How boring of Christchurch Anglicans to splurge $5 million on a papier mache lookalike of their munted cathedral's nave. Instead of seeking solace in a temporary substitute for the real thing, a more charitable and practical use of the money would have been to fund temporary housing for refugees from
Brian Rudman: Slug could become the new Te Papa

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The fanzone duties are over and the Slug now sits empty and alone at the end of Queens Wharf. Photo / Sarah Ivey

This year, Wellington City contributed $2.25 million to Te Papa's costs, less than a third the amount Aucklanders contribute through their taxes. Wellington councillors have now slashed this to a miserly $1 million. Some wanted it chopped entirely. Te Papa's public servants have struck back with an unprecedented "Save our Services" campaign, with posters in the museum lobby threatening that Wellington "could miss out" and of "reduced services to Wellington ratepayers" if the grant was slashed.
Could I suggest that if Te Papa staff want to give the Wellington ingrates a real fright, they come north to check out the Slug, which is sitting here empty, available to a good tenant. It could be an emergency refuge for the national collection, away from the Philistines in the capital who obviously don't appreciate the treasure the rest of New Zealand has entrusted them with.
Museum Hotel owner Chris Parkin is of no doubts about the significance of Te Papa to the local economy. He told the local paper "Te Papa is Wellington's biggest tourist attraction by about a million miles". A just released economic impact report completed for the museum by Market Economics backs the hotelier's gut response. Referring to it as "a major tourist attraction" with "more than 50 per cent of all visitors to Wellington visit[ing] Te Papa" the report says it "plays a significant role in attracting domestic and international visitors to Wellington, and it's through this role that it makes a significant contribution to the Wellington and national economies".
Last year Te Papa spent $37 million with suppliers and paid $29 million in wages. Of this $38 million was spent in Wellington City and another $7.8 million in the rest of the region. On top of that was what tourists spent, the report estimating that "some $59 million of direct tourist spend can be attributed to Te Papa's presence". At the $2.25 million level of annual funding, Wellington ratepayers "are receiving a return on this contribution of almost $41 for every dollar of ratepayer money spent".
The report also points out that of Te Papa's 1.38 million visitors a year, 328,500 were Wellington City residents and a further 144,620 came from elsewhere in the region. In other words, Te Papa not only "plays a significant role in attracting domestic and international visitors to Wellington" and makes "a significant contribution to the Wellington" economy, but it is also a major cultural and entertainment hub for Wellingtonians. One they get on the cheap.
You'd think Wellington councillors would appreciate how lucky they are. But obviously they've suckled at the taxpayers' teat so long, they don't appreciate their good fortune.
Good luck to Te Papa's campaign to shame Wellingtonians.
And don't let them forget, the Slug is available.