I’m proud to be a champion for arts and culture around the Council table. Council invests over $100m a year into our regional institutions – Auckland Museum, Auckland Art Gallery, MOTAT, the Zoo, Auckland Philharmonia, the Arts Festival, Stardome and others.
Most of these are governed and funded by laws put in place long before the supercity was established.
This old legislation for Auckland Museum, MOTAT and our other regional amenities comes with big risks for ratepayers. For example, did you know that Auckland Museum could ask ratepayers for over $200m a year? We have been fortunate that good relationships have kept it well below this figure, but that might not always be the case if personalities change.
So, what’s the long-term solution? The Mayor and I have signed an agreement with Auckland War Memorial Museum that ensures secure funding for three years, gives ratepayers a greater say in what the museum delivers, and will make sure it keeps delivering on its war memorial function.
This is an approach we will look to offer to our other regional organisations too.
We also want our cultural organisations to work closer together. We all know that Auckland is a hugely diverse place. On one hand, we have an ageing population, but we also have the highest number of young people in New Zealand. Our ethnic diversity is incredible, not to mention our rainbow and other communities. They all have different needs and interests. Only by working together can we give Aucklanders what they deserve, and entertain and educate all who visit with high-quality experiences.
There’s much more to do, but I’m excited that we have taken the first steps. Watch this space for more!
(Desley Simpson), Chair of the Domain Committee and Deputy Mayor of Auckland
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Published: April 2024