Stick to port pledge, Goff
Building 20m out into the harbour, leaving the old waterfront icon high and dry.
Then two weeks ago, Ports of Auckland unveiled a 30-year masterplan which, amongst other things, included a 13m piled extension to Bledisloe Wharf. The port company seems to think because it’s not the 250m extension monstrosity originally proposed, and because it is on piles and not reclaimed, that that’s okay.
Not to be outdone, on Monday, council employees at Ateed, the commercial and promotional arm of council, revealed assorted options for an America’s Cup village, all of which involve some sort of wharf extensions around the Viaduct Basin area.
Councillors have just a week to choose between options ranging between $137m and $190m in cost. If they dither, Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton has warned he can always take the contest off to Italy instead.
With this America’s Cup bullying there are two issues. First is the tradition, going back to when the city was founded, that there’s nothing wrong with the gradual expansion of the working waterfront out into the harbour.
It reminds me of the attitude Transit New Zealand had when it tried to drive State Highway 20 through the side of Mt Roskill. It’s just a little slice, they argued. No one will notice. Luckily the Volcanic Cones Society did, and after a bruising battle, won a famous victory.
In downtown Auckland, Fort St — originally Fore St — was originally the foreshore. Since the 1850s we’ve been steadily filling in the harbour. Last year’s election result illustrated a general consensus among Aucklanders that it was time to stop.
Goff has the mandate. It’s time to deliver.
I said there were two issues as far as the America’s Cup base is concerned. The other involves wise decision making, especially when public money is involved. The ridiculously short one-week deadline the councillors have been given suggests a kick for touch is the only answer.
Ten years ago, Goff’s colleague in the Clark Labour Government, Sports Minister Trevor Mallard, gave Auckland local politicians a similarly impossible deadline.
They had just two weeks to say yes to his plan for a $1 billion national stadium to be sited somewhere unknown on the Auckland waterfront.
Despite Mallard hinting at “national” funding, both the Auckland City and Regional councils turned this undocumented and unresearched offer down. It was one of Auckland local politicians’ finest hours.
With the proposed America’s Cup base, there’s not even any money on offer from the rich yachties or the Government. This at a time when the mayor is forced to introduce a special fuel tax to help pay for urgently needed infrastructure.
Even the cheapest of the Cup base options would pay for 15 three-car electric trains.
Perhaps Sir Russell Coutts could offer the front lawn of his Tindalls Bay mansion.