‘Hundertwasser’ is marketable brand but ‘Te Hononga’ is not

I have previously expressed my deep disappointment in what I consider to be the abject failure of the trustees of the Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park to meet the primary objective of their trust deed which is to ‘honour’ and ‘pay homage’ to Hundertwasser by their renaming of the proposed Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park Visitor Centre to Te Hononga.

I have been told that one of the key marketing tools for economic development success and marketing is “points of difference”. I now see that in her article regarding the Te Ahu Centre published in your paper of the March 20, Anahera Herbert-Graves has titled her article

“Te Hononga-The Connection.” She has, of course, every right to use that title.

The same paper has a big headline “Slip roadworks brings early start to Te Hononga work”.

Shane Jones allocation of $2.3 million from the government’s Provincial Growth Fund is intended for the economic advancement of Kawakawa and that investment is greatly appreciated and welcomed.

So, the question I raise is simply, which is the most marketable name for the economic advancement of Kawakawa, Hundertwasser or Te Hononga? For me there is no contest — Hundertwasser( a New Zealand citizen) is a national and international brand.

For me history will show that the trustees have earned a big fail mark and Kawakawa will pay the price forever. In addition and, thanks to the failure of those trustees who made that decision, Whangarei, a community where Hundertwasser never lived and was even told to go away with his proposal, will benefit hugely from the name Hundertwasser as a direct result of that decision.

To the Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park Trustees who made that decision I can only say — shame on you.