City needs sweetener to soothe nerves: Fletcher

By Mathew Dearnaley

Aucklanders deserve Government compensation for disruption caused by the Apec summit, says mayor Christine Fletcher.

She warned yesterday that while the city was ready to be a good host in September, residents could get fed up if not compensated in cash or kind for the inconvenience.

The Government might consider funding a celebratory concert or staging other events outside central Auckland during the summit to reduce traffic bottlenecks and to compensate for the closures of open spaces.

Mrs Fletcher stopped short of calling for a day off for city workers, as suggested by planning sources last month, but said it might make sense to close schools to reduce congestion.

Thousands of tertiary students are already having their traditional mid-term holidays changed to avoid chaos during Apec, with student groups claiming that this is a deliberate attempt to keep protesters out of town.

Mrs Fletcher wants legislation aimed at closing Auckland Domain for up to three days to be dealt with in the city and by a select committee of her fellow Auckland-based MPs.

She began yesterday by mustering her councillors to fight a bill introduced to Parliament later in the day by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Don McKinnon, but softened her stance after receiving assurances from him.

Mr McKinnon told her the Domain should not be closed for more than 48 hours to allow police to guarantee security for the Apec leaders' meeting at the Auckland Museum on September 13.

Provision in the bill for an extra day's closure was needed in case the summit became delayed.

Mrs Fletcher said she accepted this, after whittling the Government down from a planned five-day closure, but still wanted the legislation referred to an Auckland select committee.

A precedent was set last year with the legislation to set up Infrastructure Auckland, and she hoped such a committee would examine the full cost to the city of hosting Apec.

Mr McKinnon agreed to consider the proposal but a spokesman later pointed to the huge economic and marketing spinoffs that Auckland would gain from the summit.