Brian Rudman: Money to burn but island misses out

COMMENT

The city councillor at the other end of the phone was apoplectic over the Government's decision to spend $25 million on buying back and refurbishing Wellington railway station.

"Why is there always money for Wellington and never anything for double-tracking the western line or buying new Auckland rolling stock, or electrifying ... "

"Or buying Kaikoura Island?" I muttered, hoping to infiltrate my cause into her litany of outrage without being detected.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, nothing," I replied, hoping the subliminal implant had taken. "You should compile a list of these injustices as ammunition for the next time you run into one of your central government allies."

Last week was a good time to start such a list.

As well as the train station, there were revelations of $2 million plus of taxpayer dollars secretly being laundered through anti-smoking groups to fund political campaigns in support of "independent" anti-smoking legislation.

Also revealed was a $10.8 million Government-funded anti-smacking publicity campaign.

With that sort of money you could not only buy Kaikoura Island, you could replant it in native vegetation and restock it with every endangered creature that still took breath.

I'm banging on about Kaikoura Island because last week Auckland's mayors took a small step towards bringing this Hauraki Gulf island into public ownership.

Nudged along by Manukau and Waitakere mayors, Sir Barry Curtis and Bob Harvey, they agreed to ask their various councils "to seriously consider making a contribution on a per capita basis to fund the acquisition of Kaikoura Island, being an outstanding resource for the benefit of present and future generations of New Zealanders".

In addition they called on central government "to fund at least one half of the current shortfall of $3 million".

The only outright opposition came from Auckland Regional Council chairwoman Gwen Bull.

Sir Barry said after the forum that "there's a lot of money available" and that it would be "ludicrous" if Auckland councils could not make up the difference.

It was only a small step forward because before any money is forthcoming the mayors have to persuade their councils to deliver.

It's only small, too, because the chairwoman of the regional council, which is supposed to be the leader of matters environmental in the region, refused even to take the matter back to her council for consideration.

The proposal had been that the ARC pay half the $3 million shortfall and the territorial authorities pay the other half on a per capita basis. With the ARC refusing to take part, the mayors decided to hit up central government instead.

The reaction from Conservation Minister Chris Carter's office has been blunt. So far, the Government has been the only one to have shown the colour of its money - a $1 million pledge from the Nature Heritage Fund.

The hint was plain. Before Auckland comes asking for more, it should commit itself to a contribution of its own.

Personally, I'm not fussed who comes up with the cash as long as someone does and soon. As Sir Barry points out, we're hardly talking a lot.

For example, the regional council is spending $3,309,500 on a new visitors centre at the Manurewa botanic gardens where "native plant conservation is a key role". Think of the native plant conservation the gardens could get up to for that sort of money on Kaikoura Island.

Similarly, think of the outreach programme that could be built up on the island by the city zoo.

Auckland Zoo's new director, Glen Holland, who previously worked as species manager at Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre in the Wairarapa, declares a lifetime passion for wildlife and nature conservation and is adamant zoos must "stay relevant, be exciting and inspiring places for people of all ages to experience, and essentially play a strong conservation role".

In zoo publicity he points out how, "in co-operation with the Department of Conservation, we're involved in an increasing number of native species breeding and release programmes. Through our Conservation Fund, we're also making a real difference to conservation projects in places such as Sumatra and Vietnam."

Now wouldn't it make more sense and have more relevance if the zoo's conservation projects included the repopulation of Kaikoura Island?

No money? Don't you believe it. A week or so back, Auckland city councillors sat down at a direction setting meeting for the annual plan. On the agenda was the ruling party's shopping list. I'm told there were no cries of poverty as they went through their wish list.

Albert St rail tunnel, $400 million; Eastern Transport Corridor, $1.9 billion to $2.9 billion; St Heliers Pier Ferry terminal, $4 million; new theatre initiative, $9 million; Eden Park Trust Board 60,000-seat outdoor stadium, $45 million; Queen St upgrade, $23.4 million; convention centre, $80 million to $120 million. I won't go on.

There is money and lots of it. It's just a matter of priorities. Preserving a rare island gem is higher on my list than any of the above.

It's also cheaper. And which one will future generations thank us most for putting top of our list?