Expertise appeal for convention centre

The Government is being asked to step in so Christchurch’s new convention centre Te Pae can get up and running in time for summer events.

Te Pae, which was just weeks from completion at the time of the latest Covid outbreak, needs experts who are stuck in Auckland to travel south and commission specialised technical equipment onsite.

The centre is also dealing with an events industry paralysed by Covid restrictions, and is pinning its hopes on the Government’s upcoming vaccine pass scheme.

The $475 million convention centre’s first events had been scheduled for October but the latest Covid outbreak has delayed completion.

It was the latest in a series of postponements, including a oneyear construction delay caused by last year’s Covid lockdowns and restrictions.

A spokesman for Crown rebuild agency Ō tā karo, which is in charge of getting Te Pae built, said in a written statement it was in discussions with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment about getting Covid travel exemptions so the required specialists could leave Auckland.

‘‘Our goal remains to hold some events before Christmas.’’

It was also working with contractors on alternative arrangements in case it could not get the required experts, he said. The specialists are mostly needed for the centre’s fire management systems and compliance requirements.

The Ō tā karo spokesman said it was unlikely Te Pae would be able to host the more complex events such as big conferences and exhibitions this year.

‘‘The changing alert levels have impacted the confidence of event organisers, with a number of larger events scheduled for 2021 choosing to move to a later date in hopes of more certainty around event requirements,’’ he said.

‘‘Generally, as we move through alert levels, we are seeing a knock-on effect where events which are currently unable to be hosted are being moved to the future.’’

Te Pae general manager Ross Steele said they were eager to see the details of the Government’s vaccine certificate plan ‘‘and hopefully a clear mandated direction’’.

The Government has indicated vaccine certificates will be needed for entry at mass events and will be available from November.