Unelected Maori tip $30m whitewater stadium decision
" Unelected individuals 'calling the tune'. This is another example of why NZ is stagnating."
Featured commentAuckland councillor Dick Quax is fuming over yesterday’s council vote to sell land for a white water rafting stadium.
The two votes which got the project across the line were from unelected Maori statutory board members, he says.
The council’s strategy and finance committee decided stage 2 of the Wero white water rafting stadium would go ahead.
It will now sell council-owned land adjacent to the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre in Manukau to fund the project. It is valued at about $20 million.
The Counties Manukau Pacific Trust, which also built the events centre, is to help raise the rest of the funds.
Mr Quax, who has been outspoken in his opposition against the stadium, says he is frustrated by the decision. The project never went through the long-term plan process.
“It was a very dodgy process that allowed it to go through the back door," he says.
The final cost of the project has not been determined, but the proposal will go for public consultation as part of the annual plan.
“Its going to public consultation, for what it's worth. But at least it will give us an opportunity to tease out more information," he says.
Counties Manukau Pacific Trust chairman Richard Jeffery says he did not expect much resistance from the public, except from “the normal CAVE people – Citizens Against Virtually Everything”.
“But there’s overwhelming support from the community, especially from the youth, who don’t normally get listened to.”
Mr Jeffery says resource consents are in place and he looks forward to developing the stadium by the end of 2015-16.
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Comments and questions30
Counties Manukau Pacific Trust Chairman - Sir Noel Robinson, chief fundraiser for Len Brown
Pacific Events Centre CEO - Richard Jeffery, Campaign manager for Len Brown
That's why this went through the back door and got approval outside of normal processes, because this project has Patronage with a capital "P".
And in this case, patronage = "pay off"
Sooner Len Brown and his cohorts go the better. They are an ever tightening loop around ratepayers throats. Nothing good has come from any of his wildly expensive ego-serving projects. And we will be in debt for years if he is allowed to continue. What use will this latest waste of money be? Buggerall people will use it.
Don't worry Richard this project will never get off the ground. I was at a hungi the other day and I have it under good authority there is a resident Taniwha around that area.
Which idiot (Len?) gave council authority to spend beyond core services? The govt is now trying to reign in councils - this is a prime example of watsed money stolen from ratepayers. And Richard Jeffrey needs to grow up. It's not HIS money.
the world champion surfer Kelly Slater, now has a company that makes wave parks for surfers, Kelly Slater Wave Co. They are supposedly going to build one on the Gold Coast. I wonder if Comrade Len could add a wave park - the youth would far rather have that I suspect!
On one hand I appluade the new proposed tourist attraction for Auckland, and the avoidance of the usual red tape that would create significant delays and costs.
On the other hand, why are unelected and unaccountable people sitting on the council casting votes? (Did any promise of koha influence their decision?).
Unelected honorary brown people....PC madness that the council encouraged and government allowed.
Possibly but the old addage of that cliche "PC" tells me you have nothing to add here.
This is great news Dick should keep running.
^Agreed just get on and do it. At least they are selling something instead of the normal add it to the tab and put rates up.
It seems like a wonderful project for Auckland. I hope it goes ahead.
Whenever I am overseas, like most Kiwis I am always promoting NZ as a tourist destination, but its always pretty hard to come up with world-class attractions in my home city.
Just pathetic stuff Malcolm. If it is a world class attraction, then why does the council need to fund it? Where is the private sector capital to fund an artificial white water rafting facility, if its such a good idea.
Oh that's right. Too risky for your own dollars.
Pablo there are times when a project can have a positive effect on the whole country or region, which you cant expect a commercial entity to fund based soley on the return on that project. We do need to be able to rely the people we elected to represent our wider interests - hopefully they are up to the task.
As a rate payer - I strongly object to such wastefull spending.
Ohhhh how I might be better off away from Len's big think spending projects.
White water rafting is available now in the many rivers within a days trip from most cities in NZ. Just how a leftie greenie council can justify huge operating energy costs when natural water is close by is unbelievable. This is posthumourous monument building. This is 'See I did that' type behaviour. Obama would love it. It is no different to the rail that goes round in circles proposal. Wellington has a rail that ends at the city with trains just going the other way back out. Can't auckland train drivers cope with that? Or did they forget to keep enough land at Britomart for enough platforms?
White water rafting you say?
More like white elephant.
Pity the Auckland rate payer.
Who will use such a useless facility and train children how to safely a canoe in dangous water condions.Our winter weather will certinly keep the people at home.
This is typical of the appalling governance at all levels in NZ. There is no understanding of the basic principles of good governance. Transperancy conflicts of interest disclosure are all ignored. Mates looking after mates is the name of the game. We are a corrupt little society under the surface. Its time for a clean out and new honest citizens to take charge and govern for all rather than their mates as it is know.
And no Im not Penny Bright just a concerned citizen who observes what others fail to see
Forget the project.
The question her is far more serious and needs correcting. I didn’t vote for any Bl**dy Maori to have a vote on the council.
I am against these people even being allowed in. If they want to be on the council do what any normal human does – bl**dy stand and get elected.
They must have no further rights.
Enough!
Thats most likely the real issue unelected people having a vote (doesn't matter who they are though) we have the same with Central Government and MMP.
Take a deep breath and calm down.
Unelected individuals 'calling the tune'. This is another example of why NZ is stagnating. Dictatorship by the minority.
Any half intelligent person, even councillors, should be able to recognise that the area does not have the topography necessary for a meaningfull 'White water experience', without expensive earthworks and pumping systems.
This is a smart move by Maori. They will be able to claim the water in the stadium and charge a tarrif on all those who ride on it.
What a joke for Auckland. Fighting over rubbish like this meanwhile it has third world transport infrastructure. Unless you can catch a raft to work this is a waste of money and time spent on a sideshow. Wake up numbnuts.
Lets put it in front of Russell Norman and have an inquiry!
As the NBR readership, one assumes a fair degree of business savvy readers. And doesn't the Institute of Directors regard best practise as having about 20% nominated directors on a Board of Directors in addition to the elected Directors? I think there is far too much uninformed calls for "democracy" in our current me, me, me oriented society and not enough understanding of the realities of elected power and its evils.
Maori will devise a user-pay tariff based on the amount of foam that is whipped up.
If Rainbows End (situated across the road), struggles to make a profit, why on earth are we building this for??
This is the David Beckham saga all over again.
Crikey. I wonder what their waste water bill will be, and who will pay it? My bill has just gone from$160 pa to nearly $4000 pa. Funny thing is, I don't have any waste water. It all gets recycled back into products I manufacture. Everything about this Council is the colour of brown.
It will all be brown water.
Maori Board is there to consult on Maori protocol -- An Auckland water stadium is NOT a Maori matter & Maoris MUST NOT vote -- Maori votes must be struck out and the matter thus fails .
Looney Len is mad to be asking us to fund a Water Stadium -- thats the task for an Equity Company to fund . .. private enterprise should fund & carry the risk .
Loopy Len & Maoris should butt out -- we dont want to fund a water stadium for South Auckland .