Editorial: Funding goal for Northland's Hundertwasser art project will be reached

The fundraising drive is $1.5m better off this week after the Northland Regional Council came to the HAC party.

It would seem now, that with only $2 million to raise, the $16.25m target for the Hundertwasser art project will be reached.

It has to be; it would be a cumulative failure of the project's donors - including the National Government - if they were unable to drive the funding project over the line through donations or determination.

$1.5m has this week come from the Northland Regional Council, after a request driven by Northland Inc - our NRC-funded regional development group.

It is a win for the Prosper Northland Trust (PNT) behind the fundraising effort, although it has also brought frowns.

When the Whangarei District Council made a commitment some time ago that no more ratepayer funds would be spent on the project, a disclaimer needed to say "no more WDC ratepayer dollars".

The NRC's $1.5m is funded by ratepayers.

It comes from an Investment and Growth Reserve (IGR) which the NRC pumps $1.7m into annually from investment proceeds.

Northland Inc chief executive officer David Wilson reckons we need a bigger fund to tap into.

We certainly do - many eyes will swing sideways to the Northpower Trust which oversees the investment of consumer shares from past electricity reforms.

What we know about regional economics now, versus what we knew back when we chose our power bill credit method, has changed dramatically.

There is a sound argument for change but the process is complex and stymied by a lack of desire, and blissful ignorance from consumers, who would need to drive the change.

Cumulative seed funding from all of Northland's councils could perhaps start something.

It has been a no brainer for a long time that Northland needs to stand on its own two feet in this area so it can run, rather than limp, toward funding goals like the Hundertwasser project's $16m plus.