McCully vents over 'embarrassing' party central debacle

Queens Wharf. Photo / Dean Purcell

Cabinet Minister Murray McCully returned from Tonga today and launched a stinging attack on the Auckland Regional Council's U-turn on the development of Queens Wharf.

"I'm not sure what Mike Lee was smoking," the World Cup Minister told 3 News.

"Nothing could be as bad as what we have at the moment. As an Aucklander, I find this embarrassing."

To One News, Mr McCully said: "We come to Auckland where there is this train-wreck of a local government set up and, frankly, it's very hard to do business here."

Tourism Auckland boss Graeme Osborne told One News a "sense of urgency" needed to be brought to the table.

"There's a part of it which says to me - why didn't we get it right first time up? The options are just disappearing day by day now."

Earlier today, Auckland Mayor John Banks said he was keen to step in and provide the venue for the World Cup "party central" after the Government expressed frustration in the Auckland Regional Council's U-turn on keeping an historic Queens Wharf shed.

Mr Banks said he was looking forward to talking with Prime Minister John Key and Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully about possibilities for a new venue, saying he had a "can-do" attitude and his "door is always open".

He said he would not discuss possible venues with nzherald.co.nz before speaking with Mr McCully and Mr Key.

Mr Key, who is in China, said the venue could now be changed.

The ARC yesterday voted in favour of transforming one of two 98-year-old cargo sheds into the World Cup fan-hub and also a cruise ship terminal, alongside a temporary structure which the Government wants.

The sheds were scheduled to be demolished and replaced with the temporary glass and steel structure - the option favoured by the Government.

Both ARC chairman Mike Lee and Mr McCully said in April that they couldn't imagine retaining the sheds which Mr Lee described as "old, cheap and nasty".

But after the New Zealand Historic Places Trust became involved and pushed to save the sheds, the ARC changed its tune.

Mr Key said he was open to looking for another site in Auckland where a temporary structure could be erected, but a spokesman for World Cup Minister Mr McCully said the Government had not begun looking for alternative venues.

nzherald.co.nz called Mr Lee just before he was due to get on a flight to China. He said his council's concern was a cruise ship terminal on Queens Wharf - not a party for the Rugby World Cup.

"Our concern is getting a cruise ship terminal. If we are going to have 'party central' there - fine. If we're going to have it somewhere else - fine.

"We've opened up Queens Wharf to the public so all Aucklanders and visitors can come down there now, but we want to get on with it because we can't leave the sheds in that condition. We have to get on and upgrade it for a cruise ship terminal and an events centre."

Mr Lee said he did not want to talk about "party central".

"I don't want to get into a debate, all the stuff is on record just read it up and we'll leave it at that, I've got to go," Mr Lee said.

The ARC chairman is heading to China on holiday and said yesterday that he would try and meet up with Mr Key during his holiday.

Since Mr Key announced plans for "party central" in June last year, his vision of "a mass public opening ceremony and the magnet for fans who can't be at games" has been a planning and political shambles.

Labour's Auckland spokesman Phil Twyford has described the Government's plans as "turning to custard".

"We have a Rugby World Cup Minister, a Minister of Infrastructure, a Minister of Transport and a Prime Minister - three of them are Auckland MPs and none of them can get it right," Mr Twyford said.

"Is someone going to take charge before all the foreign guests arrive and New Zealand makes a fool of itself on the international stage?" Mr Twyford asked.

He said a "truckload of public money is being spent" and New Zealand's international reputation is on the line.

"This needs careful negotiation to come up with a deal that sticks. Murray McCully's threatening and dictatorial approach hasn't helped matters," Mr Twyford said, referring to a letter from Mr McCully made public yesterday.

In the letter to ARC chairman Mike Lee, Mr McCully said senior ministers remained committed to building the temporary structure and saw no merit in redeveloping Shed 10 where it was.

"We also see considerable risk in embarking on a restoration of Shed 10, with the attendant risks of cost escalation and timetable blowout."

Mr McCully gave the ARC an ultimatum. Either restore Shed 10 off-site or on another part of Queens Wharf, or buy the Government's $20 million half-share of the purchase price of the wharf and take full responsibility for all the building, landscape and other costs to prepare the wharf in time for the Cup.

He also demanded the ARC provide an undertaking from Auckland mayors to reverse an earlier decision that no permanent development proceed on Queens Wharf before the Super City comes into being.

Mr McCully's demands for moving Shed 10 are not acceptable to the regional council; nor does it have the money to buy out the Government and pay all the redevelopment costs.

In a statement issued after the council meeting, Mr McCully said he was comfortable with the ARC exploring options for moving and protecting Shed 10 at its cost but insisted nothing would put at risk facilities for the Cup.

Last night, Mr Lee said Mr McCully misunderstood the ARC position, which was to not move Shed 10. It was built on piles and could fall through the wharf if an attempt was made to move it, he said.

"Moving Shed 10 is his idea. If anything is going to be moveable, it is the temporary building. That would be more logical," Mr Lee said.

Councillor Joel Cayford said the ARC needed to work with the "devil more on the side with this than the minister", a reference to the Auckland City Council, which has $24 million set aside for restoring the two cargo sheds.

Auckland City Mayor John Banks said his position on the restoration of Queens Wharf had not changed, but he did not want to get involved at this stage.

"The future of Queens Wharf is in the hands of the owners, the Government and the Auckland Regional Council," he said.

Mr Lee expects to hold talks on the Queens Wharf project with Mr Key when they both attend New Zealand Day at the Shanghai Expo in China tomorrow.

- with NZ Herald staff