Surf stoush: The battle for funding for Auckland's west and east coast beaches

Lifeguards battle the surf as they patrol the southern beach of Piha. Photo / Nick Reed

A stoush between disaffected members of three of Auckland's West Coast lifesaving clubs and their parent body has the potential to damage a "great brand", says the chairman of Surf Lifesaving Northern Region.

The dispute has the classic elements of an East Coast-West Coast rivalry, though Northern Region management has dismissed it as a small group of disaffected members who are not representative of their clubs.

The chairmen of three of Auckland's biggest surf lifesaving clubs – Karekare, Piha and United (North Piha) – recently co-signed a letter to SLS Northern Region, the umbrella organisation that administers 17 clubs from Raglan in the south to the Far North club at Ahipara. In the correspondence they outlined ongoing concerns with the administration and threatened self-governance or alternative governance if they were not addressed.

The letter, dated April 4, stated that "we the undersigned clubs have repeatedly raised concerns and questions about the governance and health of Surf Lifesaving Northern Region. Without exception these concerns or questions have been unanswered or not dealt with to our satisfaction."

The letter was written by former Northern Region chairman Steven Pye and signed by Karekare's John McLarin, listed on the letter as chairman but on the club website as chairman of the sport division, Piha chairwoman Sandra Hosking and United chairman Noel Kay.

SLSNR chief executive Matt Williams and chairman Ian Godfrey acknowledged receipt of the letter but said they had subsequently addressed all the issues raised, some of which came from a place of misunderstanding rather than genuine dissatisfaction with the organisation.

However the Herald has been contacted by a member of the "rebel" group who said several outstanding issues were unresolved around communication and a funding shortfall. When asked to be quoted on the record the veteran surf lifesaver declined.

"You put your name to anything in this organisation that is at odds with the CEO and the board and you get shot down," the source said. "That's not OK. The clubs should be running the board, not the other way around."

Godfrey said it was unfortunate "that one or two agitators" were continuing to cause angst when everybody else, including the members at their clubs, had signed off on SLSNR's plans and funding models.

"It's a shame. We've got a great brand here and this sort of thing can be damaging."

Matt Williams, CEO of Surf Life Saving Northern Region.

Godfrey and Williams both stated that the clubs now had access to more funding than they had in the past and it was distributed in a way that was fair and equitable.

The letter initially caused uproar in the surf lifesaving communities when the clubs suggested they would look at the option of breaking from Northern Region's remit.

"[We will] investigate the options for future governance under our own collective leadership," the letter stated.

Williams said it was "absolutely incorrect" that the three clubs would explore the possibility of breaking away, despite the explicit mention of it in the correspondence.

"There's nothing that gives any light or energy to them leaving the organisation," he said.

Godfrey said he had talked to some of those involved and believed that line was inserted as an attention grabber rather than a serious threat.

"They would certainly be a lot worse off if they went out on their own."

The actions of the Karekare, Piha and United clubs have created waves in the surf lifesaving community with even some of their own members questioning the hostile stance. One life member of the Karekare club, former Waitakere mayor Sir Bob Harvey, said he did not believe the threats were appropriate.

"I wish it wasn't happening," he said. "It does nobody any good."

SLSNR chairman Ian Godfrey.

At the heart of the issue is the funding model and disbursement by SLS Northern Region. Many within the West Coast clubs believe the model is flawed and point to the fact that funding has been channeled to East Coast clubs – Red Beach, Orewa and Mairangi Bay are the ones frequently cited – to set up satellite stations at places like Wenderholm and Browns Bay, when the additional funding should go to beaches "that actually need it".

"All they do at those beaches are put up signs that say don't swim here because there's poo in the water," a source said.

The city's East Coast beaches had little risk and large populations on their doorstep from which to fundraise, say critics, while the West Coast beaches have far more dangerous conditions and comparatively few permanent residents to call upon as donors.

Williams said the East Coast clubs under their umbrella made comparable rescues and preventative actions, though he includes the regional East Coast clubs in those stats, not just the three metropolitan Auckland East Coast clubs that critics believe get too generous a slice of the funding pie.

The last annual SLSNR annual report put funding for Orewa, Red Beach and Mairangi Bay at $33,000, $27,000 and $30,000 respectively, though this did not take into account small sums for satellite locations.

In comparison, Piha, United and Karekare received sums of $36,000, $33,000 and $27,000.

When asked if it was anomalous that the East Coast clubs received comparable funding to patrol such low-risk beaches, Williams and Godfrey echoed the belief that there was more to surf club activity than just rescues.

"Unfortunately you're never going to be able to please everybody," Godfrey said.