Brian Rudman: Politicians need to follow people's lead on regional funding

Where's a political leader when you need one? A year ago, Auckland City cautiously polled citizens from across the region on whether they supported regional funding for regional institutions.

The backing was overwhelming. Of the 15 facilities specified, only the North Shore Stadium didn't get majority support, and even it got 46.4 per cent.

Top scorers were the Westpac rescue helicopter with 96 per cent and Surf Lifesaving with 92 per cent.

Then came the zoo and Watersafe Auckland, on 89 per cent, and Opera New Zealand, with 81 per cent.

Close behind were an assortment of arts and cultural organisations such as the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (76 per cent); Auckland Art Gallery (75); Auckland Festival (71); Auckland Observatory (71); Regional Botanic Gardens (71 per cent - already regionally funded), and Auckland Theatre Company (65).

The only people who seem reluctant to declare their support are the politicians.

The survey was sparked by the local orchestra's on-going funding crisis and by Auckland City's perennial failure to persuade its neighbouring councils to pay a more equitable share of the costs of the orchestra and the region's other cultural activities. In December, Auckland City finally set up an officials committee to promote a "regional funding initiative".

The objective was to draw up legislation similar to that which allows Auckland Museum and the Museum of Transport and Technology to levy ratepayers throughout Greater Auckland for funding.

Last Friday, Jill McPherson, Auckland City's general manager for arts, community and recreation, gave the region's mayors a briefing in secret on progress so far.

The main progress appears to have been to narrow the list of potential beneficiaries down to nine - the helicopter trust, Surf Lifesaving, Watersafe Auckland, the orchestra, Opera NZ, Auckland Theatre Company, the Observatory, National Maritime Museum and the zoo.

The mayors agreed that bureaucrats from the other territorial authorities could join the working party promoting the bill.

Councils are also being asked to advance further possible recipients. To me, an obvious additional candidate is the Auckland Festival. Another is Pasifika.

What I find hard to fathom is why the process is being conducted in secrecy. And why it's taking so long.

If ever there was an idea whose time has come, it's this one.

Even when those polled were told that regional funding would result in ratepayers in some cities having to pay 2 to 4 per cent more on their rates, 50.5 per cent agreed this was fair, and another 15 per cent neither agreed nor disagreed. Nearly half those who "strongly agreed" did so because they believed that regional facilities should be funded regionally.

Of course the obvious regional funding body, in a perfect world, would be the Auckland Regional Authority. But with it persisting in a view that its cultural obligations are met by providing parks and protecting "cultural heritage", that leaves it to either the various territorial authorities - or to no one.

Given the other cities' past parsimony as far as culture is concerned, it's easy to become depressed about the eventual outcome.

Then again, the outer cities proved the doubters wrong in 2000, when they endorsed the identical Motat legislation with hardly a squeak.

Of course, what would increase my optimism would be the emergence of some politicians from across the region willing to stick their heads above the parapet and take a lead. I might even blow up some party balloons if the leaders of the potential recipient organisations and their supporters were to tell the politicians they're doing the right thing.

Auckland is awash with politicians and lobbyists advocating bigger spend-ups on new roads. Yesterday we even had Manukau Mayor Barry Curtis and Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard demanding the regional council make us all pay higher rates to fund more buses and trains. Wouldn't it be great to hear them express the same enthusiasm for spending on culture and recreational activities.

Not only would it be the right thing to say, it would make good political sense as well. Most Aucklanders agree it should happen. And soon.

The organisations involved need and deserve secure funding now, not in two or three or four years' time.