Rate Payers asked to Pay for White Water Rafting Project

Hard on the heels of a recent contentious decision by an Auckland Controlled Organisation to spend nearly $11 million on the V8 Supercars another CCO, Regional Facilities Auckland, is seeking $30 from the Auckland Council to fund a white water rafting course next to the Pacific Events Centre in Manukau. In addition to funding from the rate payer the CCO is seeking $10 million of tax payer funding through the Ministry of Economic Development.
 
Howick Councillor Dick Quax expressed surprise at the controversial proposal has been resurrected.
 
“The old Manukau City Council voted this project down by a large majority before the amalgamation in 2010 on the basis that it is hugely expensive to build and operate and well beyond what the mandate of the Council.”
 
“If there is a demand for white water rafting in Auckland then the private sector will undoubtedly provide such a facility. I just don’t see the private sector putting up their money but it seems that the long suffering rate payer will be asked to dig deep for what can only be described a luxury we can ill afford in recessionary times.”
 
“The people of Manukau have already been extraordinarily generous to the Trust that runs the Pacific Event Centre providing it with money, land, a loan guarantee and ongoing grants to pay for local events that cannot afford the high rents the Trust charge to use the facility.  To date the amount is over $50 million. It appears that the RFA see an opportunity for the entire region to pay for a project completely rejected by both the people of Manukau and the Manukau Council.”

ENDS

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