Aucklanders Have Had Their Say - Government Urged to Listen

Heart of the City chief executive Alex Swney is urging Government to listen to Aucklanders over the Queens Wharf issue. “By great majority,” Swney says, “Aucklanders have said that they do not agree with the rushed development of a large cruise ship terminal on Queens Wharf.

“The mayors have got it right,” says Swney, “and cheap shots from the sideline aren’t helpful.”

“When we rush things we make mistakes,” says Heart of the City’s Alex Swney. “Our survey showed that over 80 per cent of Aucklanders have higher ambitions for a broader central city waterfront and that is the message that Government needs to hear.

“The great thing is that we can now focus our minds not on a rushed ‘airport by the water’ but on party central and 2011. That’s where we need to be spending our energy. “The mayors of the region need to be congratulated for the stance they have taken.

“We’ve spent ages getting public access to Queen’s Wharf, let’s use RWC2011 as a chance to get to know it before we go making irrevocable changes. One of the lower cost options for 2011 will give us that chance. Let’s live on the other side of the red fence for a little and get the plan right.”

Swney says it makes no sense to knock both sheds over before the Rugby World Cup, because then we will be left with just a flat tarmac rather like we have on Captain Cook Wharf now.

“The way forward now is to work with options 2 and 3 with a view to making improvements for the Rugby World Cup in 2011, interim but decent changes for the cruise industry, and some spaces that Aucklanders can use and enjoy afterwards. We have a clear view that what happens on Queens Wharf should not duplicate the facilities and feel of the Viaduct, Princes Wharf, or the new $29million flexiform event space that is about to get underway on Halsey Street Wharf.”

Heart of the City’s view has been that supporters of the $97m option 4 have championed it as if it was the only improvement that could be made for the cruise industry. “It’s not,” says Swney “We can get on and make improvements on Princes Wharf for the cruise industry, any improvements on Queens Wharf for the Rugby World Cup will provide benefits to the cruise industry too, and in the near future we can look to build a dedicated cruise facility, but not one that’s rushed for a rugby event.”

ENDS

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