Return of Waitangi charge slammed

UNHAPPY: Kiwis will have to pay for entry to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, much to the chagrin of newly-elected Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis.PHOTO/FILE

The return of entry fees for Kiwis at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds is "outrageous" according to newly elected Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis, who is pinning the blame squarely on the Government.

As of Saturday New Zealanders will pay $15 to visit the grounds with children up to 18 free if accompanied by parents or caregivers. The charge for overseas visitors will remain at $25 with children free.

The Waitangi National Trust says charging Kiwis is necessary because the drop in tourism caused by the global financial crisis means there are no longer enough fee-paying overseas visitors to subsidise free entry for locals.

Mr Davis, however, said if there was one place in the country that should be free to New Zealanders, it was the birthplace of the nation.

The finger should be pointed directly at the Government, which he said had a duty to fund the Waitangi National Trust, which owns the Treaty Grounds, so Kiwis did not have to pay.

Trust chief executive Greg McManus said unlike other sites of national significance, the Treaty Grounds received no operational funding from the Government. Instead the trust relied on admission fees and income from its land and forest.

The trust took pride in its independence but it came as surprise to most visitors, and even locals, that it was not publicly funded. That came about as an "historical accident" because the Treaty Grounds were founded in 1932 during the Great Depression.

Government funding had never been offered and never asked for, Mr McManus said.

The re-introduction of an entry fee brought the Treaty Grounds into line with other historic attractions such as the Stone Store and Kemp House, Pompallier House and Te Waimate Mission.

A fee was charged until 2008 when, under pressure from the then Labour Government, the trust scrapped the $12 entry fee for New Zealanders and hiked the tourist entry fee to $20, then $25, to compensate. A fence was erected around the grounds last year for security and to stop tourists walking in without paying.

Mr McManus said the extra income would be used to continue improving the grounds. Construction was due to begin soon on the new National Museum of Waitangi, expected to open in late 2016.

Admission during the Waitangi Day festival, February 5-8, will remain free. The $15 entry fee for Kiwis will include a guided tour or cultural performance. Far North residents will be able to buy a Friends of Waitangi card for $5, entitling them a year's free entry plus discounts at the shop and cafe. Other New Zealanders will be able to buy a card for $25.

The Treaty Grounds receive about 100,000 visitors a year with a further 40,000 each Waitangi Day.

Mr Davis received the most votes in last Saturday's election but will not be confirmed as MP until the final vote count is released on October 4.