City councillors vote against Games grant

Press, 19 December 1989, Page 7

City councillors vote against Games grant

By

Suzanne Keen

and PA.

Christchurch city Councillors have shied away from making an immediate financial commitment to the Auckland Commonwealth Games, in spite of a spirited call for support from Sir Ronald Scott. The council last evening agreed to co-ordinate fundraising within Christchurch for the Games and to set up a subcommittee to consider any further contribution from the council.

An amendment that the city pledge $35,000 to the event was lost 13 votes to 11. Sir Ronald said Christchurch should support the Games because if they succeeded the whole country would benefit. If the City Council did not give any further money and the Games failed then Christchurch would be embarrassed. “In this case I think we should think of ourselves as New Zealanders,” Sir Ronald said. “We are a country of helpers.” The deputy Mayor, Cr Morgan

Fahey, said Christchurch had already given $25,000 to the Games. He believed the council had a

moral obligation to assist with the event because of support which Auckland gave the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch. But he did not think that support could be on a sl-a-head basis. The Mayor, Ms Vicki Buck, criticised the Games organisation committee’s budget of $B3 million. There was a risk that the event would become the domain of the “rich, white countries of the Commonwealth.” Ms Buck said that through the previous council contribution and taxes, the ratepayers of Christchurch had already made a significent contribution to the event. Cr Ron Wright agreed, saying Sir Ronald’s comments had not softened his heart. Cr Charles Manning expressed concerned that if there was a problem with the hosting of the

Games, this could cause difficulties in the future when Christchurch might seek to host international events. • The Wellington City Council yesterday pledged $150,000 to the Games and will go ahead with the contribution regardless of what other local authorities in the region choose to do. The Wellington Regional Council had planned to put up $400,000 for the financially troubled Games.

The money was to be raised by a sl-a-head levy on each of the local authorities, but Carterton has refused to contribute and there are question marks over the intentions of Upper Hutt, Kapiti and Masterton. The Wellington City Council decided by a large majority it would contribute $150,000, either through the Regional Council or by itself. The council had earlier committed itself to underwriting the event by $200,000, but that was before the regional scheme was floated.