Source: Radio New Zealand
Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare. RNZ / Nate McKinnon
The boss of Christchurch’s new stadium is calling for greater transparency over how the Government is divvying up its $40 million events attraction package.
Wellington’s Ultra Festival, rock band Linkin Park and pop star Robbie Williams are among those lured with money from the fund.
Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare told Checkpoint the fund’s intent was fantastic but she questioned the process behind deciding who gets money.
The events attraction package was invitation only while the original fund – the events boost fund – was more open, Harvie-Teare said.
“So it is a little bit more closed door than open, which obviously causes some risk … about how objective and fair it is, but at this stage we haven’t been across any that have been declined,” she said.
The fund was attracting events to New Zealand that the country might not otherwise get, she said.
But she was also concerned about its long-term impact.
“This could end up being an unhelpful shot in the arm for major events because it creates a precedent that is not sustainable,” Harvie-Teare said.
“If it’s not a sustainable level it means promoters or sporting entities … have an expectation that the funding will be available and at a level that cities and venues may not be able to sustain without central government support.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
