United

NZ’s convention centre at risk from political wrangling

MICEBTN Archive Stories Issue #47
Wednesday, 30 May 2012

AUCKLAND pressingly needs a new international convention centre, but the project could yet be scrapped, the victim of intensifying politicisation.

Alan Trotter, chief executive of Conventions Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) summed up the high stakes when talking with MICEBTN managing editor Chris Hurd earlier this year: “We really need this new facility, especially after losing the one in Christchurch that handled 25 per cent of all meetings of more than 250 people.

“Our hopes are pinned on the SkyCity facility getting the final okay.”

The government has agreed to consider a SkyCity proposal which offered a new centre alongside the group’s existing casino, conference centre and hotels complex in mid-town Auckland.
The company said it would pay all costs in return for a green light to install further gaming machines and perhaps get an early renewal of its licence to give it more certainty in long-term investment calculations.
But as we reported at the time, the idea of more pokies was anathema to many.

Some of the criticism was based on genuine concern - like most other countries, New Zealand has problem gamblers - but a lot of the flak was political and opportunistic.
That flak has not let up, despite evidence that pokie machine numbers have been dropping steadily in Auckland and throughout most of New Zealand.

But it gets worse

In recent months, the politicisation has become markedly more intense.
First there was the allegation that the previous mayor, John Banks, had accepted a NZ$15,000 donation from SkyCity for his mayoral campaign. So had his opponent, Len Brown, who won what were the high stakes of commanding the newly integrated ‘super city’.

Banks, however, had listed the donation as anonymous, while Brown had identified it, causing considerable concern.
Elsewhere, Air New Zealand senior executive and TIA chairman Norm Thompson said that “development of a world-class convention centre will enable the industry to target a whole new market that can’t be accommodated by existing conference facilities. This is a completely untapped market segment for New Zealand, and will help us boost shoulder and low season travel.”

The project’s importance goes beyond the benefits to Auckland and even to New Zealand. Australasia needs another major convention venue to bolster the region’s bidding credibility on the global scene.
NZ has been lagging behind other major international destinations, including most Australian cities, in not having a national convention centre, Thompson lamented.

“This will raise our profile in the valuable business conference market and increase the visitor industry’s contribution to New Zealand’s economy,” he said.
Len Brown, a left-leaning leader who has earned a lot of praise for his efforts to take a sensible middle course, is very keen to see the convention centre get under way, and soon.

“The national convention centre is an important development for Auckland because it will bring in more jobs and economic development. The current lack of detail about what is being proposed isn’t doing that cause any good.

“Right now we are getting asked our opinion on something we don’t know enough about. The government needs to explain clearly and as soon as possible what is being proposed so it can be properly assessed.

“I am very concerned about the negative impacts of problem gambling. If the government decides to go ahead with the SkyCity proposal, I would expect it to include strong measures to minimise harm.”

He suggested a range of options that could be included in any proposal, should the government proceed.
These include on-site harm minimisation officers, pre-paid commitment cards designed as a tool to manage expenditure, harm minimisation screen savers with a multiple button sequence to activate the machine, post-win screen saver and cash in/ticket out operational system.

“I am also concerned about the amount of money that goes back into community initiatives and believe that will also need to be looked at,” said Brown.

“The national convention centre is an important development for Auckland because it will bring in more jobs and economic development. The current lack of detail about what is being proposed isn’t doing that cause any good.”

HACTL
Cathay Cargo
United

NZ’s convention centre at risk from political wrangling

MICEBTN Archive Stories Issue #47
Wednesday, 30 May 2012

AUCKLAND pressingly needs a new international convention centre, but the project could yet be scrapped, the victim of intensifying politicisation.

Alan Trotter, chief executive of Conventions Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) summed up the high stakes when talking with MICEBTN managing editor Chris Hurd earlier this year: “We really need this new facility, especially after losing the one in Christchurch that handled 25 per cent of all meetings of more than 250 people.

“Our hopes are pinned on the SkyCity facility getting the final okay.”

The government has agreed to consider a SkyCity proposal which offered a new centre alongside the group’s existing casino, conference centre and hotels complex in mid-town Auckland.
The company said it would pay all costs in return for a green light to install further gaming machines and perhaps get an early renewal of its licence to give it more certainty in long-term investment calculations.
But as we reported at the time, the idea of more pokies was anathema to many.

Some of the criticism was based on genuine concern - like most other countries, New Zealand has problem gamblers - but a lot of the flak was political and opportunistic.
That flak has not let up, despite evidence that pokie machine numbers have been dropping steadily in Auckland and throughout most of New Zealand.

But it gets worse

In recent months, the politicisation has become markedly more intense.
First there was the allegation that the previous mayor, John Banks, had accepted a NZ$15,000 donation from SkyCity for his mayoral campaign. So had his opponent, Len Brown, who won what were the high stakes of commanding the newly integrated ‘super city’.

Banks, however, had listed the donation as anonymous, while Brown had identified it, causing considerable concern.
Elsewhere, Air New Zealand senior executive and TIA chairman Norm Thompson said that “development of a world-class convention centre will enable the industry to target a whole new market that can’t be accommodated by existing conference facilities. This is a completely untapped market segment for New Zealand, and will help us boost shoulder and low season travel.”

The project’s importance goes beyond the benefits to Auckland and even to New Zealand. Australasia needs another major convention venue to bolster the region’s bidding credibility on the global scene.
NZ has been lagging behind other major international destinations, including most Australian cities, in not having a national convention centre, Thompson lamented.

“This will raise our profile in the valuable business conference market and increase the visitor industry’s contribution to New Zealand’s economy,” he said.
Len Brown, a left-leaning leader who has earned a lot of praise for his efforts to take a sensible middle course, is very keen to see the convention centre get under way, and soon.

“The national convention centre is an important development for Auckland because it will bring in more jobs and economic development. The current lack of detail about what is being proposed isn’t doing that cause any good.

“Right now we are getting asked our opinion on something we don’t know enough about. The government needs to explain clearly and as soon as possible what is being proposed so it can be properly assessed.

“I am very concerned about the negative impacts of problem gambling. If the government decides to go ahead with the SkyCity proposal, I would expect it to include strong measures to minimise harm.”

He suggested a range of options that could be included in any proposal, should the government proceed.
These include on-site harm minimisation officers, pre-paid commitment cards designed as a tool to manage expenditure, harm minimisation screen savers with a multiple button sequence to activate the machine, post-win screen saver and cash in/ticket out operational system.

“I am also concerned about the amount of money that goes back into community initiatives and believe that will also need to be looked at,” said Brown.

“The national convention centre is an important development for Auckland because it will bring in more jobs and economic development. The current lack of detail about what is being proposed isn’t doing that cause any good.”

HACTL
Cathay Cargo
HACTL
Cathay Cargo