Quick, someone call Solomon
I, along with millions of other Kiwis, I’m sure, cheered loudly when Team New Zealand received the Best Team gong as well as the overall top performance prize at the recent Halberg Awards. Appropriate recognition for an incredible accomplishment. I’m less ebullient about the proposed America’s Cup base at Auckland’s Wynyard quarter – which, as I write, appears to be developing into an all-out stoush between Team New Zealand, the Government and Auckland Council. It’s left me feeling increasingly uneasy – and more than a little ambivalent.
While it seemed the Council and Team New Zealand had come to a tentative agreement on the latter’s preferred option – it includes an extension of the Wynyard Basin’s Halsey Wharf – yesterday’s announcement that Government wants to home the yachts where the tank farms now stand took everyone by surprise – including Team New Zealand, apparently.
Now, I fully support Economic Development Minister David Parker’s vision. The tank farm is an awful site/sight – not the sort of thing you want to show first-timer visitors coming into the spectacular Waitemata harbour. The sooner it goes the better – and the AC regatta is the perfect catalyst for biffing it. Even better, the current lessee – Dutch company Stolthaven Terminals – is happy to vacate the area early.
But Dalton is worried that the removal of the tanks, as well as the required rehabilitation of the soil (contaminated by petroleum and chemical products), is a risky proposition given the time-frame leading up to the 2021 regatta. And he is probably correct. Who knows what sorts of nasties construction crews will uncover once the work starts?
But Team New Zealand also needs to consider public opinion. Its campaigns have benefitted from the public purse and, though I hesitate to say it, there are many Kiwis who think high-octane yacht racing is a sport for “rich pricks” and couldn’t give the proverbial toss if they never saw the Auld Mug again.
It’s no secret that Italy is the back-up option for the 2021 regatta. I love Italy – it’s my favourite country in the world. But I’d prefer to watch the next edition of the Cup in home waters.
Let cool, wise heads prevail, gents.
Happy boating.