MP tells House of Turbos issue

If the floor's yours, why not use it to talk about why the Turbos should stay in rugby's top flight?

While introducing the third reading of the Palmerston North Showgrounds Act Repeal Bill to Parliament yesterday, Palmerston North MP Iain Lees-Galloway decided to take the opportunity to tell anyone watching proceedings in the House what the Turbos meant to Manawatu.

Speaking to the Manawatu Standard, Mr Lees-Galloway said the issue of provincial rugby teams being dropped to a new second-tier national rugby competition had united MPs of all political persuasions.

"There's a bit of solidarity between us."

Manawatu Rugby's financial position was sound and Turbos games often attracted 10 per cent of Manawatu's population to FMG stadium, he said.

Football's high profile could also mean fewer children in provinces such as Manawatu would play rugby if there was no high-profile provincial team representing the region.

"It would be bad news for rugby ...The [New Zealand] Rugby Union really needs to take note of that."

REPEAL BILL

Arena Manawatu is now in the hands of the Palmerston North City Council, after Parliament voted to repeal legislation that placed ownership with a Showgrounds Board of Control.

Only the Maori Party's five MPs voted against the repeal bill's third reading, due to concerns about the possible impact on a Ngati Kauwhata treaty land claim.

Palmerston North MP Iain Lees-Galloway said that although the select committee that had scrutinised the bill had been advised there would be no adverse effect on Ngati Kauwhata's claim.

"I wish Ngati Kauwhata all the best for their claim and I hope they get everything that they want from it," Mr Lees-Galloway said.

- © Fairfax NZ News