Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Winning the RWC: it's complicated

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  • Rich of Observationz,

    sucking up to whoever the VIPs were

    The only person of any note who could be identified attending was Prince Albert of Monaco. I guess we have trade with the Monégasque, but it mostly consists of Key’s wealthy mates stuffing their cash their out of reach of the NZ taxman.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Charging for fan-zone tickets would have deferred the cost and contained the numbers

    I reckon Heineken could've chipped in.

    Eight bucks for a plastic cup of tankered fake Heineken in a tax-payer-funded venue?? They must've made out like bandits.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Mr Key has suggested that his Party Central be re-purposed as a soup kitchen. Govt. is looking for sponsors now with Heineken a possibility.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Well if Key thinks it's money well spent, let him pay. And he can keep the tupper waka for his efforts.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Ngati Whatua get it.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Charging for fan-zone tickets would have deferred the cost and contained the numbers.

    It would have gone nowhere covering the costs and would have generated massive, and understandable, public resentment.

    Free ticketing for Queen’s Wharf, which they finally got round to doing, should have been in place from the beginning. Indeed, as I’ve noted the idea was raised and McCully and others rejected it.

    We could have had every game in existing stadia – just with slightly smaller crowds – who could in turn have been transported more easily.

    We would not have been granted the tournament without stadium upgrades.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to 3410,

    Eight bucks for a plastic cup of tankered fake Heineken in a tax-payer-funded venue?? They must’ve made out like bandits.

    To be fair, it's a taxpayer-funded venue that will still be a feature of our expanding waterfront long after the RWC ends.

    The original proposal, remember, was for both sheds to be bowled. But a public and media outcry led to the preservation of Shed 10. It's one thing you cannot blame central government for.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to merc,

    Ngati Whatua get it.

    And my word have they been sensitive about criticism of it.

    Maybe it's awesome inside, but it does not look like it will last long before the exterior deteriorates. It looks a bit crappy, frankly.

    But my main problem was the government spending $1.8 million outside of any conventional process. WTF?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Locking journalists out of the tuppawaka opening was a doozie as well. There are so many instances of totally incompetent behaviour round RWC spending. The cloud, tubeworm future itself is being debated, no real ideas and it's not purpose built for the timeframes they are quoting. Sadly I think it will become a desolated white elephant.
    And again I'd say I'd be real pissed if I was a local business owner downtown.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    We would not have been granted the tournament without stadium upgrades

    Our government could have got together with the Aussies, Brits and South Africans and agreed not to be kicked around by Big Sport. Then the IRB would have had a choice of either pulling their (substantial) necks in, or holding future tournaments in places like Dubai and Hong Kong where the weather's unsuitable and the local team couldn't qualify for a lunchtime touch league.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    I thought Ngati Whatua were happy for it to go away, any where as they couldn't afford to house it after.

    And my word have they been sensitive about criticism of it.

    I'd bet it is because it is crap. If it was a fantastic spend, there would be praises with Key photo op standing inside smiling and waving beside Pita.
    It reeks of a backroom deal with any exposure showing it to be so. I vaguely remember Shane Jones bringing it to the Houses attention when it was first announced. Where the term Tupperwaka was coined .

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to merc,

    There are so many instances of totally incompetent behaviour round RWC spending. The cloud, tubeworm future itself is being debated, no real ideas and it’s not purpose built for the timeframes they are quoting.

    The Cloud was part of the Queen's Wharf compromise between central and local government -- I suppose it was a mercy that at McCully didn't managed to get Auckland Council ratepayers to stump up for it, as the Hide appointees at the CCOs were proposing.

    Funny thing is, we never remember the amazing sums of public money that went into the America's Cup Village and the Viaduct a decade ago -- $100 million-plus.

    The Infrastructure Auckland-owned America's Cup Village Ltd, which was supposed to make money, lost $10 million during the first defence and went out of business before the second one. It was a major shambles and had a strong whiff of cronyism.

    But we forget these things ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    Our government could have got together with the Aussies, Brits and South Africans and agreed not to be kicked around by Big Sport. Then the IRB would have had a choice of either pulling their (substantial) necks in, or holding future tournaments in places like Dubai and Hong Kong

    There was a strong lobby amongst some of the European unions for RWC 2011 to go to Japan, which ended up having to wait till 2019. (The other bidder was South Africa.)

    It was believed that New Zealand couldn't provide the facilities or the ground capacity for an international tournament, and that it made more sense to expand the game's profile in Auckland.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10756609
    Ah I see they are conflicted by it, the cost of keeping it and the cost of demolishing it. I am surprised by the Blair responses.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Russell Brown,

    But we forget these things …

    Well I remember. My rates are big and now they want to charge me to take the rubbish away on top of them, never mind that we already pay for it.Oh I remember. :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I think we have grown a far more jaded view of the benefits of these types of expenditures. I think we Aucklanders are to be applauded for our tolerance in the face of some very low down thinking and activity by our political leaders.
    Red socks from China = Tupperwaka from China, from the media does not equate to the loathing we may hold for the ridiculous daily caterwauling from civic leaders. Really it is that low brow.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to merc,

    There are so many instances of totally incompetent behaviour round RWC spending.

    Not any more than you'd expect for the scale of the event and budgets and the number of organisations involved. Unless you have some evidence we haven't seen yet.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock, in reply to Russell Brown,

    It looks a bit crappy, frankly.

    Probably look a bit better once they get the wings and the engines bolted on. I can't wait to see it do some flight testing over the harbour!

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10760088
    This is pretty good list to start with and the excuse that it's pretty much in line with what you would expect, well, I would expect better.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to merc,

    I think we have grown a far more jaded view of the benefits of these types of expenditures.

    I'd say that we -- and to give due credit, our media -- are far less inclined to ignore the kind of crap that went down with the Viaduct redevelopment.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • merc,

    Extra expenses, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10729608
    And yes, the media has been reporting the expenditures to date when they can get answers. Across the board more questions are being asked than ever before. It took a very short time for Monty Fay to be outed for his cynical Crafar bid (he of the red socks). I think digital has a huge hand to play, notable recently Joyce being questioned by yourself over his weird e-mumblings in Computerworld, see other thread.
    This election is going to be interesting in so far as the Auckland populace anyway wanting to know more about what the Supercity plans to deliver.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to merc,

    Claiming incompetence seems over the top when we don't yet have details to support that. Apart from the opening night debacle.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to merc,

    This is pretty good list to start with and the excuse that it’s pretty much in line with what you would expect, well, I would expect better.

    Not everything in that story is of the same order, though. As I noted above, if tens of thousands of us are going to descend on the key public venue, the council pretty much has to provide for us.

    And the earlier Herald story I linked to -- and on which the new story is based -- includes infrastructure upgrades to ports and airports etc in that $200m cost, which I'm not sure should really be entirely attributed to the RWC, given that those facilities serve our tourism trade in the long term Again, it'd be good to see it itemised rather than take the reporter's word for it.

    (They almost included $1.1 billion in capital expenditure by NZ Rail, which would have made for a spectacular total.)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to Sacha,

    And I was holding back.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to merc,

    And yes, the media has been reporting the expenditures to date when they can get answers.

    Te Puni Kokiri's inability to explain how it spent $2.8 million was fairly pathetic.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

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