March 11, 2009 

Auckland challenges Wellington’s self-crowned cultural claim

Auckland has thrown down the gauntlet to Wellington urging the seat of government to back its claim that it’s also the cultural capital of the country.

On national television last night (TVNZ’s Close Up, Mar. 10) Auckland Heart of the City CEO Alex Swney faced off against Positively Wellington Tourism’s David Perks in a stoush that has its origins in a magazine article.

The March issue of Auckland’s Metro magazine asserted the epicentre of New Zealand’s art and culture is Auckland and not Wellington. 

Following the magazine article, Perks stepped in to the ring, issuing a news release reproduced on the wellingtonnz.com website refuting Metro’s claims under the headline “We’re good but not that good”.

In a TV debate that also involved former TV host and Christchurch mayor Bob Parker, Swney challenged Perks to come to Auckland and find out for himself.

Swney threw down the gauntlet – literally, in front of a national television audience – challenging his capital counterpart to debate the cultural merits of each other’s city.

“We really can’t let Wellington get away with what anyone can see is a preposterous claim,” Swney says. “The facts speak for themselves. David must come to Auckland because Auckland is the undisputed capital when it comes to the cultural events and creative industries.”

He says Auckland has 19 major cultural events compared top Wellington’s five while the northern city has 13 nationally significant organisations and venues to the capital’s eight. Auckland has close to a dozen orchestras while Wellington has only three, one of which is the ‘national’ orchestra.

Swney says Metro article obviously struck a nerve. “It’s Auckland’s city magazine – does David know what a city magazine is – because my understanding is Wellington couldn’t sustain one. 

“But their citizens who claim not to read it are up in arms about it. Which is a bit like atheists complaining about what’s in the Bible.”

Wellington has always done a very good job about making the rest of NZ believe that it’s the cultural capital and it’s their birthright to that status, Swney says. 

“But the facts are out and we want to step up to a platform that is legitimately ours.  Wellington has done a terrific job at growing a creative community – and our challenge to them is come on up to Auckland to get a whole lot more of it.”

ends

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