Carter Trust Amendment Bill

Carter Trust Amendment Bill Third Reading Hon MIKE BUTTERICK (Minister for Land Information) (16:02): I move, That the Carter Trust Amendment Bill be now read a third time. I rise today to address the House on the third and final reading of the Carter Trust Amendment Bill. This marks the culmination of a very thorough legislative process, and it really is a privilege to stand here in support of a bill that encapsulates the spirit of Carterton, reflecting the values of the community, their compassion, and continuing to build for a stronger future. I wish to acknowledge the robust process that has brought us to this point today. The drafting, the scrutiny, and the refinement of this bill has taken many hours of hard work and dedication from those involved. My sincere thanks go to the Carter Society for their unwavering commitment to the Carterton community, guiding this legislation. I’d also like to acknowledge the Public Trust for their stewardship over the last 129 years, and St Mark’s parish for their foundational support. To members of the Social Services and Community Committee, I would give my thanks, and also to my parliamentary colleagues for the constructive debate and bipartisan support. Last but not least, I want to thank the Carterton community for their unwavering support of the Carter Trust and the Carter Society. At the heart of this bill is the enduring legacy of Charles Rooking Carter. Carter was a visionary and philanthropist deeply invested in the wellbeing of Carterton. He devoted himself to public works, education, and the betterment of his adopted community. Carter recognised that the true measure of a town’s success was how it cared for its most vulnerable, a conviction that led him to create structures for the community well before this was an expected obligation or duty in society. Carter’s contributions laid the foundation for the very vibrant community that we cherish today. The inscription on his headstone, from 1896, reads “Carterton Borough was named in honour of Charles Rooking Carter. His benefactions to Wellington Province include the Wellington Observatory, the Carter Home Parkvale, Carter’s Bush at Gladstone, and many valuable books to Carterton Public Library.” This is just a fraction of what he was remembered for. Following his death, his will affirmed and formalised his commitment to build a home for aged men by establishing the Carter Trust. The assets, including land, funds, and household items, ensured the success of the home and its services, cementing Carter’s legacy as a benefactor of communal wellbeing. The Carter Home was established as a place of refuge and dignity for the elderly in Carterton, later known as the Carterton Home for Aged Poor Men. This home provided care and companionship for those who had contributed a lifetime to the community and now sought comfort in their later years. To appreciate the impact of the Carter Home in the early days, we look to the documented experiences of residents from that time. James Cox was described as a permanent member of the colonial working class, who moved to New Zealand in 1880 and spent his life as an itinerant worker not willing to be housed. James’ personal diary, of some significant 800,000 words, documented his daily life until his death in 1925. Upon entering the Carter Home in 1918, James noted, “With sad resignation, now I am stalled here, I must make myself content.” We must understand that the standard care of the elderly in the early 20th century was known to be at times substandard and appalling. New Zealand had a disproportionately large adult male population with no family ties that was indeed ageing. This stretched the resources of society to deal with what to do with them in their later years in life. The solution was old men’s homes, most of those controlled by hospital or charitable aid boards or churches. A very grim picture has been painted of what went on inside them at times. They were usually located in rural areas, remote from shops and other social amenities, quite often underfunded, quite often understaffed, dirty, and those residents who at times were bedridden were sometimes quite neglected. In stark contrast, the Carter Home was run by a local couple, supported by a committee, and did not bear the slightest resemblance to the institutionalised care of the elderly poor described elsewhere. Rather, it was seen as a seventh heaven. The home was not crowded, and with a generous endowment from Charles Rooking Carter, the home had enough rental income to employ staff who cared for the residents. Basic clothing was provided, medical care was paid for, and transport by wagon, and later a motorcar, was provided for taking residents on joy rides, visits to the Carterton shops, rugby matches, and, of course, the good, annual A & P Show. Carter Home had a good reputation in the community, and local groups of volunteers would visit and put on evening entertainment for those in the home. The residents with relative freedom of movement were expected to do a few chores around the place which could be done—and I quote—“at their pleasure”. Cox’s diary describes how undertaking these chores became integral to his daily life, helping in the gardens, sharing stories, and rediscovering community in his later years. James Cox’s journey reminds us that the Carter Home was, and remains, more than a service; it is a lifeline. His experience exemplifies the transformative power of community care, turning isolation into inclusion and hardship into hope. The legacy of Cox and others like him endures in the values that guide Carter Court today. As the decades have passed, Carterton’s needs have evolved, and so did the Carter Trust. The transformation of the original home into Carter Court marked a significant step forward, reflecting advancements in elderly care and a growing appreciation for holistic support. The Carter Society, formed to oversee these developments, has continually adapted its services to changing expectations, ensuring the residents receive not only physical care but also emotional and social support. Today, Carter Court stands as a vibrant facility offering a wide range of services, from independent living units to high-level care. The society’s commitment to continuous improvement is evident in every aspect: staff training, resident engagement, and partnership with health providers. This evolution proves the society’s dedication to upholding the values set forth by Charles Rooking Carter. At this point, I would just like to give a shout-out to the residents of the Carter Court, who may be watching right now. I was lucky enough to catch up with a current resident, who has been living there for the last 12 months, at a local Anzac Day rugby match recently, and he could not speak highly enough of the Carter Society, of the staff, and of the fellow residents, and such testimonials are echoed throughout Carterton. Families speak of the peace of mind they feel knowing their loved ones are indeed in caring hands. Residents describe a sense of agency and belonging supported by the programmes that foster social connection and lifelong learning. These stories affirm that the Carter Society’s mission is not only being fulfilled but continually strengthened. The passage of the Carter Trust Amendment Bill is not merely an administrative milestone; it is an investment in Carterton’s future. As our population ages and the demand for quality elderly care rises, our legal and organisational frameworks must keep pace. This bill provides the Carter Society with the flexibility and the security to meet those emerging challenges: expanding facilities, adopting new care models, or partnering with other service providers. The progress we celebrate today is the product of genuine collaboration. Community consultation has been a cornerstone, ensuring the voices of residents, families, and staff have been heard and respected. I wish to also highlight the spirit of bipartisan cooperation that’s characterised the passage of this bill. Members from across the House have recognised the importance of the Carter Society’s mission, setting aside political differences to serve a common good. This unity reflects the best of our parliamentary tradition and the shared values that bind us as New Zealanders. In closing, I return to the legacy of Charles Rooking Carter, measured not only in buildings or bequests but in lives touched and community bonds strengthened. The Carter Trust Amendment Bill honours that legacy, equipping the Carter Society to continue its vital mission for decades to come. I extend my deepest thanks to all who have contributed to this journey: the Carter Society, the Public Trust, St Mark’s Parish, the legal advisers, the Social Services and Community Committee, and my parliamentary colleagues. May the Carter Trust and the example of Charles Rooking Carter continue to inspire us all. I commend this bill to the House. DEPUTY SPEAKER: The question is that the motion be agreed to. Hon KIERAN McANULTY (Labour) (16:12): Thank you, Madam Speaker. Throughout the passage of this bill, the legacy of Charles Rooking Carter has been highlighted at every step of the way, and deservedly so. There aren’t many people that can lay claim to the contribution that he has done, and the foresight that he had at the time. Carterton owes so much, as does Wairarapa, to that which he bequeathed our region. It wasn’t that long ago that I was walking around a nature reserve that was his land, which he gave to the people that is still freely available for everybody’s use, and, of course, the reason why we’re here today is to discuss the work that the Carter Society do and that they will be able to do as a result of this bill. The Carter Society do a tremendous job, and there are many families that are grateful for the support and the dignity that the Carter Society offer their loved ones. I first had a conversation with the Carter Society about the need for this bill and the prospect of it progressing through the House, I would guess, four or five years ago, or possibly slightly longer. Nevertheless, what that shows is that they identified very early on the need for there to be some changes, and they knew—as is customary and, quite rightly, the case—that a local bill is shepherded through the House by their electorate MP. I acknowledge the work of the Hon Mike Butterick for what he has done to get this through and to bring other people in the Parliament alongside in support. It’s not uncommon, as members would know, for a local bill to come before the House that makes a change that many people look at and think, “Why is this required?”, but it is. Even with the foresight that they had at the time, they might not have anticipated the changing nature of the need, the changing requirements of the care, the changing requirements on those that provide the care, but the needs of the community is at the forefront of what the Carter Society wants to do here, and it would be unfathomable for this Parliament to say no to a society that exists to care for those in need and in their autumn years when, really, they are hamstrung by the way in which they were set up. They no longer have to go and seek permission to simply meet the needs of their community. I think that simple premise is that the Carter Society, which is the last remaining community-owned aged-care provider in Wairarapa, which is up against corporate providers—and which have in recent years seen the provider in Martinborough and the provider in Greytown fall over—have to go through hoops that others don’t. It made no sense, and it does, I think, bring cause for us, as parliamentarians, to reflect on whether there might be an easier way to do this when it is so clear-cut and when the case can be made that, through no harm or whatever else, the rules that were put in place at the time that might have been fitting are so now out of date. But these simple changes, which just make sense and aren’t controversial and which have the full support of Parliament, still have to go through a full process. Perhaps that’s something we could look at. Nevertheless, the Labour Party fully supports this bill, as it has done its whole way through. We won’t be making full contributions, simply because—like we did in the committee stage—we want to acknowledge the work that the society does. We want to acknowledge the changes that this bill does, but we don’t want to hold up the progression of this bill any longer than it needs to be. It’ll be a good day for the society and for Carterton when this is passed into law, and we look forward to that happening. CELIA WADE-BROWN (Green) (16:16): Thank you, Madam Speaker. As a resident of Carterton and a list MP based in the Wairarapa, I’m pleased to support this bill at its third reading—its third and its final reading. This is going to be the last time we hear about it in the House, so, as I did before, I want to again put some thankyous out to Sharon Parker, who’s the chair of the Carter Society; Peter Croft, the treasurer, and the rest of the board; and also the staff and the volunteers at Carter Court—they do a lot of good work. It is strange, as my colleague from the Wairarapa has also said, that we have to go through, in fact, a longer process than some of the bills rushed through in urgency over something that we actually all agree about. I’m not sure how we could amend the Standing Orders or other processes so that really non-controversial bills that still need some scrutiny and still need some input from the community, but they are, basically, where a good thing is done. Or maybe we should just enjoy the fact that we all agree and are supporting it, for a change. I want to say some things about Charles Rooking Carter, who left his money to some many good causes. You’ve got the Carter Observatory, you’ve got the Carter Reserve—that beautiful bit of ecological wilderness that I nearly was late for the Anzac ceremony at Anzac Bridge because I was doing a bit of iNaturalist week at the Carter Reserve. He had a broad range of interests, he was also a champion for workers’ rights—what’s not to like? You’ve got reserves, you’ve got housing, and you’ve got long-term investments that have also created the land trusts in the Wairarapa, which really go a long way to help the communities. Let’s look at what stands out about Carter’s Court today. In a landscape of, I think, just under 700 different retirement homes in New Zealand, Carter Court is a shining example of a community-led facility that is run for the community by the community, rather than for the shareholder. There are some much bigger questions we should be asking about aged care, about contracts, about what proportion people pay for their own care depending on their situations, what assets they may or may not hold, but I love it that we have got a not-for-profit care home offering a range of accommodation options, and there are a number of different options, from independent living through to complete care, which means that you can age in place. You can stay there with the people you’ve got to know in the town that you’ve got to know. It’s very convenient for getting to the medical centre, the dentist, the rail station, the cafes, the library. It’s not far from these places and there is a Carter Court van with wheelchair access and so on. So even if you can’t walk to the Carterton Club, you can still get there. It is a bit of a pay in to Carterton that it’s a small town with quite so many facilities, but then I must admit that I am biased about Carterton. Lastly, I just want to say that this bill ensures that Charles Rooking Carter’s vision continues, but in a contemporary form. So thank you to the Hon Mike Butterick, the Hon Kieran McAnulty, and all the other MPs who will be supporting the Carter Trust Amendment Bill. Hon NICOLE McKEE (Minister for Courts) (16:21): Thank you, Madam Speaker. It’s my pleasure to stand on behalf of the ACT Party and support the Carter Trust Amendment Bill. It’s making just a few moderate changes in order to allow the winding up of the Carter Trust. Listening to members here speaking about Charles Rooking Carter and his ability to use his estate for the benefit and betterment of New Zealanders is quite outstanding. As the Minister who has oversight for the Public Trust and also hearing that they’ve spent 129 years looking after this particular trust also gives me some pleasure to see that they’re able to wind it up in such a good way, including paying $50,000 to the Anglican parish of Carterton. So to not prolong this any longer, I’d just like to say that we do support this bill. We commend the member for bringing this about and also thank the Public Trust for 129 years of looking after this trust. Thank you. ANDY FOSTER (NZ First) (16:22): I was watching very carefully. I had a meeting that I had to run down from, so I was like, “How close can I go?” I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to speak to the bill. I wanted to start off by congratulating the Hon Mike Butterick. Actually, Mike, I’ll congratulate you for both being an honourable now but also for the work that you’ve done on this bill. Well done. I really enjoy just listening to the presentation you gave and the story and the background and the extra depth that you provided to that, so thank you. I also wanted to congratulate the Public Trust for what is, essentially, its 130 years of service to this trust. I think that’s a fantastic service that they’ve given, and to the Carter Trust and the Carter Society for all the work not only for what they do on a day-to-day basis but also the work that they’ve done before this bill even came to the House with Mike Butterick but also the work that they have done with Mike to help shepherd this bill through the House. So I thank you all for that work. It’s great that we’ve got to the stage of a third reading today, and knowing that this is a piece of legislation which will go through today, will get the Royal assent, and then become law. I think that is always great to see, also, that it is with the unanimous support of this House, as it should be, because it’s something which is for the community benefit. I did notice, if I look back to the discussions that the select committee had, every time, I think, we’ve seen a bill—whether it’s a private bill or a local bill—the question gets asked, “Did we need to have the time of Parliament taken up with this bill? Is it something that required Parliament?” Well, in this case, because there is a Carter Trust Act, which is the thing we’re amending, of course, it’s an Act of Parliament, so you actually need Parliament to amend it. So, yes, the answer to that and quite clearly the select committee has said that they were satisfied on that matter, because, being an Act, you need Parliament to amend that Act. Look, I wanted to say just a few words about Charles Rooking Carter, as some others have. Every time I pass through Carterton, which is very, very regularly these days, passing the statue of Charles Rooking Carter, which has been there now for the last 10 or 11 years, who watches over the town of his name, it’s a reminder of the legacy that the man left to the Wairarapa—and to Carterton, in particular. I think it’s a fitting memorial of gratitude to a man who had such an immensely positive influence on the early development of Wairarapa. The fact that we’re doing this bill today says that that influence continues through this time, which is now 130 years after he died. So that is a really significant legacy. We’ve heard the story: born in the UK, came here as one of the early pioneers, builder’s son, carpenter, man with a strong interest at a young age in worker’s rights, and then clearly developed that interest in care for older people as he went through his life. Clearly a visionary and a man who was ahead of his time. He arrived in New Zealand in 1850 with his new wife Jane Robieson and walked through to the Wairarapa, as they did in those days. They were hard men and hard people as well. He continued to be a builder and built a lot of things, including part of building the predecessor to this building, which is here, the House of assembly for New Zealand. As the community’s political representative, he represented the Wairarapa in the Wellington Provincial Council from 1857 to 1864, the General Assembly for Wairarapa from 1859 to 1865 and, of course, that legacy is honoured still in the name of Carterton. He was a generous benefactor. We’ve already heard that he—we always called it the Carter Observatory rather than the Wellington observatory, but the Carter Observatory; that is his name. He was a generous benefactor to libraries as well, to museums, being involved in the Greytown Lands Trust and Masterton Lands Trust—again, a legacy which is still being enjoyed by the people of the Wairarapa today. In Carterton, he was involved with obtaining land for a whole lot of public works, police stations, cemeteries. We’ve heard the Hon Kieran McAnulty talking about the reserve that he walked through which is in the name of Charles Rooking Carter. So Charles Rooking Carter: builder, contractor, farmer, politician, and in this case a philanthropist and a generous benefactor to the community of the Wairarapa. He died in 1896, but his legacy is still there. So right the way through this time, when he set up the will, the executor and the trustee was the Public Trust. That’s still the case today. This bill will change that so that is no longer necessary. But, again, I thank the Public Trust for the work that they have done over that 130. His will established the home for “aged poor men”. The Hon Mike Butterick has talked about the great work that was done there and being a man ahead of his time and the great work that is done now in its successor, which is the Carter Court, which has some 50 units. It provides also for aged care and respite care. So they do a great job. So that is a long legacy which has gone all the way down from 1896 from Charles Rooking Carter’s will, through the Act of 1961, and is honoured again in the bill which we will pass today. Likewise, the support for St Mark’s Anglican parish in Carterton. Again, that legacy comes all the way through today, and then the upkeep of Mr Carter’s grave. Now, I understand that that was dealt with slightly differently, but there’s an undertaking to do that. Again, all of those things honour the legacy of a man who has contributed so much to the Wairarapa and to this region. I’m going to finish there, but just to say that I think this legislation is a fine tribute to the legacy of a man who has contributed so much, and I want to commend this bill to the House and congratulate everyone involved in it. DEPUTY SPEAKER: This is a split call—Mike Davidson. MIKE DAVIDSON (Green) (16:28): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise on behalf of the Green Party to speak in support of this bill. Actually, when I first saw it come up, the Carter Trust, as a Canterbury boy I thought, “Maybe this is the Carter family”, so I was quite interested to have a look at it. But, no, it wasn’t. It was obviously the Carter Trust from Wairarapa. Actually, I’ve not been to Carterton—apologies for that. So it’s actually been quite good to be in here and get a bit of a history lesson about— Hon Kieran McAnulty: You need to sort that out! MIKE DAVIDSON: I know. I need to go there—Charles Rooking Carter and Carterton and Wairarapa. It’s been quite good and there’s been a lot of long calls on this. Hūhana Lyndon: Get over the hill! MIKE DAVIDSON: Yeah. Ha, ha! I’ve heard a lot about the place, so it’s quite good. I won’t take as much time as everybody else, but I thought at least I’d get to a minute this time. I think last time I spoke, it was about 20 seconds. It’s actually quite good to see that with the termination of this trust, there’s going to be $50,000 going to the Anglican parish, which is actually really good. I guess it speaks to, actually, some of the stuff that the trust has been doing over the time it’s been in existence and, actually, the work of other MPs prior that have been trying to do this work. I’d like to acknowledge Mike Butterick and the work he’s done to progress this, and I also acknowledge the promotion that he’s recently had. On that note, I commend this bill to the House. Kia ora. JOSEPH MOONEY (National—Southland) (16:29): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. It’s a pleasure to rise and speak on the Carter Trust Amendment Bill in its third reading. It was an honour to be the chair of the Social Services and Community Committee who heard submissions on this and has helped shepherd it to this point. I just want to acknowledge the local MP, the Hon Mike Butterick, for his work and advocacy on this. I’d just note that Charles Rooking Carter was an independent member of this House back in 1859 to 1865, representing the Wairarapa electorate. He was a very strong advocate of Wairarapa’s small farm settlers. Fast forward 167 later, and we have a very strong representative member of Parliament doing the same thing. History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. In respect of Charles Rooking Carter’s legacy, I think we’ve heard a lot in the House about this, and I don’t intend to just cover it all again. He certainly made a very strong contribution to the Wairarapa, which is still being felt 170-plus years later. That’s why we’re here with the Carter Trust Amendment Bill. This is obviously enabling the Public Trust to distribute the Carter Trust’s assets and to continue the work and continue the vision that he had all those years ago to support people in their aged years with accommodation and support those who otherwise would not have that support. That vision and that desire is still strong today. It’s still the intention to carry that on, but it needs to be modernised for the modern era, and that is exactly what is happening here. I want to thank everyone who’s done the work to help guide this through. We’ve had some very good legal advice, great support from the clerks and from justice officials. I would say that it was appropriate for this bill to come to the House to be dealt with, given that the will had been amended, effectively, and the trust was changed. I do think there is work for this House to do—I think an omnibus bill, ideally—to be able to deal with bills of this nature if there is consensus that they should be changed, and it doesn’t need the attention of the House. That is a discussion for another day, but I think there is a willingness across the House to look at that, and something for this Parliament to consider, going forward. In the meantime, I just wish to wish everyone success in the ongoing distribution of assets and the ongoing work that Mr Carter envisioned all those years, and I commend this bill to the House. HELEN WHITE (Labour—Mt Albert) (16:32): I also was on the Social Services and Community Committee, which looked at this bill, and I tautoko the things that people have said and the hard work of everybody involved. I also hold the portfolio for Labour that is about community and voluntary work. It is definitely something that I think our committee was interested in—that we have these bills that come through where we can see that the intentions of the parties and the need for our community and voluntary organisations and our philanthropists to be able to bring their intention to bear in a new environment is very real. We really do need to look at the way that we can streamline the morphing of these intentions—not in any way to undermine what the intentions of the philanthropists involved were, but to enhance them and to enhance the wellbeing of our society. It’s not the first bill of this kind that’s come to our committee—in fact, we’ve got several at the moment. It is something that we’re taking seriously as a committee. It’s something where one of the people who came in on these bills, I’m meeting with personally to talk about how we can change things, because it does seem like a really important piece of work. We need to think very carefully about philanthropy in this country. We don’t have enough people donating to our society in this way, and what they give is so rich and so important. I look forward to being able to work collaboratively with the people who’ve been through this experience, and been careful about those intentions, to come up with a better solution that is systemic change—that might mean that we are able, as a Parliament, to do something to make sure that when money is left like this, we not only honour the people but we honour the intention and we honour the wellbeing that they are trying to imbue in our society. Thank you. I commend the bill to the House. KATIE NIMON (National—Napier) (16:34): I haven’t had the privilege, until this point, to speak on this bill, so I’m really pleased to be able to do that in the third reading. Can I just acknowledge, as everyone else has, the Hon Mike Butterick and his sponsorship of this bill. For those of you at home who don’t understand how private bills work, they’re community bills that we don’t really see anymore and that often need our intervention to modernise them. It’s wonderful members, like the Hon Mike Butterick, who come to the rescue of these organisations. They’re usually quite old school, but set up for the right reasons, and we end up having to intervene in modern days, like we have now, to try to make them realistic. We’ve heard time and time again about the reasons for the Carter Trust Amendment Bill. I just want to say, when they’re established, they’re established for the right reasons, and when they are changed to be able to terminate them, like in this particular case, it’s done for the right reasons. It’s done so the Carter Society can actually continue to operate as best it can, because it no longer needs to get the sign off and approval from the Minister of Health on every single occasion it wants to make a change, which we know was not the intention in the first instance. I think this is where we come to as a National Party within the Government. We don’t believe in extra Government; we believe in limited Government. It is one of our values. Community organisations, philanthropists, and the societies and trusts that they establish and that go on to contribute in communities don’t need the Government. They haven’t, they don’t in the future, and it is wonderful to make sure that they’re independent and continue to be independent, so I am very, very supportive of this change. Can I also just say, we hear a lot of times from the House—particularly from members opposite—that you must legislate to ensure that these things happen, because otherwise they won’t. I’m really buoyed by the fact that there was complete agreeance that the area within this bill about the protection or the care for the grave of Mr Carter would be maintained and cared for regardless of it being legislated. In fact, it wasn’t the intention of his will to have that be the case, of course. I don’t think anyone would be so vain as to say that their gravesite must be maintained, but the community feels so fondly towards this individual that they would do that of their own kindness and their own sense of duty. I think that is important to note. Philanthropy is alive and well. This is a wonderful organisation within Wairarapa, and it’s great to hear that there’s support around the House for the Carter Society and Carter House, and the genuinely deserving people that live in Carter House, and that there is longstanding support for Mr Carter that has gone well beyond the need for this particular bill. I think it’s brilliant that we’re here to debate it, that it’s in its third reading, and that this goes back to the Carter Society, who no longer need Government intervention, because that is the point that we are for today. With that, I commend the bill to the House. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Shanan Halbert—this is a split call. SHANAN HALBERT (Labour) (16:37): Thank you, Madam Speaker. It’s my privilege to speak on the Carter Trust Amendment Bill. Just to open, can I acknowledge my colleague across the House Mike Butterick, MP for Wairarapa. Congratulations on getting to this particular stage, my friend. I know that both members’ bills and local bills in this House really speak to the direct needs of our communities across the country, and I know that one of the more recent bills that we moved through was not too dissimilar to this—the bill for Takapuna Boating Club on Auckland’s North Shore—where we just needed to make some technical changes in order to enable them to continue to serve our communities. It’s good to see this particular piece of legislation before us all in the House today. Can I acknowledge, out there, the community and voluntary sector—particularly those that have a charitable status—and the work that they do to help our communities thrive, whether it be seniors or whether it be young people. Today, Labour supports this bill as a set of technical but very useful updates that simplify the administration of a historic trust. I know that it will make a significant change and make things easier for the trustees and the organisation itself that they will no longer need ministerial sign-off—albeit a minor administrative task. They will no longer have to do that, and, no doubt, that will save them days, weeks, months, and potentially years not to have to go through that process. On this side of the House, we’re very supportive of this bill today, supportive of the community and voluntary sector, and I commend this bill to the House. TOM RUTHERFORD (National—Bay of Plenty) (16:39): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to rise on the third reading of the Carter Trust Amendment Bill. Firstly, to acknowledge my friend and colleague—last time we considered the legislation, actually, at the committee of the whole House stage, Mike Butterick was just Mike Butterick, and today in the third reading, after the intervening period, he’s become the Hon. He’s always been honourable to me, but it’s very well recognised for him, and it’s good to have this legislation— Shanan Halbert: Oh yeah, he’s looking a bit cute—hug it out! TOM RUTHERFORD: Don’t make me blush—don’t make me blush. I just want to recognise him for his leadership on this local bill, which, like many members in their previous contributions have said, is sort of an archaic process that Parliament has to go through just to, in this case, wind something up which has been a great benefactor to the local community, but we have to go through this sort of long, drawn-out parliamentary process to enable something that’s quite simple and a rather necessary fix and, actually, which, universally, political parties across the House actually agree with. So I think there are some learnings, potentially, for us as parliamentarians as to the way we operate in Parliament, to consider whether that is the way we want to operate moving forward in the future. One of the things I thought was really interesting in the process and progress of the legislation was during the committee of the whole House stage—because for us, yes, whilst it is a local bill and you don’t filibuster the committee of the whole House, for many of us who haven’t been involved in the process involving the legislation, there needs to be an opportunity for us to gain an understanding of why it’s come to Parliament, what it’s trying to achieve, and what it’s going to deliver for the local community. That’s the viewpoint I took through the committee of the whole House stage when Mike Butterick was sitting in the chair. A couple of questions I asked, and I think I really want to tease out in this contribution, were firstly about: why are we here? What is the purpose and the background of what we’re actually trying to achieve with this private bill? It was about the bill being in relation to the Carter Trust Act from 1961 and that, effectively—and as Mike Butterick clearly outlined in his response to me at the time—that was now out of date and it was actually impeding the efficient operations of the Carter Court Care Home. Once you hear that sort of response, you get an understanding of, OK, I get why this legislation has had to come to Parliament, why we’ve gone through this process, and what we’re trying to achieve. One of the interesting pieces I picked up when I read the Social Services and Community Committee’s report on the legislation was around the upkeep of Mr Carter’s grave, because in their report the select committee noted that the upkeep of the grave is not actually included in the legislation. So I really wanted to know, to honour the legacy of Mr Carter and everything he’d done, why the upkeep of his grave wasn’t included. It was reiterated to me that the Carter Society has already given a formal undertaking themselves to continue to maintain the grave, and the select committee themselves were happy with that and satisfied with the assurance that they’d received. The obligation actually was in the original 1896 will, and then it was added in the 1961 Act. So the society will just continue to respectfully practise as the condition of the scheme around Mr Carter’s grave. The other one, and the final one, I want to touch on is around the impact on those residents who live in the care home. It would never be the intention of us in this House or with this piece of legislation to want to impact on their level of service or the level of care that they receive whilst in the care home. So I asked Mike Butterick, when he sat in the chair, around how the bill would affect the residents of the Carter Court Care Home, and whether any residents, for example, will face higher fees or reduced services. I was given the assurance by the member in charge of the bill that residents will see no negative impact. Fees for contracted, long-term residential care are already set nationally under the Residential Care and Disability Support Services Act, and removing the updated ministerial power does not change what residents pay. I was really pleased to receive that assurance from Mike Butterick himself. It’s taken a long time to get here, but I think we’ve finally reached the last hurdle. It feels like this has been a protracted and drawn-out process, but it’s been really well worth doing in the sense of getting to this point. I commend the local MP Mike Butterick for his leadership on it, for everybody involved in getting it to this point, and I’m really pleased to support this bill to the House. DAN ROSEWARNE (Labour) (16:44): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise on behalf of the Labour Party to speak in support of this bill at its third reading. They’ve been working on this for quite some time, and I’m really pleased to be speaking to it today; also, like everyone in the House, acknowledging the Hon Mike Butterick for bringing this on their behalf. At its heart, you know, this is modest, but it’s an important piece of legislation. It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel, and it’s not some kind of sweeping reform, but what it does is what we’re all often called to do: tidy up arrangements and align them with modern practice, and make sure the intentions of the past can still serve the needs of today. That’s exactly what this bill does. From time to time, this House is asked not to create something brand new but to be a careful steward of what has come before us. We’re also asked to look after legacies—you know, legal, financial, and social, as well—and to make sure that they’re still working for the people that they are intended to help. That’s what this bill is about. It’s about stewardship; it’s about making sure a historical charitable arrangement continues to deliver real value to the Carterton community, and Labour supports that approach. I also want to quickly acknowledge the Carter Society, which does tremendous work in the Carterton community. They have been working towards these changes for quite some time, and it’s good to see that effort now reaching the finish line. Also, you know, this is exactly the sort of practical, community-focused legislation that members’ days should be used for. It may not grab the front page, but it will make a genuine difference to people’s lives. For that reason, I commend the bill to the House. SUZE REDMAYNE (National—Rangitīkei) (16:46): I rise to take a call in support of the Carter Trust Amendment Bill in this, its final reading. I want to start by congratulating my colleague the Hon Mike Butterick, Minister for Land Information, Associate Minister of Agriculture, and MP for the Wairarapa—a champion of his Wairarapa electorate, a champion of rural and provincial New Zealand, a practical man with a quintessential number eight wire mentality. Mike gets stuff done, and this bill is a shining example of what a dedicated local MP can achieve for their community, taking a complex, decades-old issue and navigating it through this House to a very sensible conclusion. This bill is also about honouring a legacy and empowering a community to look after its own. Charles Rooking Carter was a man of vision, leaving a bequest that has supported the Wairarapa for over a century. However, times change, and sometimes legislation has to change with them. The 1961 Act has become a hindrance rather than a help. As regional MPs, we know that community assets are best managed by those who understand them and their communities, and this bill does exactly that. By winding up the antiquated trust structures and transferring management to the Carter Society, we’re ensuring that the spirit of Mr Carter’s gift is maintained and, indeed, enhanced for the future. This bill futureproofs Mr Carter’s legacy. At the heart of this bill are the people who call Carter Court Care home and the whānau who rely on it. What began in 1901 as the Carter Home for aged poor men, housing around 20 residents, has grown into significant community asset that now supports more than 100 people aged 65 and over. This bill puts governance where it belongs: closer to the community it serves so decisions can be made promptly, transparently, and with local knowledge. By modernising the 1961 settings and removing unnecessary hurdles, the Carter Society can focus on what matters most: stable operations, quality care, and long-term planning. Above all, it provides continuity and certainty so residents and their families can have confidence that Mr Carter’s legacy will continue to support the Wairarapa for generations to come. This is a proud day for the Wairarapa, for the community, and it’s a testament to the Hon Mike Butterick’s persistence in delivering on his promises to his electorate. I am delighted to commend this bill to the House. Motion agreed to. Bill read a third time. DEPUTY SPEAKER: Congratulations to the Wairarapa.