is something like, I understand, about $12 million worth of assets. So a significant amount of assets being put to the benefit of the elder community in in Carterton, the district.

I want to say a few words, as others have, about Charles Rooking Carter. We’ve heard about Carterton being named after him, from originally Carterville. The community values Charles Rooking Carter, and Sir John Key unveiled an impressive statue of him in 2015. Now he sits on the corner of High Street and Belvedere Road, gazing at the town which is named after him and keeping an eye on what is going on.

As we’ve heard, he came from humble beginnings. Born in 1822, a builder’s son from Kendal, what was then Westmoreland, on the edge of England’s beautiful Lake District. We’ve also heard that he went to various night schools, took adult education classes. He spent a lot of time in London. He wrote and advocated extensively on economics and labour conditions, so a very intelligent and inquiring mind. In 1850, he married Jane Robieson and the couple immigrated to New Zealand. He quickly made his mark.

Now, in the new town—he came to Wellington—he undertook harbour reclamation, he undertook building sea walls, he built not only the bridge which we’ve heard about over the Waiōhine River, but he also built what was the first bridge, as I understand it, over the Whanganui River. There’s a beautiful picture in Te Ara Encyclopaedia of the bridge in 1871, when it was opened, of wagons laden with wool bales crossing the bridge to reach the Wanganui wharves for shipment overseas. So he built a lot of buildings, including the Wellington Provincial buildings in 1857, which is on the site of our own General Assembly Library. That building served as the Parliament building when Parliament moved to Wellington in 1965. He was a provincial councillor, and he was an MP in the second and third parliaments of New Zealand. So he made a significant contribution in those ways, and also to the settlement of the Wairarapa. He, along with Joseph Masters, who of course Masterton is named after, were instrumental in encouraging the settlement of Wairarapa from 1853 through the Wairarapa Small Farms Association.

Look, there’s not much time or else to say, but I really think this is a great bill. I look forward to the submissions on it, to the consideration of this, and I commend this bill to the House.

Tēnā koe Madam Speaker. Tēnā tātou e te Whare. Just a short call, if I may, just to stand and acknowledge this process, given its origins, and recognise that this bill is to amend the will of the late Charles Rooking Carter to enable the winding up of the charitable trust. It is to clarify the legal liability of the public trust aspect of the Carter Trust and to enable the Carter Society Inc. to amend its rules without the approval of the Minister of Health. We acknowledge it and recognise it, and, listening to the speakers prior, everything like this has a whakapapa and a history, and it’s important to acknowledge it in the House today, from our point of view.

The Carter Trust was set up under an Act of Parliament, so an Act is required to disestablish it. We support it, of course. We see no issues at all, and we just commend it to the House. Tēnā koe e te Pīka. Tēnā tātou.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It’s a privilege to be able to stand and speak to this bill. It is a study in time and it is a study in how a man—Charles Rooking Carter—a migrant from England, could come to a new country and do what he did. He did the things that he did at the time that he could do it. He had the vision to put into action the things that he had observed and the issues that he thought he could help with, in the process, from establishing land and developing property and coming into the service of Parliament.

He would have seen and observed a lot of trials and challenges: the challenges of migrants, the challenges of people growing old in Masterton and Wairarapa. He worked very hard, so he was a hard-working migrant, which is always such a blessing to celebrate and to recognise. When he came to the end of his life, through his will, he had provided and established a pathway for the housing of aged men. For sure, he would have been observing that need, he would have seen that need. Just like our very hard-working Mike Butterick, MP for Wairarapa, who has gone to the residences and viewed the residences, the retirement villages that now exist—as our former Minister of Health, Dr Shane Reti, too, has visited. They, too, have seen the value of what was created.

Over time, that creation would come into complexities. In 1961, the will of Charles needed to morph into an Act, so the Carter Trust Act was established in 1961. That paved the way for change, which now included that women could then live in the villages that he had established. It’s quite fitting that he is remembered now for the vision of establishing that housing support for men, and then eventually, after his death, that this support through the Carter Society had expanded into the support of women.

The Act of 1961 requires, now, an amendment—amendments—where the functioning of the Carter Society could be facilitated and eased, as their responsibility grew with the expansion of the retirement villages and the services that they provide. It has been difficult, through the 1961 Act, as the Carter Society needed to go through the Minister of Health for changes in the decisions, in the management and development of the work that the Carter Society did. They were growing really rapidly; the village that started with just one home for seven to 10 residents had become now a village of expanded proportions—of 100 residents—and growing and developing and refurbishing and all that work now necessitated the amendment of the 1961 Act. With this amendment, also, the Public Trust is able to ensure that their functions are clear, and that that would facilitate all decisions of the trust. So I commend this bill to the House.

Oh, thank you, Madam Speaker. That’s one of the longest and most articulate speeches I’ve heard from Paulo Garcia, running over the nature of this trust and why the amendments are needed. I think it is indicative that this House sees a few of these bills every year. Some of them I, indeed, have sponsored, like the McLean Institute (Trust Variation) Bill, which is, in fact, very similar, where a trust deed becomes outdated and needs to be updated because it’s, essentially, embedded in statute. I mean, the Girl Guides’ legislation, which I was talking to a colleague about previously, didn’t have such glorious time through this House—it may be time for us to look at whether, in fact, we do need to have private bills to amend these trust deeds that are set in statute or whether we can do something that’s a little more efficient use of parliamentary time.

But, look, this bill’s necessary. The Carter Trust and the associated entities are useful and worthy. So, obviously, for those reasons and the reasons so articulately given by other members of this House, we support this bill.

Oh, thank you very much, Madam Speaker. It’s a pleasure to have an opportunity to speak on the Carter Trust Amendment Bill this afternoon. Just to reflect a little bit on the legacy of Charles Rooking Carter, who passed away in 1896 and left a bequest for his community that was a relatively modest but important contribution and has grown over the years, and it’s an example of the great generosity of people who leave a legacy for their communities. One of the things, though, that he wouldn’t have envisioned is just how much time would change and maybe how long his legacy would last. But times have changed, and his contribution and his legacy now has an opportunity for a change to further support the community.

There’s been some great work amongst a number of people who’ve come together to work out how to change this and reflect what the community now needs. So they want to amend his will to allow the winding up of the charitable trust and distribution of the assets by the Public Trust as executor. They want to clarify the legal liability of the Public Trust, limiting the cases of dishonesty, wilful misconduct, or gross negligence. They want to enable the Carter Society Incorporated to amend its rules without requiring the Minister of Health’s approval, which is facilitating more responsive governance to changes as they develop over time. I’m sure the Minister of Health’s duties and responsibilities have grown significantly given the population is significantly bigger in New Zealand now than it was back in 1896. Also, the bill creates a statutory process for distributing $50,000 to the Anglican Parish of Carterton and the remaining funds go to the Carter Society upon winding up.

These are all sensible changes that key stakeholders including the beneficiary of Charles Rooking Carter’s original bequest to the Public Trust and St Mark’s parish have come together and they’ve responsibly come up with some sensible solutions, have approached their local member of Parliament who is the great Mike Butterick, who’s sponsoring this bill, to bring these changes which will make an important contribution to the community.

It’s worth noting that in the years since 1896 when Charles Carter passed away, to now, his bequest has grown significantly and is now actually quite a significant bequest in that community. I couldn’t help but just reflect on that date, Madam Speaker, given that I was with yourself in a little place called Pirongia last week, and, in 1896, it was then called Alexandra, and it’s in the Waikato; in 1996, it changed its name to Pirongia so that it didn’t get confused, for postal reasons, with the Alexandra in my electorate. So there’s a just a little sort of note in history of that sort of coincidence that I couldn’t help but reflect on as I looked at this.

It’s just a reminder, also, that things change. Change needs to happen. This is a very sensible change that’s going to help that community and help the key people who are there wanting to make a further contribution and carry on the legacy of Charles Carter. So, with that, I commend this bill to the House.

Tēnā koe e te Māngai o te Whare. Heoi anō rā kei te tū awau ki te pire, arā Carter Trust Amendment Bill.

[Greetings, Madam Speaker. We rise to support this bill, the Carter Trust Amendment Bill.]

It’s a pleasure to stand and support this bill, not least of all so that one day Mike Butterick and the Hon Kieran McAnulty can have somewhere to move in together and debate policies in their twilight years—I can see it now. Heoi anō ra [Anyway], all jokes aside, kātahi te koha nui ko tēnei [what a great gift this is]. What a very generous koha Charles Rooking Carter has left for his community.

Members before me have discussed the technicalities of this bill, but I think probably the thing that appeals to me the most is that, ultimately, it’s about enabling Carter Court, the last remaining community-owned aged-care facility in Wairarapa, to continue to provide care for their own. We often talk about locally led solutions, and it’s great to be here today to support one such service.

The other word that comes to mind is manaaki. Our pakeke are the repositories of knowledge. It’s never an easy decision for whānau to make to put their elderly into care. Aside from the emotional decision whānau have to make, there’s also the transition process of leaving your home and entering a foreign environment. That can be made even more traumatic and more problematic when that transition has to happen outside of your home town. So having a local service, a local provider, where our pakeke, our elderly, can at least see their mokopuna and their tamariki more frequently is also a kaupapa that I and, indeed, the Labour Party endorse.

Hei whakakapi [To conclude], the final phrase that comes to mind is te mana o te tangata [the dignity of humanity]. Maintaining the dignity of not only our elderly and their families but, indeed, the people who ensure that are the kaimahi, the people who look after our elderly. So, while we absolutely support this Carter Trust Amendment Bill, I hope that we don’t forget the value of our kaimahi—our carers—who maintain the integrity of our pakeke who will be looked after in this facility and many other similar facilities throughout Aotearoa.

Koirā noa iho aku kōrero mō tēnei wā, e te Māngai o te Whare.

[That’s all I have to say for now, Madam Speaker.]

Once again, I commend this bill to the House.

Mike Butterick, in reply.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It really is a privilege to help shepherd this through the House—and I also thank everybody for their support. It’s been a great walk back through both time and a legacy in this first reading. If any of you were wondering about the size of the original land bequest from Charles Rooking Carter, of 2,178 acres, three roods, and 2.7 perches, you aren’t alone. I, too, was curious. I’ll share with you that a rood is equal to a quarter of an acre, or 40 perches. A perch, also known as a rod or pole, is a unit of length equivalent to 16.5 feet or 5 metres, and when squared can be considered a unit of measure. So the total area of land donated, including acres, roods, and perches, was 881.72 hectares in today’s terms. The Carter Trust Amendment Bill will allow the Carter Society, and by extension the Carterton community, more certainty and autonomy to get on with what it does best and not be hampered by outdated rules that offer no benefit in today’s era. More than that, this bill allows us the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the organisations and volunteers, like those from the Carter Society, that actually help make our communities the very places that we want to live in.

For those that don’t know, Carterton is a town in the Wairarapa with a population of around 10,250—that’s when you include the surrounding area. Some of you might think it’s a bit small or, by some standards, even tiny, but this is a town where neighbours know each other, where people pitch in, and where there’s always a helping hand. This is a community that’s happy to step up to the plate and solve local challenges with local solutions, and this bill is living proof of that. The Carter Trust, which has been in existence now for 129 years, has served the Carterton community well. It is now armed with the vision and generous bequest from Charles Rooking Carter. We need to make sure that this legacy is able to continue to benefit the Carterton community and that it’s not hampered by legislation that is no longer relevant or fit for purpose. The Carterton Society needs our support so that it can keep up with the changing needs of the people of Carterton, especially our seniors, who deserve security and comfort as they grow older.

By amending the Carter Trust Act 1961, we’re clearing away some of the red tape—the red tape that we all love to hate. We’re making it easier for our local leaders to do what they do best: find practical, caring solutions that fit the people of Carterton. The Carter Trust, thanks to the dedication of the Carter Society and local volunteers, has evolved and grown from its original mission, and it now serves a growing population of seniors with housing, rest home, and hospital care. It continues to innovate and continues to look for new ways to support those that call it home. The proposed amendments are designed precisely for this responsiveness, removing outdated barriers and giving local decision makers the freedom and the flexibility to meet those emerging needs.

What will this mean for Carterton today? It means streamlined processes, less bureaucracy, and the ability to adapt trust operations as the need arises. The financial and land assets, carefully measured, protected, and managed, can be utilised faster and more efficiently, ensuring that every resource serves the community to its fullest opportunity. But the true strength of this bill is its focus on the future. It empowers those on the ground to plan ahead, anticipating the shifting needs of an aging population and a changing society.

In closing, let’s embrace this change today to lead with local solutions. By supporting the bill, we are ensuring Carterton’s community remains resilient, innovative, and deeply cared for, now and into the future. The legacy of Charles Rooking Carter will live on, not just in history but in the vibrant, evolving life of Carterton today and its people of today. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Motion agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

The question is, That the Carter Trust Amendment Bill be considered by the Social Services and Community Committee.

Bill referred to the Social Services and Community Committee.