Avery vs Clark
Stuff reports:
Inventor and philanthropist Sir Ray Avery fears opposition, including from former prime minister Helen Clark, could jeopardise a planned charity concert at Eden Park.
“It’s a fall from grace for her, she’s really come down to be a petty politician,” Avery said of Clark’s submission opposing planning permission for the Waitangi Day event.
Avery hopes $4 million can be raised from the concert, and linked fundraising events, to supply incubators he invented for premature babies in developing countries.
The event requires planning approval and has re-ignited opposition from some locals to Eden Park hosting concerts.
“The proposed charity element is not directly related to the concert nor specific to this venue in any meaningful or concrete fashion within the application,” Clark’s submission was reported to have said.
It’s a bad look to be seen to be against a charity concert, but the issue is more nuanced than that.
Successive applications to hold concerts at Eden Park have not succeeded. They are not permitted activities. This man’s concert could easily be held @MtSmartStadium where concerts are a permitted activity.
— Helen Clark (@HelenClarkNZ) July 4, 2018
Exactly. Residents have rights under RMA to object. Five previous applications to hold concerts there have failed. Now the ruse is to put up one in support of a charity = Trojan horse. @MtSmartStadium is popular & well accepted concert venue & should be used. @Scungo @tmurphyNZ
— Helen Clark (@HelenClarkNZ) July 4, 2018
Clark has a valid point that this would set a precedent for Eden Park, and concerts are permitted at Mt Smart, so why not hold it there. It could well be that Eden Park are wanting to use such a good cause, as a precedent.
But at the end of the day, hopefully some solution can be found so the great work by Ray Avery is supported.