Wider use of Sir Peter Blake memorial funds urged

Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons today welcomed the announcement of a memorial fund to Sir Peter Blake, but urged organisers to consider using the proposed $15 million on progressing Sir Peter's work.

Auckland City Mayor John Banks announced today that a memorial costing up to $15 million would be built in honour of the famous sailor and environmentalist.

Ms Fitzsimons said a memorial was a fantastic idea, as Sir Peter is one of New Zealand's greatest heroes and success stories.

"But he was never really a bricks and mortar sort of man. Is a monument really how he would want to be remembered? Sir Peter is renowned for his love of sailing and the environment, and also for encouraging young people to get out there and have a go.

"Since his two great causes were sport and the marine environment, it would be tremendous if half the $15 million was spent on scholarships for young sportspeople and half on scholarships for people working in marine environmental science," Ms Fitzsimons said.

"If people are holders of Sir Peter Blake scholarships, it will go on their CVs, their academic records and in the news about their sporting and professional endeavours. This would be a wonderful and very real way of keeping Sir Peter's memory alive and his name in the public eye."

© Scoop Media