Bernard Orsman: Unified approach would come to the aid of party central

Attempts over the past week - finalised yesterday - to secure Queens Wharf as "party central" for the 2011 Rugby World Cup are yet another case study in favour of a Super City.

Prime Minister John Key painted the vision of Queens Wharf being more than just "party central" - a term that will resonate with Aucklanders' love for big public events.

Development of the wharf would be transformational longer-term and the sort of action that would bring New Zealand out of recession faster and in better shape, he said.

Not only will the large, 3.7ha wharf at the bottom on Queen St be the focus for the cup and a spectacular opening-night ceremony, but other projects are being fast-tracked to open up more of the waterfront.

These include a $27 marine events centre on the site of the old Team New Zealand base on the Halsey St wharf extension and the first stage of Te Wero Bridge, linking the Viaduct Harbour with the events centre and the first stage of the Tank Farm.

This will see Jellicoe St - that runs down to Te Wero Bridge - developed into a boulevard with shops, restaurants, working wharves, leisure attractions and a Rugby World Cup viewing area.

Key says the Cup presents an opportunity to further transform the waterfront in the same way the America's Cup was the catalyst for the Viaduct Harbour.

But unlike the America's Cup, the RWC will not provide a single new facility, but a few more pieces to the waterfront jigsaw.

Efforts by Auckland City Council and the Auckland Regional Council to prise Queens Wharf from its owner, Ports of Auckland, were finalised yesterday morning after years of negotiations.

In February last year, ARC chairman Mike Lee and his deputy Michael Barnett were photographed behind the red iron gates in front of Queens Wharf talking up gaining public access and building a cruise ship terminal.

More than a year later, and with little sign of progress, the Government stepped in to add impetus to a goal everyone agrees on.

Queens Wharf is a classic case of multiple governance that has served Auckland so poorly.

What's more, it is part of the ports company, whose dividends are used by the ARC to subsidise public transport.

Given these complexities, made worse by a need for the ARC to recapitalise the ports company, it is little wonder the Government stepped in to try to realise the common vision with the cup little more than two years away.

Government intervention certainly helped negotiations between the ARC, its investment arm Auckland Regional Holdings and the ports company. It also required the Government to be fleet of foot.

Last week, the Government was not interested in putting money towards buying the wharf as it could be seen to be contributing to the recapitalisation of the ports company.

But when Auckland City Mayor John Banks flatly refused to contribute $20 million to the purchase, the Government was forced to the table.

Both the Government and the ARC have each paid $20 million towards purchasing the wharf.

Yesterday, Key said the challenge now was for city leaders to move swiftly to begin the infrastructure programme to transform the 100-year-old wharf.

Banks is excited at the prospect of securing the wharf in April next year, but has to convince his ratepayers to pay what he believes will be a bill of more than $100 million, including $20 million for strengthening, for a cruise ship terminal - possibly combined with a new home for the Auckland Theatre Company - and public space.

ARC chairman Mike Lee says there is no need for gold-plating, just a well-designed cruise ship terminal and public access.

Divergent views of what needs to happen now brings reminders of the waterfront stadium debacle when Labour's Rugby World Cup Minister Trevor Mallard came to Auckland and gave locals two weeks to decide. Back then, Auckland City and the ARC had opposing views.

This time round, the Government is not dangling a chequebook beyond $20 million towards the purchase and expects Auckland to pick up most of the tab.

Such a fragmented approach to developing the waterfront is a strong argument for the Super City. At the very least, there would be fewer heads to bang together.

Unfortunately for Auckland, decisions to develop Queens Wharf need to be taken and implemented before the Super City is in place.