‘Any decision comes with consequences’: Sport Whanganui concerned as council plans to cut $60,000 contract

Sport Whanganui chief executive Danny Jonas. Photo / Bevan Conley

Sport Whanganui chief executive Danny Jonas has raised concerns about divestment in the sporting sector following Whanganui District Council’s proposal to cut its $60,000 contract with the trust.

The cut to the sports and recreation contract is part of the council’s Annual Plan.

“It is critical for a council to be proactive about enabling community wellbeing, participation and physical activity,” Jonas told councillors at the Annual Plan submission hearings this week.

“We are concerned about the divestment of investment in the sport and recreation space.”

Jonas said he wasn’t begging for the money to be reinstated to the charitable trust, but it was important to advocate for the community.

He said it was also disappointing to see the proposed $50,000 cut to the council’s sport and recreation facilities fund and the deferral of its accessible playground project.

Councillor Rob Vinsen asked Jonas what service Sport Whanganui provided for the $60,000.

Part of it was to implement the council’s 2022 Open Spaces and Physical Activity Strategy, Jonas said.

According to the council’s Annual Plan consultation document, there was “no set plan”.

Councillor Philippa Baker-Hogan asked whether Sport Whanganui would still join the council’s sport and recreation working group, which was scheduled to get under way soon.

“If I could be so bold and honest, any decision comes with consequences,” Jonas said.

“To answer your question, yes, but like you, we are tapped with resources as well.”

Sport Whanganui and the council were “still in this together”, but what unfolded in the future was yet to be decided, he said.

Jonas told the Chronicle he hadn’t made a submission to the council before, but his sector as a whole had taken a real hit.

“There has been a really good paper done on return on investment in the physical activity space. For every dollar spent, there is a $2.12 social impact return.

“It was commissioned by Sport New Zealand and really reiterates that wellbeing is important, be it through play, active recreation or sport.”

Because of a lack of council staff in the sport and recreation area, Sport Whanganui had become its “defacto adviser” in recent years, he said.

“It’s not just about the money. Now, it’s like they’re saying, ‘Actually, we don’t even need you’.”

As for the Rotokawau Virginia Lake bird aviary, which is also part of the Annual Plan consultation document, Jonas’ preference was to close it.

“The only thing we’ve got in common is two legs, but if you’ve got some feathers and wings, you have more of a priority than humans.

“That’s a little bit tongue-in-cheek of course, but it’s what it feels like.

“Hundreds of thousands is proposed to be taken out of the sport and recreation space, and then I read the paper and see that $400,000 or $750,000 could potentially be spent on a bird aviary. That’s nuts.”