Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed the Government will not step in with any further taxpayer funding for the Christ Church Cathedral rebuild. Photo / RNZ / Nate McKinnon
By RNZ
The Government will not provide $60 million in taxpayer funding to bail out the troubled Christ Church Cathedral rebuild, meaning the building is likely to be mothballed.
The Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project requested the money from the Government to help plug an $85m project shortfall.
Last week, Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger told RNZ central government would need to “come to the party” if the cathedral rebuild was to be completed.
Earlier this year, the Anglican Church warned work on the project could stop as costs blew out to almost $250m, leaving a $114m budget shortfall.
The gap was reduced to $85m after an agreement to lower seismic strengthening ome elements of the original plan.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis confirmed the Government would not step in with any further taxpayer funding.
“The Crown has already provided a significant $25m fiscal contribution to the reinstatement of the cathedral. We also provided expedited consenting for the project,” she said.
“The requested amount of at least $60m more would have been a significant contribution for a project that is not owned by the public, and where public use would be limited due to the cathedral being a private, religious space.”
The Government appreciated the progress Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Ltd and the Christchurch Property Trust had made in achieving stabilisation of the cathedral, as well as their efforts to rein in rising costs, Willis said.
“We understand and regret that this may not be the news they were hoping for.”
At a Christchurch City Council meeting on Wednesday, Heathcote Ward councillor Sara Templeton called for the council to delay the release of the remaining $7m of a $10m grant to project managers.
Mauger was currently in China on a sister cities visit.
Acting Mayor Pauline Cotter said the announcement Friday morning that the Government would not be contributing any money would be disappointing for Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement.
She said it would also have an impact on Cathedral Square and its surrounds, and private investors who had invested in the central city.
Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Ltd chairman Mark Stewart said the Government’s decision was “incredibly sad and disappointing”.
“As a board we need time to consider the implications of the coalition Government’s decision,” he said.
“With the Government’s decision, the pathway to completion is much longer and mothballing is now likely.”
Stewart said the board would meet on August 19 to look at its options and a further announcement will be made that week.
“This week the Christchurch City Council agreed to fulfil its commitment to release $7m it had already collected from a targeted rate towards reinstatement,” he said. “We have asked council to pause this funding until a decision has been made on the pathway to completion.
“This is a sad day for Christchurch. With the final anchor projects now being completed alongside significant private and civic investment, Christchurch is enjoying a wonderful renaissance as a modern and vibrant city. Completing the reinstatement of the city’s iconic cathedral in the very heart of the city in Cathedral Square would be a very fitting capstone to this.”
- RNZ
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