Editorial: Don't reject V8 racing out of hand

COMMENT

It would be unfortunate if the new Auckland City Council were to throw out the proposed V8 supercar race on some sort of ideological whim. The event promises too much in terms of breathing life into the downtown area to be dismissed in that manner. Clearly, there are major problems with the planned inner-city Victoria Park circuit, but a robust resource consent process is in midstream. It should be allowed to run its course before the council makes a decision.

It appears that nine centre-left councillors and independent Faye Storer are adamantly against the race in its proposed location. Seven councillors favour it, Mayor Dick Hubbard, has offered conditional support and the two Action Hobson councillors are undecided.

If the Hobson pair were to support the event, Mr Hubbard would have to exercise his casting vote. That, in itself, should encourage him to ensure the proposal goes through the full consent process. To have to cast the decisive vote on so divisive an issue at, say, a hastily convened council meeting would hardly represent an ideal introduction to local-body politics for a consensus-minded mayor.

Coincidentally or not, the disposition of the new council closely mirrors that of the community. Last month a Herald-DigiPoll survey found 47.3 per cent of Auckland City residents against the race proposal and 46.1 per cent in support. Backing for the race increased the further away from the inner city that people were polled. That survey should be sufficient to deter centre-left councillors from rushing to scrap the event. Quite simply, there is no mandate to do that.

Aucklanders will have a clearer idea of the event's viability as the consents process reaches its conclusion. Most importantly, they will learn whether Transit New Zealand has been convinced that the threat of bottlenecks and general traffic chaos can be averted. For this to be avoided, there will have to be 40 per cent fewer trips across the Auckland Harbour Bridge to the city centre. Realistically, that involves getting North Shore residents out of their cars and onto buses and ferries. These alternatives would need to be packaged attractively to have any chance of success.

Until now, Transit has not been persuaded that motorway mayhem can be avoided. However, event organiser IMG appeared in a confident frame of mind this week when it released favourable peer reviews of a travel behaviour survey and a communications plan.

Other issues also demand attention. The economic benefit of the event needs to be assessed more objectively. The pro-race majority on the previous city council clearly inflated this when they pointed to an outdated study by Ernst & Young and the University of Brisbane, which suggested a benefit of $45 million a year and $315 million over the event's seven-year tenure. Similarly, there is the question of work on the Victoria Park flyover. The North Shore Mayor, George Wood, has a valid point in not wanting its widening disrupted by the racing.

Most importantly, the new council should be asking Avesco, the race organiser, whether any other site in Auckland would be suitable for the race. Options have surely been assessed, and it seems likely that Avesco would have a Plan B. If the Victoria Park circuit fails the resource consent test, an alternative should be canvassed. So far, Avesco has merely waved a big stick, telling Aucklanders that if they do not want the event, the likes of Singapore, Dubai and Cape Town do. But the people in those cities do not have the same level of interest in V8 supercar racing. It is in the interests of Avesco, as well as Auckland, to make every effort to stage the event here.

The new council should leave no stone unturned in seeking to bring V8 racing to Auckland, if it can be carried off without major disruption and there is a proven economic benefit. The event has potential to return an America's Cup-style razzmatazz to the city. It cannot be dismissed out of hand.